Awesome Slaw = Creamy Asian Vegetable Slaw

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


Slaws are seen as a summertime salad, but that's just silly. A tomato salad isn't going to be delicious in the middle of winter, but a rustic & hearty cabbage slaw works year round. But when you add something a bit more unexpected to the ingredient list, get ready for a flavourful salad that you'll want to put on regular rotation.


This slaw is full of broccoli, green onions, red peppers, carrots, radishes and of course, cabbage. Freshly grated ginger, soy sauce and a hit of spicy sriracha give this salad bite, while greek yogurt and mayonnaise lend a lovely creaminess. There's really something special about this slaw. It's a favorite at family gatherings and it's a salad that I'll sneak late-night fridge bites from when we've got leftovers.

Pair this with your main dish to add colour and texture to your next meal. This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada and I couldn't imagine a prettier side dish. Simple to prepare, delicious and beautiful.




Creamy Asian Vegetable Slaw
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 head of broccoli, thinly chopped
4 green onions, diced
1 carrot, grated
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 bunch radishes, sliced

Dressing:
1/3 cup greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
a few shakes of roasted sesame oil
a few shakes of sriracha or the hot sauce of your choice

1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Toss together the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk together the dressing and pour over salad. Add almonds and cranberries and toss to combine. Serve.

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Awesome Slaw = Creamy Asian Vegetable Slaw

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Brown Bag It: Zesty Zucchini & Orzo Salad

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


I made this pasta salad for the first time a few weeks ago. I suggested a last-minute after-work picnic with some friends on our favorite smack-dab-in-the-city-tiny-island. An hour before I was supposed to leave I remembered that I should actually bring some food and that's how this salad was born.


It was a quick endeavor requiring just a few standard ingredients - zucchini, orzo (tiny rice-shaped pasta), onions, garlic & some cider vinegar. Thankfully it made for the most perfect picnic salad. My friends raved and even my husband who isn't the biggest zucchini fan, gobbled it up and fought me for the last bite.


The thing that's great about this pasta salad is that it actually tastes better the longer it sits out at room temperature (well, within reason, that is). There's no cheese or dairy to get things funky so it makes an idea brown bag lunch.


Zesty Zucchini & Orzo Salad
1 cup orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 small zucchini or summer squash, quartered & thinly sliced

1 large handful each of fresh basil & parsley, torn

2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon aleppo pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cook orzo in a pot of salted water. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large pan and add in onion and garlic. Stir around until it's soft and fragrant - about 4 minutes. Add in zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes or so until cooked but still with a bit of bite.

In a large bowl, toss the orzo with the zucchini mixture and fresh herbs. In a small jar, shake up the remaining ingredients and pour over the orzo/zucchini mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serves 4.

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Brown Bag It: Zesty Zucchini & Orzo Salad

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Budget Times: Quick Grilled Chuck Steak with Peppers, Zucchini & Onions

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


When I was growing up, steak in my house wasn't a juicy, grilled t-bone or full sirloin dinner. Steak was a cheap cut of beef that was cut into small strips and served with onions and peppers. My mom sure knew how to stretch a piece of meat into an economical dinner for 4.

It's funny because I don't often buy beef or steak, mainly because I like to buy organic, locally-raised meat and that certainly isn't an economical option. However, a couple new butcher shops have recently opened up in my neighbourhood and I decided to try my luck with a cheaper cut of beef.


The thing with a cheaper cut of steak, like the chuck steak used here, is that it's not usually tender and usually requires a long marinating process or a long slow braise in the oven. Luckily, this recipe is quick but it does require a bit of pounding. Yup, I thwacked this steak into oblivion which helps to tenderize the meat pretty quick. I didn't have a meat pounder, but I did have a small cast iron pan, though a rolling pin would also make short work of this.

This meal is flavourful and I love the combination of the steak with the onions, peppers and zucchini. I've also switched up the flavours by using fresh ginger alongside the garlic and soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire for an Asian take on dinner. Served with steamed rice, this is a quick and delicious - and affordable - steak dinner.

Quick Grilled Chuck Steak with Peppers, Zucchini & Onions
(adapted from Simply Recipes)
1 lb chuck steak, trimmed of fat & gristle
kosher salt & 1/4 t red chili flakes
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 large onion, sliced into thin strips
1 large sweet bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1/2 zucchini, cut into thin half moons
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Season steak with salt and red chili pepper and rub with the minced garlic on both sides. Wrap steak with plastic wrap or the butcher paper the steak came in and using a meat pounder or a small cast iron pan, pound on the steaks until they flatten to about 1/4" thick (or so). Cut them against the grain into 1/2" wide strips. Cut in half any really long strips. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat and add in onions and peppers along with a pinch of salt. Cook for 1 minute and then add in the zucchini and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the skillet.

Add the last tablespoon of the oil in the pan over med-high heat until hot. Add the strips of beef without crowding the pan. Let them get brown without stirring. Then give them a stir and add in the onion/pepper/zucchini mixture and sprinkle with the Worcestershire. Cook for no more than a minute for rare. Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice. Serves 4.

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Weeknight Solution: Spaghetti with Seasonal Vegetables

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


Everyone seems to be on the go. Projects are ramping up, school is back in session and it can be hard to find find the time to make yourself something wholesome and filling without resorting to something over-salted or over-processed.

I love this pasta meal and rely on it often when time is at a premium. You might get put off by the chopping, but please reconsider it as a meditative practice rather than a chore. Dice, chop, chiffonade your vegetables and consider it a time out, shift your mind to some place calm.


This recipe is simple for a reason – it uses the best of what you can find at your local markets. I used what was left of our organic CSA share for the week, but please feel free to vary up the vegetables and use what looks best to your at the farmer's market. I used a very flavourful chicken stock, but a good vegetable stock would work as well to make this vegetarian/vegan. If you want to make this gluten-free, just make sure that your noodles are made from your favorite GF grain and your stock is homemade.


Spaghetti with Seasonal Vegetables
250 g spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 carrot, diced
4 kale leaves, ribs removed & leaves sliced into ribbons
a handful of green beans, cut into 1" pieces
pinch of salt
1-2 teaspoons aleppo pepper
1/2 cup good chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 zucchini, quartered & diced
handful of fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
juice from 1/2 a lemon

In a large pot, cook spaghetti according to package directions in salted water. Do not let your pasta cook all the way.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet (preferably one with tall sides). Add in the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add in the diced carrot, kale and green beans, along with a pinch of salt and the aleppo pepper and give everything a good stir. Pour in your chicken or vegetable stock and let the vegetables simmer over low heat for five minutes.

When your spaghetti is close to being cooked, drain away most of the water, leaving about 1/2 a cup of the cooking liquid. Add the zucchini in with the rest of the vegetables and let cook for a couple of minutes before adding in the spaghetti and the cooking liquid. Toss well and let the liquid reduce in half, while giving the pasta another few minutes to cook. Add in the basil and squeeze lemon juice over top and serve. Makes 3 large servings.

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A Seasonal Shift: Fluffy Gluten-Free Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


It's definitely still summer out there – the days are hot and your shoulders still burn if you aren't using sunscreen – but there's a shift happening. Can you feel it? It's not just the days that are getting shorter but the mornings and evening are becoming very cardigan-worthy. And if that isn't getting through to you, this weekend is Labour Day which traditionally hails the end of summer fun. So you might as well experience the changing of the seasonal guard with a stack of fluffy pancakes, right? Right.


These pancakes are made with buckwheat flour which isn't a flour made from wheat - instead it's more of a cereal which makes these babies totally gluten-free. So if you or someone you know is gluten-intolerant, make up a batch of these right away! But don't go thinking that these will be leaden lumps of dough. Hardly. It's the ricotta cheese that is the secret weapon here and gives these hot cakes a very airy and light texture.


So whip up a batch and make peace with the end of summer. Pancakes make almost everything better.

Fluffy Gluten-Free Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta
1 large egg
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon of melted coconut oil (or butter)

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, combine the milk, ricotta, egg and maple syrup together with the melted coconut oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat up your skillet, grease it lightly with butter or coconut oil and drop batter (about 1/4 cup for each pancake) onto the pan. When bubbles form on top and the slides look almost set, flip for 30 seconds. Remove and repeat. Serve with plenty of maple syrup and fresh fruit. Makes 4-6 pancakes.

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For Those Small Victories: Norwegian Blueberry Almond Tea Cake

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


I love cakes that are low maintenance. The thing is, these types of cakes aren't lookers. They don't have fancy frostings, luscious ices or decorative baubles. But I'm okay with that because this isn't a cake for a special occasion, unless you're celebrating that you made it through a rough work day or didn't have to run for the bus that morning. This cake is perfect for those small, nearly invisible victories. It's like a delicious pat on the back.


This cake doesn't get much rise, but there's also no butter or fats to weigh it down. It's got a crusty topping and the texture is slightly chewy so it reminds me a bit of a macaroon - I think that it's because the only liquid besides a bit of flavouring, comes from 1 large egg. But despite the odd ingredient list, somehow this cake works. And it works really well!


I usually make this cake with apples in the fall and I think this would work well with cherries and sliced peaches too. It smacks heavily of almonds and I decided to pair it with the gorgeously fresh BC blueberries that have been filling up the local markets. Oh, and ice cream makes a wonderful pairing along with fresh berries scattered alongside. Something to remember for that next small victory celebration.

Norwegian Blueberry Almond Tea Cake
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch each of ground nutmeg & cardamom
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup fresh blueberries (frozen would work well too - don't defrost)
1/4 c sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom & nutmeg. Break an egg into the centre of the dry mix along with the vanilla and almond extract. Stir well until the mixture comes together into a thick, heavy batter. Carefully stir in blueberries and almonds.

Butter and flour a 8" round cake tin and dump in batter, using a scraper to add all the dough into the tin. You can try to spread it around, but don't worry if all of the batter doesn't run towards the edges - it will head there while it bakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting. Serve with ice cream and fresh berries.

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For Those Small Victories: Norwegian Blueberry Almond Tea Cake

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Sweet Pepper & Cauliflower Salad

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


I know I've been going on about salads a lot lately, but it's summer and it's prime time to take advantage of all our garden bounty. Right now I can't get enough of bright heirloom tomatoes, crunchy green beans and the weird but totally delicious spiny cucumbers my CSA share is doling out. But when our csa passed along a cute little head of cauliflower our way, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it.


CONTINUE READING...

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Sweet Pepper & Cauliflower Salad

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My Favorite Salad Dressing of the Moment: Creamy Tarragon Dijon Vinaigrette

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


Sometimes you have to clarify these things. I love eating salads and I make homemade dressings all the time, so I'm always coming up with a favorite combination. Right now, though, this is The One. It's got everything I love: the bright tang of lemon, the herbal goodness from some fancy tarragon dijon mustard and a good dose of creaminess thanks to a dollop of mayonnaise. And of course, lots of garlic. This is something you make with good friends and share with good kissers.


Normally, I tend to shy away from mayo-based dressings, but when our jar was almost finished I shook up the rest of the mayo along with some standard vinaigrette ingredients. The results were delicious and I've been shaking up a batch every week now. Salad greens from our CSA get tossed with a variety of local vegetables and sometimes a boiled egg. Lunch, there it is! Part of a dinner plate? Yes, please! Fill up on your greens and pour on this dressing because things are going to get addictive.



Can't find tarragon dijon? Just use regular dijon mustard and add in some fresh herbs - whatever you have around. May I suggest tarragon? Though I also think dill would be excellent too.


Creamy Tarragon Dijon Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large tablespoon of mayonnaise
1 large teaspoon of tarragon dijon
juice of 1 lemon

1 really fat clove of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
1 large pinch of kosher salt
a good grind of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small jar with a tightly fitting lid. Shake, shake, shake! Give it a taste. Does it need more salt? Lemon? Honey? Or maybe it's a bit thick. If so, add in a teaspoon of water and shake again. Pour over your favorite salad.

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Swoon-Worthy Summer Dessert: Cherry Pear Crumble

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


A crumble is probably the easiest way to gussy up summer fruits into a something comfortable and elegant. Pies can seem like too much effort, but a crumble is a cinch to prepare. But before you begin your own crumble journey, I have two tips for making perfect crumbles and crisps.

Tip One, use 2 or 3 fruits max. A one fruit crumble is fine and all, but four is overly complicated. I like using 2 or 3 fruits best. Think popular favorites like strawberry + rhubarb, apple + cranberry, or just try out your own delicious fruit combo.


Tip Two, large crumbles take the cake! One of the real joys of eating crumble is all of that delicious topping - and to make a good crumb you need butter, lots of it. You can get away with a smaller amount, but you'll get something more powdery and lackluster. Big, crunchy balls of crumble is the ideal - so get your mix to a dough-like consistency and then crumble it in big chunks over the top of your fruit.

I used fresh sour cherries here, but Bing or Rainier or any cherry that's ripe now is suitable. I had a couple pears to use up so in those went, but I think nectarines or peaches would be totally swoon-worthy companions to the cherries as well. Serve with ice cream or yogurt if desired.


Cherry Pear Crumble
4 cups cherries, pitted
2-3 pears, peeled, cored & diced
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon juice

topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Add the cherries and pears to a casserole pan or deep pie dish, tossing with the sugar, cornstarch, extract and nutmeg. Pour in lemon juice and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients and use your hands to work in the cold butter into doughy clumps. Scatter the topping evenly over the fruit. Bake for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit have created a bubbly sauce. Cool slightly and serve.

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Swoon-Worthy Summer Dessert: Cherry Pear Crumble

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Summer on a Plate: Panzanella Salad with Beans

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


I discovered panzanella salad last summer and was instantly in love. It's filling, versatile, and it's beautiful on a plate. This traditional Italian salad is meant for summer when tomatoes are at their peak, so don't even try to attempt this with less-than-stellar tomatoes or you'll be disappointed with the results.


For this version, I used the green onions and red leaf lettuce from our CSA (community sponsored agriculture) share along with some market fresh vegetables and a day old loaf of multi-grain bread from our local bakery. The beans I added as an afterthought since I had just cooked some up the night before, but it was a great call. A hearty and filling salad? Totally! And it's vegan too, so it's a win.


The only trick with this salad is to make what you will eat for that meal because leftovers turn soggy quickly. What I like to do is prepare the dressing ahead - often making a double batch so that I can make this salad quickly whenever the urge strikes. And trust me, the urge will be often. Is it embarrassing that I ate this 3 days in a row? It's that good.



Panzanella Salad with Beans
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal
4-6 small tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 cup cooked beans

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 t kosher salt
1/2 t aleppo pepper

1 head of lettuce
1 cup fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
1/2 loaf of day-old peasant bread, cubed

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

In a small jar, give the next 5 ingredients a good shake. Pour the dressing over top of the vegetable/bean mixture and let flavors mingle for 10 minutes.

Toss in the lettuce, basil and bread. Give everything a good toss and serve immediately.

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Summer on a Plate: Panzanella Salad with Beans

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Sweet Summer: Mexican Corn

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches


Growing up I only knew of one way to eat corn on the cob - salt and butter and lots of it. Sure, drippy butter on fresh sweet corn is a fantastic pairing, but a few years ago I started skipping the butter and just kept the flakey kosher salt and I never missed a thing.



But this year, I have a new tradition: Mexican corn. When I was in NYC earlier this summer, I ate a grilled cob covered in lime, salt, chili flakes and cheese at the Brooklyn Flea. It was love at first bite. So when I spotted some corn at a local market, I let my new instincts take over.


Traditional Mexican corn is called Elote and fresh corn is spread with mayonnaise and then sprinkled with cotija cheese. While I'm fine with mayo, I wanted to keep this corn light and bright, so I skipped that along with the butter and the results were super tasty. I couldn't find cotija cheese, so I used crumbled feta but grated Parmesan cheese also is mighty tasty too. Next time, I'll skip the cheese and take the more puritan route of the lime juice-chili-salt sprinkles, but that's just me.

Lime, corn, salt and chili totally screams of summer. Get your backyard grill going and grill the corn in their husks or just steam the cobs like I did and enjoy summer at its sweetest.


Mexican Corn
4 cobs of corn
1 lime, cut into quarters
1 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or cayenne or crushed chili flakes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese, feta or grated parmesan (optional)

Shuck corn and place in a large pot and cover halfway with cold water. Once the water has boiled, the corn is ready. Briefly rinse under cold water until it cools down enough to handle.

Squeeze lime juice all over your corn cob and sprinkle with salt and aleppo pepper. I like to blend the salt and aleppo pepper together and put into a small bowl, so it's ready mixed and ready to sprinkle. Dribble some cheese over top and start chewing.


..........................................


Vancouverite, foodie, crafty, freelance designer, Jeannette Ordas from the popular food blog, Everybody Likes Sandwiches joins us every Wednesday enticing us with her hearty and simple recipes!

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Sweet Summer: Mexican Corn

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New Kinfolk Magazine - Issue One

ribboned asparagus salad from tiger in a jar on Vimeo.

The much anticipated issue one of Kinfolk Magazine is out filled with beautiful images, recipes and ideas. Fun to see the folks from Tiger in a Jar featured with one of their lovely video recipes. (Wasn't I just talking about them again today)? Check out the new magazine here.

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A Strange Beauty: The Last Word Cocktail

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches

Summer is often a time for punches, Pimm's or a beer on a sunny patio. But for those cooler summer evenings, this green-hued cocktail is a lovely way to imbibe.

The Last Word is a prohibition-era cocktail that combines gin, green chartreuse and maraschino liqueur into a drink that is strangely delicious. It's got a strong herbal kick from the chartreuse which contains 132 different herbal extracts (!!) but its bitterness is tamed by the sweetness of the maraschino and the floral notes in the gin. The fresh lime juice adds bite.

The Last Word is a sweet-tart cocktail that is as intriguing as it is delicious. And because the drink is made with 4 ingredients of equal proportions, it's an easy recipe to remember. Bottoms up!



The Last Word
1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz green chartreuse
1/2 oz maraschino liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
ice

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well until frosty and strain into a martini glass (or your favorite vintage glass). Drink up.

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Avery Label Project + Contest

I am thrilled to share a fun project that I have been working on with Avery labels as part of the Martha Stewart Circle. Avery approached me to ask if I would like to create some labels as part of their Put Your Best Brand Forward Contest and being a big user and fan of Avery products, I was in.

The contest is about designing your very own brand of products using Avery labels and sharing your before and after shots for the chance to win $5000 and your project appearing in Martha Stewart Living! For all of you crafters out there, time to get your game on... this is a perfect way to get great exposure for your business, and there are secondary prizes as well. Read all the details for the Best Brand Forward contest here.


For this project with all of the BBQ's we've been going to lately, I wanted to make some homemade sauces like pickled relish, mustard, and ketchup and I've been experimenting with a lot of different recipes adding in my own flavors and adjustments here and there. Here are the baseline recipes of my favorites I've tried so far: pickled relish, homemade mustard and homemade ketchup. Do you have a winning recipe that you've tried? Do share! I have also been reading up in this book on how to can the sauces so you can make big batches and save some for later.











As for the labels, I designed them in Adobe Illustrator and with some mad math and ruler skills aligned them to the actual label sheet, using Avery's new square and circle label sheets (22807 and 22805). You can also create your own custom labels using Avery's templates or software or even download the templates into Word if you don't have the fancy design software, which makes it even easier!









Heading to your next outdoor shindig with your own custom collection of homemade sauces would be extra special don't you think? Or what about for a hostess gift? If your sauces are really great, how about even selling a set of them at your upcoming Farmer's market? It would be such a treat and unexpected surprise at the picnic table to have those store bought bottles replaced with these beautifully labeled sauces.

*This is a sponsored post for Avery in connection with Martha Stewart's Circle. I came up with the concept, design and photographs using their new Avery labels and these opinions are my own.

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(Sp)icy Cool: Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches





Having just returned from a 3 week holiday, the first thing I wanted when I returned home was ice cream - I obviously did not get my fill in NYC! I had been browsing through a new cookbook when I stumbled upon an easy recipe for Mexican chocolate ice cream. The amazing thing about the recipe was that it didn't call for eggs or cream or even cornstarch as a thickener. It was straightforward as all get out and I was intrigued by its simplicity.





A few years ago, finding Mexican chocolate was a bit difficult in Vancouver, but now (maybe because I know where to look), it's available in a few stores around town (I get mine at the Gourmet Warehouse). Mexican chocolate comes in round hard tablets and is quite granular because of the added sugar. It tastes of cinnamon but sometimes there are other spices included as well - nutmeg and all-spice are common. In Mexico, these tablets are often used to make hot chocolate and when I first started buying Ibarra chocolate (the brand I can find most easily here in Vancouver) it was just for that purpose. I've since branched out and use it in savory chilis and baking.






The resulting ice cream was silky smooth and sweet but not cloying. Really, how can you go wrong with cinnamon and chocolate? I think if you wanted to up the ante, adding in a spoonful of aleppo pepper or a pinch of cayenne would work well for a spicy version. If you can't find Mexican chocolate, use good dark chocolate instead and simmer it with a stick or two of cinnamon and maybe some all-spice pods or a pinch of nutmeg. Discard the spices when the mixture has cooled.






Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream
(adapted from Heart of the Artichoke by David Tanis)

8 oz Mexican chocolate (equals 2 discs of Mexican chocolate + about 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips)*
1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk (3.25% homogenized)

Chop the Mexican chocolate as finely as you can and dump it into a medium saucepan, along with the cinnamon, sugar and salt. Pour in the milk and warm until everything is well dissolved, whisking occasionally. Strain the liquid to remove any solids and let the chocolate mixture cool. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.

Churn the mixture in your ice cream maker for about 20-25 minutes and then transfer to a lidded container to freeze.


* I found that 2 discs of Mexican chocolate was just shy of 8oz so I topped up to 8oz with some dark chocolate chips rather than chopping up another disc.

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(Sp)icy Cool: Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream

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Keep it Simple: Tomato and Basil Pizza

By Jeannette Ordas of Everybody likes Sandwiches




When I make pizza, I love trying out usual combinations - remember the peach and escarole pizza or the one with hummus and vegetables? Well, sometimes I like to also go the classic route and keep things traditional.




This is the pizza you make when tomatoes are at their finest: fresh, ripe and bright red. Fresh basil from the market or your backyard garden if you've got the green thumb for it (sadly, I don't). I use green onions here, but fresh garlic would also be brilliant. Soft, fresh mozzarella would be nice if you've got it, but plain old party skimmed mozz works for me. Instead of a tomato sauce to cover the whole thing, I just spread over a little olive oil over the dough for a more rustic touch. Flakey salt and some freshly ground black pepper and that's about it. Simple and easy.




Tomato and Basil Pizza
your favorite pizza dough (homemade or fresh from a bakery/market)
2 T cornmeal
3 T olive oil
4-6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch of basil, torn to bits
4 green onions, sliced
flaky kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 cup mozzarella, cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 425F. After your pizza dough has risen, use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to grease up a walled cookie sheet. I use my hands for this. Sprinkle sheet with cornmeal and then push out or roll out your pizza dough until it spreads to all 4 corners. Spread the remaining olive oil over top.

Evenly scatter the tomatoes, basil and green onions over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with salt and a few good hefty grinds of black pepper. Add mozzarella over top and place in oven and heat for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese gets bubbly and the crust becomes golden. Slice and eat hot.


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Vancouverite, foodie, crafty, freelance designer, Jeannette Ordas from the popular food blog, Everybody Likes Sandwiches joins us every Wednesday enticing us with her hearty and simple recipes!

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Keep it Simple: Tomato and Basil Pizza

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https://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/06/keep-it-simple-tomato-and-basil-pizza.html

Visit Charlotte Lifes About The Journey for Daily Updated Wedding Dresses Collection