S'mores Bark

In the last 10 days, we had 7 house guests, a 1st communion, a party with close to 100 people and a 3-day trip to California (complete with a redeye).  That's a lot of numbers, and if you add them together, it equals 1 brain-dead mom.  But guess what?  Even when you're incapable of barely anything, you can make this S'mores Bark.  It's the easiest thing, requiring 3 ingredients that you probably have in your pantry and the best part?  You can make your kids do it for you... 

That little blue girl was no help, however.  

Recipe here!  

Have a great weekend and Memorial Day... and thank you to the brave men and women who serve our country to keep us safe.

Outdoor St. Norbert's Farmer's Market is open! Asparagus on CBC.

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai, I presented some wonderful local asparagus on Avocado Toast.  The Manitoba asparagus is available today at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market for their season opening at River's Edge Farm.  It is a pesticide and spray-free farm that specializes in asparagus and raspberries.

I've also featured some lovely Halibut Steaks in a Kerala recipe.  For a grilling option on this long weekend, treat yourself to a halibut steak.  The marinade is quite easy to prepare.  The wild caught Halibut steaks are available at Gimli Fish.

Green Toast
Nice bread slices.  I made this bread but there are great breads available at the St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.
1 avocado (one or two Haas, or a huge variety available at Dino's Grocery Market on Notre Dame)
Asparagus (In Season Now!  River's Edge Farm has them available today at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.)  I grilled the asparagus spears that I had drizzled with sesame oil and when done, I grated lemon zest on the spears and a pinch of salt

Easy Bernaise Sauce 

2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 sprig fresh tarragon
1 minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Combine wine, vinegar, tarragon, onion, and black pepper in a skillet; bring to a boil and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave until fully melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Place tarragon mixture, egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper in a blender; pulse until combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Remove the small hole cover from lid; stream butter into egg mixture while blender is running until sauce is completely blended and smooth.

Assembly
Toast the bread and smooth avocado on top.  Place grilled asparagus on top of avocado and drizzle Bernaise sauce on top.  Garnish with fresh chives or tarragon.  

 Grilled Halibut Steaks, (Fish masala fry)

2 steaks Halibut (Now in season and available at Gimli Fish)
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed make paste with water (always
make paste with a little water)

Put all the ingredients onto a plate in a little pile.
Sprinkle over the vinegar and mix to a paste with the fingers.
Pat the masala evenly over the sides of the fish and marinate for minimum 1/2 an hour and better still for 4-5 hours.

When ready to grill, drizzle oil tablespoons oil on the fish and set the grill to high heat. Sprinkle the fish with a little(pinch) salt more on both the sides of fish , reduce the heat and add the fish. Increase the heat medium flame and cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then about 2 minutes on the other.


Enjoy!

Tater Tot Breakfast Burrito

I recently had a breakfast burrito in Los Angeles at an INCREDIBLE coffee shop called Alfred Coffee + Kitchen, but the burrito itself came from The Rooster Food Truck.   I ordered something named the 'Rico Suave' which had eggs, bacon, tater tots, avocado and a cheddar & cotija cheese blend.  Yes, tater tots.  TATER TOTS IN A BURRITO.  If you've never experienced the splendor of tater tots in a burrito, you should really (bonus points if you can name what children's book that line comes from).  Now that I'm back in the land of bagels and deli egg sandwiches (which there is NOTHING wrong with), I know I need to make my own Rico Suaves at home.  And I do.

I really do.

Here's how I do it:

Fry up a few pieces of bacon in a pan until crispy.  Remove and wipe out most of the grease.  In the same pan, add some tater tots (you don't even have to thaw them out) and fry until golden.  I like to smash them once they're soft enough which will help them crisp up.  Remove from pan.  Add your scrambled eggs (I always add cream to my eggs) and softly scramble.  Remove.  Layer your burrito with shredded cheddar, crumbled cotija, eggs, bacon, tots, and avocado.  Fold and then lightly grill in the same pan until the tortilla becomes lightly golden.  Serve with your favorite hot sauce!

Rosemary Greyhound Cocktail

Happy Day After Mother's Day!  I hope your Sunday was full of happy children, thoughtful partners and a few minutes of alone time.  Don't y'all think that particular holiday should be a week long?  Cause I do.  I also think I should probably not use "y'all" like I'm from the South, because I'm from Minnesota, and we say things like, "yah, suuuure, ya betchya."  I'm finishing off my Mother's Day as I type this, eating stove-popped popcorn and watching Guardians of the Galaxy with my kids who are snuggled up on the pull-out couch (and it's driving my son crazy that I have no idea what's happening in the movie).  I had a magical day that began with Carson letting me sleep in (until 7:30, my body is incapable of anything past that) and then walking downstairs to freshly delivered bagels and homemade cards and art projects from my kids.  What more could a mom want?  Other than a week-long all-expenses paid trip to Mexico with her friends.

Kidding (sort of) aside, it was a truly great weekend.  The kind that makes your heart feel full.  We had Flag Football Friday followed by a sushi dinner and a mother-son karate class on Saturday that I'm STILL sore from, followed by a lot of recipe testing at home.  In the middle of all the cooking, I tried out a new cocktail that will surely become a staple this summer.  Freshly squeezed grapefruit, earthy rosemary and a hint of homemade simple syrup made this beverage more than delightful!  

Y'all should try it out.  Ya betchya.           

Recipe here.

Coconut Lime Scone Loaf with White Chocolate and Mac Nuts

Let me be clear: this is not a Mother�s Day post (sidenote, happy Mother�s Day, mom!). This recipe isn�t for Mother�s Day. You can, of course, make it for a mom, but you can also make it for yourself (you can enjoy it even if you�re a dad, a cat-mom, a dog-mom, a non-binary non parent, an LGBTQ teen, a single dude who loves video games, a dude married to a dude, a woman in a long-term relationship who may or may not want to get married and has decided she doesn't want kids, a pregnant lady, a DINK couple, etc!), and you can also make your mom a big spicy pan of enchiladas if that�s what she�s into. Because moms, like all human women (and like all of the humans mentioned above, plus more... all the humans, even!), are complex creatures who don�t fit into one mold.

I�ve said it before and I�ll say it again, my mom has a taco tooth, not a sweet tooth, and would much prefer something savory over something sweet. When I was growing up, my dad would whip up some waffles� while my mom chowed down on a leftover taco, cold from the fridge. That�s how she rolls. All this is to say, one: my mom gives absolutely zero fucks #shedowhatshewant, and two: let�s stop gendering food. Sure, moms might like flowers and scones, but they also might like a big bloody steak with a glass of whiskey or something smothered in some goddamn hot sauce. Just as dads might want sweets and waffles and fresh flowers on the daily (like my dad did). Based on my observations of brunch ordering habits, most of my women friends prefer breakfast sandwiches with runny eggs and bacon, over fruity French toast. As far as I know (and of course, only with an outsider�s perspective/cat-mom perspective, so I might be wrong), having a baby and parenting a child doesn�t make all the women suddenly crave pink breakfast food.

I�d like to make a proposal: food blogs filled with meaty, spicy, savory recipe roundups on Mother�s Day, and waffle brunches on Father�s Day. Ok, so now, to the part where I look like a total hypocrite because this isn�t a recipe for something meaty and spicy and savory. Here�s a scone thing! We can start the revolution on Father�s Day.

I didn�t intend to have this post coincide with Mother�s Day, but I saw both Molly Yeh (My Name is Yeh) and Food52 post pics of Molly�s scone loaf on Instagram this week, and I just had to make it because LOOK AT IT. It�s a scone! In a loaf! So I had to make it and then I had to post it, and it just so happens to be on Mom�s Day weekend. If I was having Mother�s Day brunch with my mom, though, we�d probably have breakfast burritos with tons of salsa. She�d be real PO�d if I only showed up with scones. (ha, remember saying PO�d? lolol).

I changed up the flavor profile of this scone loaf (Molly uses marzipan and dark chocolate) to better match what I had on hand and because I thought maybe tropical-ish flavors would coax the sun back out of its cloudy, rainy hiding place. This recipe is adapted from Food 52�s post, but I also share custody of Molly�s book, Molly on the Range, with my sister, and I highly recommend getting it. It�s one of the most creative yet accessible yet adorable plus delicious cookbooks I�ve picked up in a long while.

Coconut Lime Scone Loaf (with white chocolate & Mac nuts)

Adapted from here and here
Notes: I used this almond-coconut milk, but I think canned coconut milk or regular almond milk would do the trick, or you could simply use heavy cream. I also accidentally used 1 full cup (rather than 3/4 cup) of butter and it turned out awesome, so choose your own adventure. 

1 packed teaspoon lime zest (+ 1 teaspoon for top) 1 tablespoon powdered sugar � cup chopped macadamia nuts � cup white chocolate chips 1 cup dried coconut flakes (unsweetened) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder � teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons granulated (white) sugar (+ 1 teaspoon for top) � cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 large eggs � cup coconut milk 1 teaspoon coconut extract Glaze � cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lime juice Splash coconut extract Pinch fresh grated nutmeg

Heat oven to 400� F. Line an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving 1-inch over-hang (or grease pan really well). In a small bowl, toss together the 1 teaspoon lime zest with the powdered sugar, so that the sugar coats the lime and it doesn�t clump together. Add the nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Add cubed butter and, using a pastry blender, cut in and mix until butter is roughly pea-sized. Stir in zest/nut/coconut/chocolate. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, and extract and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Scoop the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and evenly spread. In a tiny bowl or measuring cup, stir together (or mix using fingers) remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon lime zest, and sprinkle evenly on top. Bake until deep golden brown on top and �firm when you poke it with your finger, with no squishy give,� approx. 40-45 minutes total. Check at 30 minutes in, and cover top loosely with foil if it looks too dark (any white chocolate chips near the surface might burn). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove using the parchment overhang, or gently turning upside down against rack. To make glaze, whisk together ingredients, and drizzle over cooled loaf.

Parmesan Cloud Eggs

Lately, "Cloud Eggs" have been all the rage.  I guess they've been around for a long time, but Instagram has taken their popularity to a whole new level, as only Instagram can do.  I mean, they are super purrrrrrty, aren't they?  A bright, runny yolk delicately placed atop fluffy, baked egg whites.  Best part?  It takes less than 10 minutes to accomplish.  All you need to do is separate your eggs, whip your whites, bake them for 3 minutes solo and 3 minutes with the yolks.  Done!  I added Parmesan to my egg whites after the stiff peaks were formed, but I want to experiment with more ingredients like chopped chives, crumbled bacon and other types of cheeses.  And you might be wondering how it tasted?  SO delicious.  It's a delightful texture and a very healthy breakfast.     

You can view tutorials on how to make these here and here.

Chocolate and Caramel Chip Cookies

The other day I found these chocolate baking discs at Whole Foods and I did a cartwheel!  Just kidding, I've never in my life been able to do a cartwheel.  I legit feel jealous of four-year-olds that are able to hurl their bodies around in airborne circles.  I don't get it?!  Even as a limber kid (I was never limber), my body was like "if you try this, you will die."  It's fine, really, I just stuck to beautiful somersaults (except I couldn't do those either). 

What was I talking about again?  Oh yes!  Chocolate!  I've seen the bittersweet dark chocolate discs before, but the bottom ones in the picture are called "dulcey" and they are creamy, toasty, caramely discs of cocoa goodness.  I highly suggest you go to Whole Foods to see if you can find them, or click on that link above and have a heart attack over how expensive chocolate can be (don't worry - they were $11 at WF - maybe a Mother's Day gift??).  Then I suggest you chop them up and throw them in your favorite salted chocolate chip cookie recipe...

(Like these.)

High Tea on CBC

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Nadia Kidwai I presented High Tea.  I made Moroccan fresh mint green tea slightly sweet, crust less sandwiches using Old Church Bakery's Feta Dill Sourdough, Gimli Fish's Smoked Goldeye with cream cheese, some smoked salmon and cucumber with dill, and Strawberry Shortcake. These make lovely and easy to prepare dishes for Mothers Day next week.

Smoked Goldeye with Cream Cheese 

1 medium smoked Goldeye (available at Gimli Fish), skinned and pulled off of the bones
1/2 - 1 cup softened cream cheese
1-2 green onions, sliced, or chives
salt and pepper, to taste
optional:  chilies

Mix all ingredients together to make smooth consistency.  Spread generously on crustless bread for high tea.  I used Old Church Bakery's Feta Dill Sourdough, available today at Third and Bird and St. Norbert's Farmer's Market.

Also featured above, smoked salmon with cucumber and dill.

Strawberry Shortcake

 2 cups flour
5 tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400�F.

Strawberries and other berries macerated in a bit of sugar for at least 30 minutes.  Whipped cream with a bit of sugar and vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients above and add the buttermilk until just mixed.  Pour into an ungreased 8" pan and bake for 18 minutes, until golden.  Remove from pan onto a cooling rack after cooling the pan for a few minutes.  Cut into serving pieces and split in half. 

Spoon berries and whipped cream over the shortcake and enjoy!