Veggie Tacos + Strawberry Salsa

I'm back in New York!  I have a chronic case of the "Sunday Scaries" over the upcoming back-to-school season!  And I have an equal amount of ecstatic joy for that momentous Tuesday after Labor Day!  I need it to be here NOW, no - wait, I'm not ready, just kidding... HURRY UP!  I'm manic.

Emotional roller coaster aside, it feels good to be home where everything is familiar and friends and neighbors are readily available to commiserate over the re-entry into reality.  It also felt great to be back at Today this morning, and I'm looking forward to a couple more appearances in September.  This morning I was fortunate to grab fresh, garden-grown vegetables from this truck to make Veggie Tacos with a Tomato and Strawberry Salsa.       

Click HERE for video and recipes.

And for your enjoyment, a really attractive photo of myself...

Photos by the talented Nathan Congleton at TODAY

Tailgate Bloody Marys

It�s FOOTBALL SEASON. SEA � HAWKS! SEA�.HAWKS!


To celebrate the upcoming season, I�ve joined a group of bloggers from all over the country, who are all fans of different teams, to bring you a ton of tailgating recipe ideas! Stay tuned over the next few months for other football inspired posts from this group of #foodiefootballfans!

I like the idea of tailgating, but I�ve only been to a handful of actual tailgates. The thing is, I kind of hate big crowded events. Here are few reasons:

• I�m five foot zero inches tall, and in crowds, that means my face is stuck in a million armpits, if I�m lucky. If I�m not lucky, it�s stuck in a million butts.
• I�m a bit of an introvert in that I can only do so much group socializing at a time. And these types of events usually last for hours.
• I�m a lightweight, and like a grandpa on Thanksgiving, after a couple beers and a hotdog, I just want to take a snooze on a recliner and not be bothered to stay up and cheer for several more hours.
• In college I was even more of a lightweight, and on the way to a Husky game, I threw up in the parking lot of Husky Stadium, surrounded by alumni tailgaters. #memories
• Port-a-potties.

I like to watch football from a comfy booth at a local bar, or in my PJs on my couch. I can see the appeal of tailgating though. I�ve been once or twice (at UW football games), and like I said, I like the idea of it. It�s sort of like camping�sitting around drinking, grilling, preparing fun food that you wouldn�t necessarily make at home�but in a parking lot with a bunch of hyped up football fans.

Since I don�t go to a lot of tailgates, I was racking my brain coming up with a good tailgate recipe that wasn�t just grilled stuff or chips and dips. So I turned to the expert, my sister, who is the biggest sports fan I�ve ever known, and who tailgates on the regular. She recommended bloody marys, something she and her husband always have at tailgates, since they usually start in the AM, hours before game time.

So that�s what we�re having! I thought about naming these after one of our Hawks, but I didn�t think we wanted to start the season with a Bloody Wilson. Yoiks. Nothanks.

These are easy to bring to a tailgate (or camping!) because you prep the mary mix ahead of time, in separate, sealable jars that can be tucked into a cooler of ice, and quickly customized. And, because it�s not a tailgate without a BBQ (or, so I�ve been told), we�re garnishing our marys with lil mini grilled smokey sausages!

Tailgate Bloody Marys
Makes 1 pint-size canning jar drink

This base mix is how I learned how to make bloody marys years ago, from my Uncle Rock and Aunt Cat. I prefer a basic scratch mary to a store-bought mix, but even you decide to use a pre-made base, packing it up in individual transportable, sealable jars makes tailgate time fun and easy!

1 cup tomato juice
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/8th of a lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon pickle juice
About 6 splashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco)
Generous pinch or two of: celery salt, black pepper, sea salt
2 ounces vodka

For the skewer:
1 lil smokey
1 cube bread (like garlic-parmesan rustic loaf)
1 mini tomato
1 pepperoncini
1 cube pepper jack cheese

Other garnish:
Celery stick
Dilly beans

Add base ingredients except vodka to mason jar, seal, and shake to combine. For optimal flavor, make ahead.

At tailgate, shake each jar to re-mix, add ice, and add 2 ounces of vodka.

For garnish: put smokey and bread cube on skewer, and grill until lightly charred. Then slide tomato, pepperoncini, and cheese cube onto skewer.

Set out  pre-cut celery sticks and dilly beans, along with skewers, extra hot sauce, and everyone�s jar of Bloody Mary!

***

Note: This post is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by the National Football League (NFL) or any of its teams. All opinions and views expressed on our blogs are our own, not that of the NFL and/or any of its 32 teams. Any team names, logos or other symbols referenced are properties of their respective organizations. We are just big fans � and we want to share our love for our teams, the game and the food that brings us all together on game day.

***

Wait... there's more! Check out the rest of the #foodiefootballfans lineup:

Spicy Mexican Cheese Dip by 2 Cookin Mamas
Salsa Verde by A Dish of Daily Life
Slow Cooker Sausage Corn Dip by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
Sausage, Peppers + Onions Pigs in a Blanket by A Little Gathering
Grilled Jalapeno Poppers by A Mind Full Mom
Beer & Brats Bake by A Simpler Grace
Black Bottom Maple Pecan Pie Bars by An Oregon Cottage
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings by And She Cooks
Blackberry BBQ Sticky Wings by Around My Family Table
Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread by Beer Girl Cooks
Black Bean & Corn Salsa by Body Rebooted
Roasted Garlic BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe by Bread Booze Bacon
Smoky Jalapeno Poppers by Brunch-n-Bites
Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos by Bucket List Tummy
Deconstructed Smoked Chicken Chile Relleno by Cafe Terra
Chicken Spinach & Artichoke Dip French Bread by Cake 'n Knife
Cuban Sandwich Quesadillas by Casa de Crews
Grilled Asparagus Spears by Celebrating Family
Sweet and Salty Blueberry Popcorn by Club Narwhal
Buffalo Chicken Poppers by Coffee Love Travel
Sea Bass Skewers + Blackbeard Cocktails by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Buffalo Chicken Poppers by Dash of Herbs
Easy Chicken Roll Ups with Cream Cheese and Veggies by Family Food on the Table
Bottled Tailgate Cocktails by Feast + West
Tex Mex Arrachera Fajitas by Foodal
Loaded Guacamole by foodbyjonister
Cincinnati Nachos by Foodtastic Mom
Cajun Red Beans and Andouille Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms by For the Love of Food
Grilled Shrimp Pizza by Glisten and Grace
Mini Bell Pepper Nachos by Hello Little Home
Slow Cooker Sweet Spicy Meatballs by Honey & Birch
BBQ Chicken Wontons by Lauren's Kitchen
Loaded Tailgate Tots by Life's Ambrosia
Ricotta & Fig Bites by Living Well Kitchen
Tailgate Tacos by Lizzy is Dizzy
Nashville Hot Chicken Wings by Loaves & Dishes
Cincinnati Chili Dip by Love & Flour
{Slow Cooker} BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Love Bakes Good Cakes
Sweet Korean Chicken Wings by Macheesmo
Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots by Me and My Pink Mixer
Beer Sangria by Mixplorology
Crab Pretzels by Mom's Messy Miracles
Hot Bacon Dip by Nik Snacks
Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar by Off the Eaten Path
Chowder Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers by Order in the Kitchen
Old Fashioned Sweet by Peanut Blossom
Baked Mac and Cheese Cups by Polka Dotted Blue Jay
Texas Toothpicks with Buttermilk Ranch by See Aimee Cook
Pretzel Turkey Meatballs (GF, DF, SF) by Shaws Simple Swaps
Hearty Vegetable Chili by Simple and Savory
Focaccia Pizza by Simplify, Live, Love
Sweet Potato Skins Stuffed with BBQ Ranch Pulled Pork by Sustaining the Powers
Bacon-Wrapped Cheeseburger Bites by The BakerMama
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad by The Creative Bite
German Potato Skins by The Crumby Cupcake
Old Bay Trail Mix by The Culinary Compass
Meat Lover's Pizza Bites by The Life Jolie
Raspberry Chipotle Black Bean Dip by The Mexitalian
Grilled Asian Chicken Wings & Shishito Peppers by The Secret Ingredient Is
Blackened Shrimp Tacos by The Speckled Palate
Honeydew Melon Refresher by Two Places at Once
Grilled Sauerkraut Stuffed Brats by West via Midwest
Sausage Apple and Sage Hand Pies by What A Girl Eats

Lamb Stuffed Peppers and Easy Chocolate Mousse on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod, I'll be presenting the following recipes.  Wonderful freshly ground lamb is available to order at Millad's Supermarket on Notre Dame in Winnipeg.  Wonderful tomato paste is available there as well.  Just try the Tat tomato paste.  HUGE difference.

The peppers that I used were two varieties, sweet yellow and red peppers and hot green chilies.  These are available at St. Norbert's Farmer's Market on Saturday and at The Forks Farmer's Market on Sunday from Fertile Farms.  They also have huge fresh fava beans, eggplant, etc.

For the Chocolate Mousse, I used Fair Trade dark chocolate callets and, for a Proven�al taste, a floral local honey by Bee Projects, Neighbourhood Honey (Wolseley).  Very creamy honey, available at The Forks Farmer's Market and biweekly at the downtown Hydro Building Farmer's Market.

Lamb Stuffed Sweet and hot peppers

For the peppers and filling:
1 lb ground lamb (I used freshly ground Halal Lamb from Millad�s Supermarket on Notre Dame)
1 red onion, medium dice
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs Turkish Baharat, or preferred seasonings
salt, to taste
olive oil
2 tbs pomegranate molasses (optional, or 1 tbs tamarind)
mixed peppers (I used yellow and red sweet and green hot peppers from Fertile Farms, available on Saturday at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market and Sundays at The Forks Farmer�s Market)

Grill peppers with olive oil over the BBQ or under the broiler.  When the skins begin to darken and blister, remove from the grill and let cool.  This makes peeling the peppers easier.
In a saucepan, saut� chopped red onion until translucent.  Add the ground lamb and seasonings and cook on medium heat until the lamb is browned.  Remove from heat and stir in the pomegranate molasses.
Peel and seed the peppers.

Preheat oven to 350�F. In a saucepan, heat up for the sauce, 2-3 tbs good tomato paste (Tat, from Millad�s is excellent), 1 cup water, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp dried or fresh oregano, optional 1/2 cup good red wine.  Pour into baking dish.  Fill peppers with lamb mixture and place on top of the tomato sauce.  Cover baking dish and bake for 30 - 45 minutes.  Serve hot or warm.

Enjoy!

Easy Rich Chocolate Mousse

2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons honey (I used the floral Neighbourhood Honey of Wolesley by Bee Projects, available on Sunday at The Forks Farmer�s Market)

Stir 3/4 cup cream, chocolate and honey in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally.
In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Divide mousse among eight 3/4-cup ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to firm peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream in center of each mousse.

Enjoy!

Braided Nutella Pastry

Every summer while I'm on vacation, I try to bake something slightly more challenging (for example, these bagels from long, long ago... practically olden times).  A few days ago, I enlisted my daughter to help me with this sweet pastry that's smothered with her favorite food group: Nutella.  That girl has been known to dip her morning VITAMINS in Nutella.  One day she'll probably be a raw, vegan chef but for now, she would live off of gum and the hazelnut chocolate spread if I let her.  

{Side note: I obviously stress over her sweet tooth and lack of love for vegetables (I'm a human mom, after all), however, I also strive to teach my children balance.  Strict limitations are something I don't understand, because what's left is curiosity and desire.  Everything in moderation, including moderation (a wise woman once said).  WE ONLY LIVE ONCE.  The End of side note.}

 This sweet dough was delicious, and need I say anything about Nutella?  My daughter had a BLAST helping, and it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  That said, I also didn't have my beloved standing mixer, and it's been awhile since I've kneaded dough by hand.  The result was a slightly denser dough than I would have liked... but I will definitely make this again at home because just look at how lovely The Baker Chick's fluffy dough came out?

Recipe HERE.

When you're renting a house and can't find a rolling pin...

My little helper...

Dory and Nemo Cake

My baby is two.  That means she's technically not a baby anymore, but you mamas know we are always allowed to call them that.  She is a tiny comedian and when she's not making everyone laugh, she's being her sweet, concerned self.  "Jackie sad?  Mama doing?  Sorry Etta." are phrases she utters frequently when she's not saying "UPPY UPPY UPPY UPPY."  She LOVES Dory and often likes to claim, "I'm Nemo."  For her birthday, it was a no-brainer to bake fishy cakes and finding fish cake pans at Michael's definitely helped.  I went with good old boxed cake mix, because I decided I actually wanted to spend TIME with little LoLo on her birthday.  (I have been known to bake cakes that take me all day to finish and turn me into a giant ball of stress.)  

Do the eyes look a little freaky to you?  They look a little freaky to me.  And it also sort of looks like the fish have braces.  Or blinged out grillz.  I had to google how to spell that.   

If you care to see the other cakes I've created for my kids, check it out here.

Baked Crab Dip

Our time at the beach is almost over.  Teacher letters went out yesterday, which feels like the first official sign of fall.  I finally started to register the kids for their activities, which pretty much makes my head spin.  So for now, I'm soaking up every minute of the sun-filled, routine-less days.  I'm also trying to eat as much seafood as I can before heading back to my east coast bagels.  Like this easy, delicious baked crab dip.  I found lump crab meat at a Gelson's out west, but I'm sure Whole Foods would be a good alternative.  This appetizer was a hit at my daughter's two-year birthday celebration.  That's right, SHE IS TWO.  Wasn't I just posting an absurd amount of homemade cakes whilst pregnant with her???  Is "whilst" even a word?  Did I use it properly if so?    

Speaking of cakes, I will share her birthday cake(s) tomorrow.  In the meantime, make this dip!

Recipe here.

Banana Chocolate Chip Blondies

Happy National Relaxation Day!  Yes, that is a thing.  Because everyday is a National something.  I have found - especially as I get older - that I have a hard time relaxing.  I guess I'm a "doer" and was born with this desire to always DO something.  If I sit for too long, I start to feel guilty, as if I'm neglecting something that needs to be done.  Carson does NOT have this problem, which has been good for me, especially while we're on vacation.  Next to him, I'm able to slow down a bit and realize that the world won't come crashing down around us if I sit.

Can you guys relax?  Any relaxation tips for me on this national holiday?

One thing that always relaxes me is baking, and so the other day I made these Banana Chocolate Chip Blondies and they were delicious.  One bowl, very few ingredients, done in 30 minutes from start to finish.  They'd probably be fantastic if you browned the butter first!  Yum!    

Recipe here.