Episode 57 - Here fishy fishy!

So...no one tell Summer, but I think Fall might be growing on me.  Yeah, I know.  It's horrifying.  I feel like an adulterer.  Poor summer over on the other side of the planet alone while I'm out gallivanting around town in my new boots with Fall. Oh, the boots.  It's all about the boots.  It appears that Fall is flirting with me via it's boot-y weather (not to be confused with booty weather, which I can only assume is another thing entirely).  Yes internet, today, I wore boots to work.  Boots and leggings and a big comfy sweater, and you know what?  It was awesome.  I felt like I was wearing pjs.  Incredible.  You need to do it immediately.

Speaking of work, holy guacamole (ha!  A food joke!) is it ever busy!  I am le tired! I'm pretty sure that come December 16th (the last day of my internship) I might actually keel over into a big, exhausted pile o' Kristy.  A pile! Of Kristy!  Hopefully I'll at least be a very fit pile given the 6 Zumba classes I, in a fit of insanity, signed myself up to teach.  Yeah, 6.  On top of a full-time job.  I am a crazy person.

In any case, with all this fitness and jobness happening I haven't really had a lot of time to devote to cooking.  Don't fret, though!  Dawson, being the most wonderful man alive, has been keeping me well fed.  Tonight he made me these:

Dill-y Salmon Burgers

Fiiissshhhhhhh!

2 whole wheat burger buns
2 small skinless salmon fillets (5 oz each), cut into large chunks
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 sprigs of fresh dill, minced
1 green onion, diced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
tomato and spinach as garnishes

First, pull out a food processor and toss in the salmon.  Blend it until its pretty much unrecognizable - it should look like pink mush.  Put your pink mush into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Form the mix into 2 burger patties.  Next, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the burgers for about 5 minutes per side.  Keep an eye on them - if they overcook they'll be dry.
Meanwhile mix the dill,  green onion, mayo, mustard and salt and pepper together in a bowl.  This is your dilly-sauce.
To assemble your burger spread a little dill sauce on the bottom bun, then top with the salmon patty, spinach leaves a slice of tomato and a good dollop of dill sauce for the top.  So wonderfully dill-y!

Now if you'll excuse me I have a date with my bed...don't tell Fall.

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Episode 54 - Chicken Cordon Burger with a side of Bullets

When I was little I lived in a single family home in a suburb of Ottawa.  It was nice and I had a big yard and was far from deprived, but I still always remember wishing I was lucky enough to live on a farm.  I had dreams about making forts out of hay bales and wearing cowboy boots.  I would save up all my allowance money and whine and beg for my dad to take me out horseback riding and I went through a short phase in which I was obsessed with cows. I had a cow Halloween costume, cow t-shirts and possibly most ridiculously, a cow patterned pyjama onesie .  I'm sure you're picturing a cute, little, pigtail-wearing 6-year-old, but no, in a true testament to my coolness, this was when I was 14.  Wow.  Oh, I also honestly thought that cleaning stables would be an awesome way to spend a Saturday morning.  All of this means two things: a) I was clearly a delusional child and b) that I've always been a country girl at heart!  

I'm convinced that this little history can be the only explanation for why I've embraced becoming a Carleton-Place-living, buffalo-plaid-wearing country girl so easily.  Well, that and maybe the fact that I also regularly embrace a darned good looking Carleton-Place-living, buffalo-plaid-wearing country boy.  Oh, Dawson, what have you and your adorable face done to me?  

The coolest couples wear matching outfits. 

In any case, about a year ago Dawson convinced me to go out to the shooting range and taught me to fire a gun.  Now, if you've never fired a gun before let me just tell you that it is oddly and surprisingly fun!  Who knew putting holes in a paper target could be so satisfying?! A bulls-eye is a thrilling thing!  So, yesterday I did something crazy - I mailed off my completed application for a gun license.   That's right internet!  I have graduated from redneck in training to full-fledged, card-carrying redneck.  Mom must be so proud.   

Look!  A girl with a gun!

Look!  A boy with a gun!

On a completely unrelated note, here's what we made for dinner today!  

Burger Patties

You want this in your belly. 

1 lb ground chicken

1 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

Swiss Cheese Gravy

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 cup table cream

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup grated swiss cheese

salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

3 whole wheat burger buns, toasted

6 slices Black Forest ham

3 pieces of leaf lettuce

3 slices tomato

First, start by making the patties- dump everything into a bowl and mix with your hands until it looks evenly mixed.  Form the mess into 3 roughly equal patties.  Grill over medium heat for 6-7 minutes per side or until all of the pink is gone and the burgers are cooked through.

Meanwhile, start your cheesy gravy - melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Whisk in your flour to make a gross looking paste (a.k.a. a roux if you're being fancy).  While still whisking, stir in the cream and broth and cook until the whole thing starts to thicken.  If it thicken too much just add more broth to thin it back out.  Now stir in your grated cheese and seasonings.  Done!  Just keep the gravy over low heat until you're ready to build your burgers.

To build - spread about 1 tbsp of cheese sauce on the bottom bun to act as glue.  Top with a leaf of lettuce, a slice of tomato, a burger patty, 2 slices of ham and a healthy serving of cheese-y gravy.  Mmm cheeeeese.

So there you have it - cheese and guns! A typical day in the new country-style life of Kristy. 

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Episode 44 - You're just gonna have to trust me...

Sometimes two things that sound gross together are actually really really good...like salt and caramel, or french fries and mayo.  I'm going to warn you that what I am about to tell you about is one of those combos.  Don't think about it, just try it!

The normal part:

2 beef burgers of your choice
2 whole wheat buns
2 slices of tomato
2 leaves of lettuce
2 tsp mayo

The gross part:
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
4 slices of bacon

Grill your burgers, toast your buns and then build - spread the PB on the bottom bun, the mayo on the top bun, slap the burger patty on there and top with bacon, lettuce and tomato.  You now have before you one of the greatest creations ever.  Take a bite.  You can thank me later.

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Episode 2 - Ode to the Mango

Sweet and Spicy Mango Salad

2 cups baby spinach
2 garlic scapes, chopped
1/4 cup dried mango
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp pickled jalepeno peppers, finely chopped

Mix together in a salad bowl with dressing (recipe follows).

Dressing

2.5 tbsp spicy oil from the bottom of a jar of pickled eggplant...or just some dried chili pepper flakes in regular old oil...if you're boring.
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper


BBQ Mango Chicken Sandwiches

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 cup of a delicious BBQ sauce**
1 small, ripe mango, peeled and sliced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped
2 tbsp mayo
2 ciabatta buns
spinach and tomato as toppings

Stab the chicken thighs with a fork then put in a bowl with the BBQ sauce. Let them marinate for a few hours. Then BBQ them outside until they're cooked through. While they're cooking add the mango slices to the grill and let them get a little charred. Toast the buns.

Mix the chipotle pepper and the mayo together, spread it on one side of the ciabatta bun. Top with 1 piece of chicken, a slice of mango and some spinach and tomato.

**We used a homemade one but we have no idea what we put in it anymore so I can't tell you how to recreate it...its tragic...really. Just use a tasty one - preferably more spicy than sweet.


Mango Sangria

1 lemon
1 navel orange
2 limes
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
2 cans sparkling mango juice
2 cups orange juice
1/2 bottle of red wine


Juice 1/2 the lemon, 1/2 the orange and both of the limes into a large pitcher. Pour the rest of the ingredients in and stir! Slice up the other half of the lemon and orange for the side of the glass!

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