A Year (almost) in Review

Oh haaiiii!  Remember me?  I'm still alive! I didn't actually tear out my hair after that last post...I do plan to get back to writing recipes and posting them along with silly stories about my life, and this place will soon be getting a bit of a face lift.  In the meantime, let us catch up on the past year, shall we?

First there was some of this:

Oh Christmas tree!

And I was pretty bored, so there was a lot of this:

So many polishes!

And then we did some of this:

In Cuba!

Which is where this happened:

I said yes!

Once we got home, we sent out this:

Why wait?  Let's do this!

Which led to parties like this:

Meet Franko!

And then eventually this:

Oh, look at the happy!

Not a bad year, right?  See you soon with some more regular updates :)

-Kristy

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Episode 108 - Lonely Food

I've decided I suck at being alone.  I find the house too quiet, the bed too big and everything too...empty!  How I ever lived alone years ago I don't know.  I guess Dawson has spoiled me... *sigh*
So, today is my last night alone in the house and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to curl up in some sweats around a delicious bowl of comfort food and, oh, boy, was this ever good!

Gnocchi Carbonara for 1

1-2 slices of bacon (depending on how indulgent you feel like being)
1/2 package Gnocchi (about 1.5 cups or so)
1 egg, separated
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
pepper, to taste

First, slice up your bacon and cook it up in a frying pan.  While the bacon cooks, prepare your gnocchi according to the package directions.  When the bacon and gnocchi are cooked, drain most of the bacon fat out of the pan and toss in your gnocchi and cheese.  Now, add the egg white and quickly toss everything around while it cooks.  It's gonna look really weird and kinda lumpy, but I promise it's going to work.  Finally, put everything in a bowl, top with the egg yolk and stir to coat everything in yolk-y goodness.  Season with pepper and you're ready to go!  Be prepared - you may never want to eat anything else ever again!

Ohmigod, so good!  Not even sort of healthy, but worth it.  Also, I had Brussels sprouts with this, so I feel like that kinda balances everything out... plus...check out my sad, lonely face:

Don't I just look like I need a bowl of egg-y, bacon-y goodness?  I think so.

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Episode 104 - Dawson strikes again...

He ate the whole thing.

Chili Cheese Fries

Oven fries (sliced potatoes coated in canola oil and baked at 425 for 20 mins)
Homemade chili (try this one!)
A pile o' grated cheddar cheese.

Slap it in a bowl and enjoy!

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Episode 75 - Hangry

Men are so funny.  Every now and then while cooking dinner, Dawson gets in this mood.  Its's kinda like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing.  Hyde-Dawson stomps around the kitchen, slams doors, and curses under his breath at inanimate objects.  Hyde-Dawson is basically angry at the kitchen.  Not at me, not at Roxie, but at the kitchen.  This isn't the funny part though.  The funny part is that he goes back to being Jekyll-Dawson as soon as he eats something.  Like...immediately.  The term I have coined for this odd behaviour is "hangry" - hungry + angry = hangry.  

Dawson was especially hangry last night while we were making this:

Look at the gooey cheese!  You want this in your belly.

Pizza Roll-up

1 prepared pizza dough (we use this one)  

1 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

9 or 10 slices hot Genoa salami

1/2 green pepper, diced

5 or 6 kalamata olives, diced

1/2 cup fresh baby spinach

a sprinkling of spicy eggplant

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1 cup prepared pizza sauce (we use Dawson's)

First, preheat the oven to 425 and roll out your dough as you normally would to make a pizza.  Top with everything except the sauce.  Like this ------->

  

Now starting with the end closest to you, start rolling the dough kinda like sushi.  Don't worry about making it too tight.  Once you have something that looks like a delicious pizza-topping-filled log tuck the ends underneath.  Brush your log with the oil and season with the salt and pepper.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the outside gets nice and golden brown.

  To serve, slice into about 8 pieces (again, like giant sushi) with the sauce alongside for dipping!  I originally got the idea to make this kinda thing from watching Giada DeLaurentiis on the Food Network.  It's genius, no?

After getting some pizza log into his belly Dawson went back to being Jekyll-Dawson.  Yeah, men are so funny...

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Episode 73 - Back off! Get your own Dawson!

Did you see who people magazine named as the sexiest man alive this year?  Bradley Cooper!

Is it just me, or does Dawson look an awful lot like Bradley Cooper?

Coincidence?  I think not!

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Episode 69 - Time Out

Oh, hello Internet! Meet my newest sandwich friend:

Isn't he beautiful?

His name is Morning Manwich and he was introduced to me by Dawson this past Sunday afternoon.  The encounter happened like this:

The power was out all over Carleton Place on Sunday morning and so obviously we took the lack of electricity as the perfect excuse to stay warm and cuddled in bed until noon.  Noon!  Oh, Internet, it was glorious. Dawson was allll mine for the spooning.  The only downside- by the time we dragged our butts out of bed we were starving -when you're used to breakfast at 6am, noon is a bit of a stretch.  Enter Dawson and Morning Manwich to save the day.  This sandwich is probably the most filling thing I have ever eaten.  It has everything - eggs, meat, cheese - total protein overload.  When you need something to tide you over for 2 meals brunch-style definitely give this creation a try!

2 slices whole wheat bread (we used homemade honey oat)

2 eggs, cooked overeasy

1 slice old cheddar cheese

2 oz or so shaved lean smoked meat

1 tsp mayo

1 tsp hot sauce

Build the sandwich: spread mayo on the bread then add the eggs, cheese, meat and hot sauce.  Cook the whole thing in a skillet over medium heat until the bread is nice and golden and the cheese gets gooey.  Slice him in half and devour!  I promise you won't be hungry by the time you finish!

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Episode 67 - Knight in Shining Armour

There was a moment.  Actually, not really a moment, more like a situation that made me realize Dawson's complete awesomeness.  I mean, I always thought he was pretty darn neat but this really sealed the deal for me.  This one morning I was over at his place and we decided we needed to have french toast for breakfast.  Of course, upon checking we realized we had neither eggs nor bread to make this french toast.  As such we headed out to the store to get some - in our pjs.  Now of course this HAD to be the time that my car would get a flat tire and we would get stranded half way between home and the store.  Stranded.  In our pjs.  Oh, and did I mention it was minus 100000 degrees outside?  Completely frigid.  In any case, amid my panicked phone call to my dad to come get us - my go-to move in these types of situations - Dawson simply got out of the car, found my jack and spare tire (which I didn't even know I had) and voila - changed my tire.  He got down on the cold pavement, in his pyjamas and changed my tire in weather that would only be fit for someplace awful like Antarctica.  He did all this while not wearing any mitts and without a single word of complaint.  Yeah, this one's a keeper alright.

Plus, did I mention he looks like this?!  Geeeeeze.

We never ended up having our french toast that morning after all the commotion.  Nope, instead I took my knight in shining armour out for some type of ridiculously huge diner breakfast to show my overwhelming appreciation.  We DID have french toast today though!  Listen to this - Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Pancakes.  To die for.  You need to try these.

5 slices whole wheat bread

4 eggs, scrambled

1/4 cup milk,

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup canned pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup dulce de leche spread, heated

Preheat a skillet to medium low.  Meanwhile, mix the vanilla, cinnamon, milk and eggs in a shallow bowl.  Dip the bread pieces into the egg-y goodness and then cook in the skillet for about 3-4 minutes per side.  Top with a thick layer of pie filling and a drizzle of sweet, creamy, dulce de leche.  I ate this before I could even bring myself to take a picture.  So.  Good.  Try it.

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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 43 - In which Kristy gets fat.

Its a bad thing when your boyfriend goes away from the weekend and you use it as an excuse not to cook and to eat take-out from the Vietnamese place down the street.  It is also probably a bad idea to spend your entire night after work curled up like a house cat in your giant empty bed reading rather than taking the poor dog out for a run.  Lastly, just because he's not around doesn't mean you should sleep in every morning thinking that since you won't have to orchestrate your morning "make myself look human again" routine around his "brush my teeth and voila, I'm gorgeous" routine that you can afford to hit the snooze a few more times.  This will only make you late for work and eliminate any chance that you'll go into the kitchen to pack a lunch to avoid having to dine in the *gasp* mall food court.  All of these things are bad because they will cause you to gain 5 pounds in 1 weekend.  Hopefully Dawson still recognizes me with this newly explanded bum I am now sporting.  Ugghhhhhh.

On another note, when your boyfriend goes camping with his buddies and one of them posts a Facebook status pertaining to their trip so far and how it's "like 911 X 100" it's ok to worry, right?

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Episode 40 - Probably the best breakfast ever!

Yes, more breakfast.  Apparently I am slightly obsessed with breakfast.  You probably would be too if you had Dawson making you breakfasts like these.  He's pretty great.  I come up with some hare-brained idea and he cooks it up.  Private breakfast chef - check!

  

2 eggs, scrambled

2 tbsp milk

~10 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

pinch of each salt and pepper

1/4 cup grated fresh mozzarella

3-4 slices tomato

Spray a non-stick pan with some cooking spray and pre-heat it to medium-low.  Mix up the eggs, basil and milk in a bowl then pour into your pre-heated pan topping one side with the cheese.  Let the eggs start to cook and solidify into an egg-y pancake (about 4 minutes).  Now, fold the egg pancake in half over the cheese and continue cooking for another minute or so.  Give the whole thing a flip and cook for another minute to make it nice and even.  Stick it on a plate and top with your tomato slices and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Awesome!

Side note:  No you cannot have Dawson.  He is mine.  If I ever find a way to clone him I may consider selling his doubles on Ebay in order to pay for more groceries.  Mmm fancy cheeses here I come!

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Episode 33 - His and Hers Egg Scamblers

More breakfast.  Man, I love breakfast... especially his and hers versions!

Kristy's Version - Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese Scrambler

2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
8-10 basil leaves, finely chopped
a handful of goat cheese crumbles
1/4 tomato diced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Mix everything in a bowl.  Pour into the pan and cook while moving the eggs around constantly to break them up.  Take them off the heat as soon as they are cooked and before they get gross and dry - about 5 minutes.

Delicious option - take slices from  a super ripe avocado and spread on toast then top with the egg scrambles.  Mmmmmmm!

Dawson's Version - Lemon, Pepper and Dill Scrambler

2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
1 palm full of fresh dill, chopped
1.5 tsp lemon juice (ish...Dawson just kinda squeezed the thingie).
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat.  Mix everything in a bowl.  Pour into the pan and cook while moving the eggs around constantly to break them up.  Take them off the heat as soon as they are cooked and before they get gross and dry - about 5 minutes.

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Episode 29 - Man Food

a.k.a. chili sloppy joes!  Every man likes sloppy joes.  It's just biology.  Our sloppy man joes came with a side of roasted asparagus...not exactly traditional but very seasonal!  Besides...it's all about balance...right?!  Man food with girl food.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 pkg Club House Spicy Chili seasoning (cheating...I know.  We had to work and it was late)
1 cup canned, diced tomatoes
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
hot sauce and dried chili peppers to taste

For each sandwich - 1 bun and a tbsp of salsa con queso (or more if you feel like it)

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and when its hot and sizzle-y add your onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.  It should smell garlic-y and delicious.  Add in your beef and brown completely.  Drain some of the beef fat off then add the red pepper, chili seasoning, diced tomatoes, black beans and tomato paste.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the Worcestershire and hot sauce, and heat through.  Voila - sloppy joe filling!  This makes A LOT of filling...probably 5 or 6 joes worth.

Toast your buns then cover 1 side of each with salsa con queso.  Spoon your filling on the other side of the bun.  Close up the sandwich and enjoy!  Be warned, they're sloppy!

P.s. be warned that this was typed while watching Fubar and drinking a glass of wine.  Again...balance!

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Episode 10 - Pizza is like medicine...right?!

Today I am sick.  And while I'm here crumpled on the couch in a pathetic pile, Dawson is in the kitchen making me a pizza.  By making me a pizza I don't mean dialing Domino's or shoving one of those frozen frisbee things from the grocery store into the oven.  I mean really making me a real pizza.  With the best sauce ever.  Ever.

Cold Curing, Perfect Every Time, Dawson-style Pizza Sauce

4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch each salt and pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
1.5 tsp dried rosemary
1.5 tsp dried red pepper flakes (less if you're afraid of spice...in which case you suck)
1 big can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
5-6 good shakes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce (again...spice warning)

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the garlic and onions until soft.  Add the all herbs and spices and stir for another minute. Add the tomatoes and Frank's and stir well.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Deeeeeelicious.

Put this on any pizza crust and it'll be good.  We usually use this one from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry because it's pretty foolproof:

Whole Wheat Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbsps flax meal or ground flax seeds
1 x envelopes (8 g or 21/4 tsp) Fleischmann's quick-rising yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup very warm water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons liquid honey
1 tbsp cornmeal
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Make crust: in a medium bowl, combine both flours, flax meal, yeast and salt. Mix well.
2. Measure warm water in measuring cup, then stir in olive oil and honey. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon to form a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes.
3. Spray another medium bowl with olive oil spray and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, spray a 12-inch pizza pan with olive oil spray and dust with cornmeal. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
5. When dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer dough to prepared pizza pan.
6. Top and then bake for 20-25 mins.


Good Topping Ideas:

Proscuitto
Pickled Eggplant
Red/Green Peppers
Fresh Mozzarella
Spinach
Red Onion
Spicy Salami
Hot Peppers
Pinapple
Zucchini
Feta Cheese
Fresh Basil


...just maybe not all at once.  That's a little much.

Here is ours:

Hot Capicollo
Spicy Eggplant
Zucchini
4 cheeses: asiago, marble, monterey jack and 5-year aged cheddar

Just a note: anytime a boy makes a pizza it will automatically have lots of cheese.  It's just biology. 

P.S. Dawson insists that I tell you that I am not completely pathetic/useless and that I did make the dough.  But still...I am incredibly spoiled.

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Episode 7 - (Mostly) Healthy Applesauce Pancakes

So, this is only my 7th recipe post and it's already my 3rd breakfast recipe...are you getting the impression that I love me some breakfast?  'Cause I do.  It is the most important meal of the day, after all!  In any case, these pancakes are fluffy, flavourful and wonderful in a way those powder from a box pancakes could never be.  Plus, those boxed ones are full of sodium and god knows what else.  Seriously...read the label, it's shocking!  Don't be lazy.  Make these ones instead!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat.
Mix the dry ingredients together in 1 bowl and the wet in another.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir.  I always have to add some water to make the batter get a pourable consistency but the amount varies each time.  Use your judgment and add little bits at a time until you get a nice pourable batter.  This is pancakes...its not an exact science ;)
Ladle some batter into the pan and cook until the edges look set and some bubbles have formed on the top.  Flip over and cook until the second side is golden and delicious looking.  Stick the finished pancakes in a warm oven to keep them warm while you make the rest.

I am weird.  I dislike maple syrup, although I am told that these are excellent topped with it if you like that sort of thing.  I, on the other hand, prefer this:

3 tbsp plain yogurt (one without gelatin)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix in a little bowl and put a blob of it on each pancake.  Top with some fruit.  Any kind works!

I must admit, after I make the batter, Dawson always has to cook my pancakes for me...and my french toast...and my grilled cheese or anything else requiring slow patient cooking.  He does this for me because he is wonderful.  Every girl should be so lucky ;)

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Episode 3 - Brunch of Deliciosity...and Love

The Bunch of Deliciousity...and Love. aka The Anniversary Brunch

What better way to celebrate two fantastic years with a fantastic man than this incredible brunch.  Screw fancy restaurant dinners with their $40 entrees.  I'll take a celebration in my pjs any day!

Ciabatta Buns with Melted Brie Smoked Salmon and Poached Eggs

2 Ciabatta Buns or plain old english muffins
4 pieces brie
¼ cup Arugula
4 pieces smoked salmon
4 poached eggs
2 tsp capers

Melt brie on the ciabatta buns under the broiler then pile everything else on top! Mmmm!

Mixed Fruit Salad

½ Canteloupe
½ cup Strawberries
2 Kiwis
1 Banana

Chop then mix together in a bowl. Make it look pretty on the plate.

Mimosas

1 part Orange juice
1 part Sparkling Wine

Mix in champagne glasses.

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