Spiced Vegetable Couscous

I bought a big bag of medium couscous at Bonanza.  I think it’s 1 kg.  Only 9,49 $  So I plan on trying more couscous recipes.  This is not something I liked a few years ago.  But now I’m learning to like it.  Yesterday after I tasted this recipe, I was always saying wow after each bite.  My son loved it.  But on his second bite, he probably ate chili flakes and he said it was spicy.  So I’ll do it again without chili flakes just for him 🙂

Spiced Vegetable Couscous
From RecipeZaar
4 servings

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock or water (I used chicken stock)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (I omitted it)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• salt
• 1 cup couscous (I used medium)
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Combine chickpeas, carrots, zucchini, onions and olive oil in a pot, add stock, parsley, paprika, chili flakes and salt to taste.
2. Bring to boil and sprinkle in couscous.
3. Stir around, add raisins, cover and remove from heat, let sit 5 minutes, uncover and stir again.

Easy Peazy Lemon Bars

I love lemon dessert.  These little bars or squares taste wonderful.  Very lemony.  I made half the recipe and used the zest of 1 lemon.  And I used 1/2 cup sugar for half recipe which is enough for us.

Easy Peazy Lemon Bars
From RecipeZaar
36-40 bars

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (use 3 for a more lemony bar)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with parchment paper, extending paper up sides of pan; set aside.
3. Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl on low speed of an electric mixer until mixture is crumbly.
4. Press mixture evenly into parchment-lined pan. This is your crust.
5. Bake crust 20 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven.
6. Beat together the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended; pour mixture evenly over warm baked crust.
7. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is set and bars are brown around the edges.
8. Cool completely on a wire rack.
9. Use edges of parchment lining to lift bars from pan.
10. Place on a cutting board. Pull back edges of parchment for easy cutting; sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Cut into bars.

Brussels Sprouts with Maple Syrup

This is one yummy side dish.  It’s just a little bit sweet.  You have to try this.

Brussels Sprouts, Baby Carrots and Pecans in a Maple Sauce
From RecipeZaar
Serving : 4 cups

• 1 1/2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, halved (trimmed of ends and outer leaves peeled)
• 1 cup baby carrot, halved (lengthwise)
• 1 cup pecan halves (I used chopped pecans)
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted it)

1. Place brussels sprouts and carrots in a large saucepan ;cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute pecans and chili powder in butter for 2-3 minutes. Drain vegetables;add to pecan mixture. Stir in the maple syrup , vinegar and salt. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until brussels sprouts are tender. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Two Steak Marinades

Last Saturday, I bought 2 steaks, and tried 2 marinades.  Both were yummy.

Larry’s Teriyaki Marinade
From RecipeZaar
Serving : 1 cup

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Combine all ingredients and pour over steak strips.
2. Marinate at least an hour or two – overnight is better!
3. Drain and broil or grill meat.
4. Note: You can also mix ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinate right in the bag.

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Martha Stewart Steak Marinade
From RecipeZaar
2-3 servings

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (juice of about 1 lemon)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

1. Whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, garlic cloves, and lemon juice.
2. Place steak in a nonreactive dish, and pour marinade over top.
3. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

Broccoli Salad

I don’t like raw broccoli.  I wanted to try this salad mostly because of the dressing.  And finally, I love this salad.  The dressing helps a lot for me.  It’s sweet.  My boyfriend doesn’t like it because he finds it too sweet.

Broccoli Salad
From RecipeZaar
6 servings

• 4 heads broccoli, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 3/4-1 cup raisins
• 6-8 slices bacon, chopped (or 2-3 tablespoons bacon bits)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. It’s best if you refridgerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Apple Pie (French Style)

My son had apple pie at the daycare a few weeks ago.  And he told me he would like that I do an apple pie for him.  So when I saw this recipe, I had to make it.  I already had a pie crust in the freezer that was waiting for a recipe.

This pie is so yummy.  We finished it yesterday.

Apple Pie (French Style)
From RecipeZaar
8 servings

• 4-5 cups apples, pealed and sliced (I used Cortland apples)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 frozen ready-made pie crust

For Topping

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter 

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and apples together in a bowl.
3. Pour into pie crust.
4. Make topping by mixing brown sugar and flour together, add butter and mix till crumbly.
5. Sprinkle topping over pie.
6. Place in oven for 45 – 55 minute.
7. *note place foil ring around pie crust edges so crust doesn’t burn!

Cooking Light Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

My father’s birthday is on April 15th but last Saturday we were home for Easter and that was the only time we can see him before August.  So I decided to make him a cake for his birthday even though it was in advance.

My father loves carrot cake and me too.  I love cream cheese frosting.  My father doesn’t like it so much, but these days, when it’s sweet, he eats it.  He never ate yogurt and now he eats 1 or 2 per day.  He has now diabetes so maybe that’s why he never says no to some sweet.

The cake was perfect for him.  Not too sweet (with my modifications) and not too greasy.  This is a really good recipe.

Cooking Light Carrot Cake
From RecipeZaar

16 servings

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, coconut, pecans, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Combine oil and eggs; stir well. Stir egg mixture, grated carrot, and pineapple into flour mixture. Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting
From RecipeZaar
Serving : 4 cups (we had near 1/2 cup of leftover, my mother froze it but it would be easy to eat with a spoon or with a banana bread mmmm)

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I used reduced-fat)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• and since we love cream cheese frosting with cinnamon, we added near 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

A few recipes I made lately that are great

On April 1st, my post was about jalapeno poppers.  I made a recipe on Monday.  It was yummy even though there is just 3 ingredients.

Jalapeno Poppers
From RecipeZaar

20 jalapeno halves

• 10 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 lb bacon
• 20 toothpicks

1. Halve and seed the jalapenos.
2. Roast on a hot grill just until skins start to turn dark.
3. Slice the bacon strips in half.
4. Fill the jalapeno halves with cream cheese.
5. Wrap halves with bacon and secure with a toothpick.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes or until bacon is done to your liking.
7. Serve warm.

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This chicken was so easy to do and great flavor.  But there is just too much liquid.

Simple Italian Baked Chicken
From RecipeZaar

2 servings

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons v 8 vegetable juice or tomato juice (I used V8)
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 1/2-3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Liberally salt and pepper BOTH sides of the chicken breast halves.
3. Arrange chicken pieces in a glass baking dish just big enough to hold them without the pieces touching each other or the sides of the dish.
4. In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, heat butter and V-8 just enough for the butter to melt. (About 20 seconds on high).
5. Stir in garlic powder, basil and oregano, crushing the dried herbs with your fingers as you add them to release more flavor.
6. Pour butter-juice-herb mixture over the chicken, turning the chicken as necessary for complete coverage.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
8. If using the mozzarella, sprinkle it evenly over the chicken AFTER removing from the oven.
9. Tent loosely with foil to melt the cheese and keep warm until serving.

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This recipe is so easy to do.  And the taste so good.  It’s just a little bit sweet.  I made it with trout.  What you see on the photo, the 2 trout fillets, I paid $ 2.50 and it was fresh.  I jumped on it when I saw the price.  And I’ll go back to that place (Bonanza for the ones in Montreal).

Chili Roasted Salmon
From RecipeZaar

4 servings

• 4 (4 ounce) salmon fillets  (I used trout fillets)
• salt (I omitted it)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

1. Place salmon on lightly greased baking sheet or broiler pan and season with salt.
2. In small bowl, combine vinegar, honey and chili powder and mix well.
3. Spread mixture evenly over fish.
4. Roast at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with fork.

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I don’t always succeed when I try to cook rice.  I made this basmati rice and it was perfect.  Not crunchy, not mushy…  And the taste was great.  My boyfriend didn’t need soy sauce.

Creole Boiled Rice
From RecipeZaar

4 servings

• 1 quart water
• 1 cup basmati rice or jasmine rice
• 2 fresh bay leaves or dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (I omitted salt)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. Bring the water to a boil with the bay leaves. Add the salt.
2. Add the rice, stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stick. Do not stir again. If the rice is agitated too much, it gets sticky. Give it a good stir when it comes back to a boil, and partially cover.
3. Cook for about 11 minutes, test it. It should have a bite, but crunch is bad. When it’s tender, drain it, remove the bay leaves, and if desired, place it into a 400 degree oven with the butter patted on top for about 15 minutes; this helps dry the rice out.

Tomato Crostini

On Monday I made this recipe at the last minute.  Cause I had a leftover of baguette, 1 roma tomato and of course all the other ingredients.  It was very easy to do.  And so tasty.  Usually I’m not the one to try recipes with mayonnaise when it involves some cooking after.  So I was quite amazed at how delicious this recipe turned out.  Even my son ate 2 slices of it.  He loved it also.

Tomato Crostini
From RecipeZaar
18-24 crostinis

• 1 cup light mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup half fat mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s)
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced small
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 whole grain baguette, cut into 18 – 24 1/4-inch slices

1. Combine all ingredients except for the baguette slices, until well blended. Spread cheese mixture evenly on one side of each baguette slice.
2. Place slices, cheese side up, on a grill topper (a nonstick flat grate that has many holes). Grill, with lid down, over low heat on barbeque for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bread is is lightly toasted and cheese is melted.
3. These can also be baked in the oven at 350F or broiled, until lightly browned.

I’m trying lots of new recipes these days (in fact I’m always trying new recipes cause I don’t do a recipe more than once.  It can happen but not very often)  I’m playing Pick A Chef on RecipeZaar.  We adopt “babies” (chefs).  We commit to do 3 recipes of each one.  It’s a lot of fun.  So far, I adopted 9 babies.  I have until end of April to complete the recipes I choose to make.

RecipeZaar is now free.  It’s easy to create an account.  Come take a look at Pick A Chef.   Then after Pick A Chef, it’s going to be Zaar World Tour.  My favorite event.  We do recipes from different region of the world and at the end, we can win prizes.  So fun!  I was captain last year.

I wish you all Happy Easter!

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

I love jalapeno poppers.  It’s been a while since I made that.   I think soon I’m going to do some jalapeno poppers.

Here is one I made and that was really good and spicy.

Baked Jalapeno Poppers
From RecipeZaar
5 servings

• 9 fresh jalapenos
• 1 ounce low-fat cream cheese
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing, already made up
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon, cut into thirds

1. Wear plastic gloves, wash off outside of jalapenos, cut off tops, slice in half lengthwise, deseed, and cut out the white membrane the best you can.
2. Mix together the cream cheese, ranch salad dressing, and cheese.
3. Fill peppers with salad mixture.
4. Wrap each pepper in bacon.
5. Set on rack so that later the popper is out of the dripping bacon grease, put rack on plate, and refrigerate for 3 hours or freeze for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Set rack inside a cookie sheet that has edges to catch the drippings.
8. Bake about 35 minutes, or until bacon is done.