If anyone is reading...

A wise man once told me (oaky fine is was my dad) that I shouldn't waste all my recipes at once so I am going to go down to a post a week rather thatn one a day (yeah ona day was pusshing it, I can't help it I was excited). Maybe when people start to read the blog I will increase my post-age but until then my 3 loyal friends, one post a week :)

Ahhh the magic of the Sandwich

My parents and I did not get home for lunch until 3 o' clock. We were a wee bit grumpy due to our grumbly stomachs. In order for the tense atmosphere to evaporate a quick lunch was in order.

We toatsted chiabata bread spread on some Olive tapanade (see earlier post), lettuce and fresh tomato. My dad also spread thickly strained greek yogurt on his or (if you are my mom) feta cheese.

Point is it was sooooo yummy and tasted like it took hours to make :)

Olive Tapenade

Olive tapenade is an intensely flavorful spread. Made with capers or olives it originated in the Mediterranean. Olives and capers were brought to the Mediterranean from the island of Crete by Greek explorers. The name tapenade stems from Provence term tapeneï meaning caper. The recipe my mom showed me how to make uses Kalamata olives and I have included a recuipes using you capers if you so wish. Tapenade is wonderfully easy to make and stores in the fridge for over a month. It contains spectacular bursts of flavor and its a fun special touch for wraps and sandwiches.

Olive Tapenade:

(This filled a 16oz jar with a little extra besides)

• approximately 2 (drained) cups of Kalamata olives
• 1 big clove of garlic
• 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of pesto OR a handful of basil

Read the following directions very very VERY carefully: blend in a food processor until it reaches a paste like consistency...okay you didn't have to read that carefully...

Variation: You can make a Green Tapenade too. Instead of kalamata olives substitute 2 (drained) cups of Sicilian green olives, and along with the garlic and sun dried tomatoes add 2 drained tablespoons of capers, tablespoon of Dijon mustard and the rind and juice of one lemon.

You're done! All you had to do was push a button and now your on your way to show off uber fancy-shmancy sounding lunches at school/work due to this extremely handy condiment.

Easy and Scrumptious Flautas

"Lazy, Lazy Sundaaay. Lazy Lazy Sundaaaaaaaaay!"
Is that not how the U2 song goes? Oh well, but today was an idle day, calling for an idle meal....flautas.

Being that it is summer and our house is full of colourful veggies, my mom and I decided Pico De Gallo was in order as well.
The recipe used today:

• 2 red and ripe tomatoes
• 1 tiny green tomato
• 1 fourth of an onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 banana pepper
• desired amount of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 splash/ 1 tablespoon of vinegar

Dice up the first 5 ingredients then mix in the latter seasonings. You can also add cucumber or any other variety of pepper you wish, Pico allows for much fun and freedom and you always get: yummmmm....each flavor so distinct and fresh :) *me melting into a pile of joy*

Now the main course:

Flautas:

(makes 4):
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farentheit

• 
  
  1 15oz can black beans (if you can find no or reduced sodium use that)
• 
  
  Salt and pepper
• 
  
  1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 
  
  1/2 teaspoon garlic chili paste
• 
  
  4 tortillas/wraps

Rinse the black beans and put in a bowl, large enough for you to mix in. Add seasonings (more or less to your taste). Squish it all together with you hands (a goopey process but fun). Divide the mixture evenly among the 4 tortillas top with desired amount of cheese, roll tightly and bake for between 15 - 20 minutes.

*you can do the same thing with chicken (just don't mix in garlic chili paste) and shredded pork (again no chili paste but add some cinnamon)*

Serve with salsa, Pico de Gallo, and chutneys :)

Enchiladas :)

Tis a Saturday, a Saturday near the end of summer, a Saturday full of little motivation to continue stressing over summer homework, a Saturday to cook. My dad roasted chicken yesterday (an adventure all in its own) and we have a surplus of frozen spinach, onion and an unopened bag of corn tortillas. Seriously its as if fate is staring me in the face shouting, "Make enchiladas!" Okay fine, I will.

But what kind to make!?!? I am indecisive, "Salsa Verde or ancho, salsa verde or ancho, salsa verde or ancho...AHHH!" Compromise, make both. Period. Its done, I want both.

*P.S. I am silly and neglected to preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. I would suggest doing this while you cook*

To begin we dumped a good pile of ancho powder into a saucepan and dowsed it with twice as much water as there was ancho. Then I placed that on a medium heat and allow the ancho's flavor to burst and the sauce to slightly thicken.

Whilst that simmered I chopped, diced and sauteed purple onion (because that's what it is, its hardly red onion!) until it reached the peak of uber yummy caramelized perfection.

So that was the basis for the ancho enchilada, moving on to the salsa verde. Open a jar of Salsa Verde. Seriously, if you can find a delicious brand of salsa verde (we have Herdez) use it! But not all of us are so lucky I will post a salsa verde recipe later.

Continuing on, I began the filling with with one big and beautiful diced clove of garlic and sauteed it briefly. Next, with the addition of some frozen spinach and  salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, placed a lid over the pan and let sit over medium heat until the spinach thawed (and if one would use fresh spinach, until that wilted). Utilizing the scrumptious roast chicken waiting in the fridge, I shredded a few ounces and added it to the pan, turned off the heat and let it sit.

Now if I was intelligent i would have had the oven preheating oven ready but in my case I waited a few minutes....Okay! done waiting, let's continue:

Traditionally to prepare corn tortillas one must dip them in hot oil. This results in a mess of spattered bubbles, wasted oil, burnt fingers, effort, hungry tummies, family feuds and other such troublesome incidents, so instead Rick Bayless showed me (or his tv show introduced this to my mom who showed me and am now showing you) to spray each side of a tortilla with cooking oil. Then by putting them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 5 minutes, one escapes the dramas listed above.

ASSEMBLING:

Finally here we are, that much closer to lunch.

Fill a tortilla with some chicken and spinach mixture, some cheese and love. Set aside.

For the ancho enchilada dip a tortilla in the ancho sauce, fill with onion and cheddar cheese. Set aside.

We use these little ceramic-single-serve-dish-plates to cook our enchiladas in, but if you do not have such an obscure item, a glass baking dish is wonderful. Begin by pouring some of the coordinating sauce to the dish. Place the enchiladas on their sauce top with some more sauce, cheese and a dash of salt.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese it bubbly goodness.

Here's Number One

Today is the day I begin writing to whom ever is reading, a journal who talks back.

Since this is a food blog I thought I would begin with a simple recipe and, because I am hungry and its 8:40 in the morning, why not begin with showing off breakfast.
I adore eggs and being that its summer and farmers markets are everywhere we have been getting farmer's fresh eggs (yummmm!). Omelets are the way to go. Whip the egg with salt and pepper and add what ever your fridge bears, in my case garden fresh pepper and onion.

Does anyone out there share my love off omelets? Share with me you favorite toppings and joys!
Or if you need help to make one of your own please comment I can assist :)