Featured Recipe

Spring is in the air and the weather is finally cooperating. I made these kebabs the other day (I think the second time ever I've made kebabs) and Oh My Goodness were they delicious. You could use whatever meat you like (I used beef and shrimp (the shrimp were for my hubby; I can't eat them) and vegetables of your choice. Also good the next day in a wrap.

Surf 'N Turf Kebabs

Marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari sauce
3 TBSP lime juice
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 TBSP white sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Kebabs:
1/2 lb lean beef cubes
20 cooked, de-veined shrimp (optional)
1 each green and orange pepper
1/3 red onion
1 medium zucchini

Method:
1. Cut beef cubes in half. Cut peppers into about 4cm pieces. Cut the zucchini and onion into half moons about 1 cm wide
2. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large freezer zip top bag. Add the beef and all the veggies. Seal the bag and shake gently to coat. Marinade in the fridge for 3-4 hours., turning over every hour
3. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them burning (you could use metal skewers if you have them). 
4. Assemble kebabs: Alternate veggies, meat and shrimp (if using)
5. Cook on an indoor clam-shell grill (e.g. George Foreman grill). Cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook 3 minutes more (if using an outdoor grill or barbeque, cook a little longer on each side as you don't have the same heat from the top as you do using a clam-shell style grill)

Serve with brown rice (I just used that express 2 minutes rice that's already cooked that you just heat up in the microwave) with a splash of grapeseed oil or butter and 2 tsp Johnny's Garlic seasoning

Featured Recipe

I have had a craving for lemon cake for about a month now and nothing I've tried has quelled this craving (Liberte brand lemon yogurt almost worked) so I gave in and made lemon cupcakes tonight. You're welcome.

I've tweaked my Grammie's "Good Cupcakes" recipe and figured out how to make lemon buttercream without it curdling, which is quite a feat as citrus and dairy don't play well together. These are really fairly simple to make and ready in about 30minutes.

Lemon Cupcakes

1/4 cup plus 3 TBSP lard or shortening
2 tsp lemon extract
zest of 1 lemon (this is a good use of a micro plane)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and pulp (approx. 3 lemons worth)
1/2 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder

1. Beat lard, lemon zest, lemon extract, sugar and eggs together until creamy.
2. Sift together salt and flour into a small bowl. Add 1/3 of the flour to the batter. Stir to mix. Add the lemon juice and stir. Add 1/3 of the flour and mix well. Add the milk and stir to mix (it will curdle a wee bit, but that is okay). Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
3. Sprinkle baking powder over mixture and stir in.
4. Grease silicon muffin tins (metal works too but I like the silicon ones), or line with muffin papers, and fill about 2/3 full with the batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. When they are done the edges and tops should be a tiny bit golden and a toothpick will come out clean when inserted in the middle.

The recipe will make about 15 cupcakes (it's a weird amount, I know. My Grammie's original recipe says it makes 24 cupcakes, but it never makes that many). If you end up with a weird number and you're not able to fully fill a muffin tray, put about 1 cm of water in each of the empty holes to promote even baking and to prevent your pan from burning.
These cupcakes are not super yellow but you could add a few drops of yellow food colouring if you wanted that yellow colour. Same goes for the icing. 

Lemon-Lime Buttercream

1/3 cup butter, softened (do not substitute butter for anything)
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp lemon extract
3 TBSP lemon juice (can use bottled lemon juice if you want)
1 TBSP lime juice (can use bottled lime juice)
2-3 cups (or more) icing sugar

1. Mix butter, lemon zest and lemon extract until fully incorporated.
2. Sift in 1/2 cup of icing sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Add 1 TBSP lemon juice and stir until smooth. Continue adding icing sugar and lemon/lime juice alternately until you have a thick but spreadable icing. It may take a bit of practice to get the right ratio of icing sugar, just keep tasting the icing and checking the consistency. You will be able to tell when you get that perfect combination of sweet and tart and the perfect consistency.
4. Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!

What's For Dinner?

I went and did a big grocery shop yesterday at Superstore and it was CRAZY BUSY as it was the day before Good Friday. I cannot imagine what it would have been like today. But I did have some great inspiration and I'm excited to share it with all of you.
I am not cooking an Easter dinner as there's just 2 of us, but I'm hoping to get some ham at my in-laws...

Yesterday we had pork tacos which were delicious. You really must try it as a change from ground beef as the sweetness of the pork really compliments the spices of the taco seasoning. Be careful when draining the grease from the pan though and don't flail like I do or you may end up with a second degree grease burn on your stomach (ouch!).
Next up we have steak pie. When I make steak or chicken pie, I don't use pastry. I make it in a 9x9 (or 9x13) pan and then top it with baking powder biscuit dough. I guess it's kind of like dumplings, but the dough is spread out across the filling like a crust. Baking powder biscuits are so easy to make and if you use vegetable oil instead of shortening, it comes together in a snap (using vegetable oil gives it a bit of a different texture and they're not as fluffy but just as delicious).
Next I'm making chicken Caesar wraps. Cooked cubed chicken breast seasoned with Johnny's Garlic Seasoning, lettuce, shallot, Monterrey Jack cheese, green pepper and Caesar dressing wrapped up in a whole wheat flour tortilla. 
Also on the menu is pork tenderloin served with potatoes and garlic/lemon broccoli. I'm drooling already.
I'm also making Orzotto (like risotto but made with orzo pasta). You cook the orzo in a large pan with chicken broth until the liquid is all absorbed (about 15 minutes), then you stir in some ricotta cheese, cooked chicken breast, caramelized shallot, bacon, orange and green peppers and some parsley. It is also good if you stir in some spinach sauteed with garlic and some tomatoes (leave out the peppers if you do this).
Now for a summertime dinner: Beef kabobs (with green pepper, red pepper, zucchini and red onion) on the good old George Foreman grill (the bbq is not in useable condition at the moment) and brown rice. Going to do a soya sauce, lime, sesame oil and chili flake marinade.
And last but certainly not least, chicken enchiladas. These are one of my all time favourites. Check out my first ever Featured Recipe for the recipe.

I hope this has given you some ideas for dinner.

Bon Apetit!