Spinach and Quinoa (Spankorizo)

This traditional Greek recipe is usually made with rice, but I have replaced it with quinoa and found that it's very tasty!


Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup frozen spinach
3/4 - 1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup quinoa

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in skillet until soft and translucent. Add spinach and stir for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add tomato sauce. Stirring occasionally, cook until spinach is distributed throughout mixture.

Pour in water and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. Reduce to low heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until a thick consistency forms. (It will also thicken when it's removed from the heat. You are looking for an end product that you're able to pick up with a fork.)

Serve with chicken souvlaki!

Sausage Spetzofai (Sausage and Peppers)

Sweet and slightly spicy, this is a very versatile dish. It's a great way to use up leftover ingredients and can be paired with a variety of things. Have fun experimenting!

Ingredients
4-5 sausages of your choice (I have used both bratwurst and Italian)
1 large green bell pepper
approx. 3/4 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh) OR tomato sauce (I used leftover tomato sauce)
1/4 cup banana peppers, chopped (from a jar)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp oil

Directions
In a wok or large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute sausage until golden brown, look for nice colour and caramelization, about 8 minutes. Drain fat from pan, or grab a paper towel, tilt the pan so the fat collects on one side and soak up with paper towel.

Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned. Then add peppers, tomato/tomato sauce, and oregano. Cook until peppers are slightly tender, about 3-5 minutes more.

This mixture can be served on its own, with eggs, potatoes, rice or pasta. I paired it with spinach and quinoa.

Chicken Souvlaki

Broiling meat couldn't be simpler! If you use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes prior to baking to keep the ends from burning and possibly catching fire. 


Ingredients
3 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts
grated rind of one lemon
juice of a 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1/3 red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
dash of salt and pepper
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1 cup shredded lettuce
4 Greek pitas
tzatziki sauce

Directions
Cut chicken into 1-in cubes. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, lemon rind and juice, oregano, salt, and pepper; let stand 10 minutes to marinate.

Alternately thread chicken and onion onto skewers. (If you're using wooden disposable skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes first so that they don't burn in the oven.)

Broil on a foil-lined baking sheet, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in side, about 10 minutes.

When chicken is cooked, spread tzatziki over half of each pita. Push chicken and onion off skewers onto pitas. Top with tomato, cucumber, and lettuce then fold over.


Credit to: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/chicken_souvlaki.php

Tilapia with Chimichurri and Roasted Potatoes

Typically chimichurri is a green sauce that is made with fresh parsley and fresh garlic, but is also tasty made with dried ingredients, which was what I had on hand. As always feel free to experiment with whatever you happen to have in your kitchen!


Ingredients
4 medium potatoes, cut into small chunks
4 tilapia fillets
couple of squeezes of lemon juice
1 tsp chili flakes
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 F.

In a small dish stir together parsley, chilli flakes, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder; set aside.

Toss potatoes in olive oil to lightly coat, sprinkle with remaining garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on a baking dish lined with foil. Bake for in 15 minute intervals until soft inside when poked with a fork and the edges are golden brown.

Meanwhile, lightly brush both sides of fish fillets with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle paprika over the top. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. Finally, top with lemon juice and parsley mixture. Bake for an additional minute.

Serve with steamed veggies, such as broccoli, if you'd like.

Roasted Chicken with Butternut Squash

These simple ingredients when baked together are so very flavourful. This is an easy meal to pull together and enjoy on a cold day!

Ingredients
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp or more fresh ground black pepper
a little less than 1 tsp dried sage
dash of salt
3 tbsp white wine

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 F.

Toss chicken and squash pieces in a bowl with oil, salt, pepper, and sage. Place chicken thighs in the bottom of roasting pan. Pour squash pieces on top and around chicken.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring squash occasionally (leaving chicken untouched), until chicken and squash are done.

Take pan out of the oven. Remove chicken and squash from pan and set aside. Add a splash of wine to the pan and place it on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to stir up brown bits (they're full of flavour from the chicken). Boil for a couple of minutes, then spoon sauce over chicken.

Glossary - Learning to Shoot

Aperture: The hole in the lens that light travels through to reach the camera's sensor.The diagram below is a great visual that helped me to understand how it works.



ISO: Also referred to as ISO Settings or ISO Sensitivity. The acronym stands for International Organization for Standardization, an organization that sets a lot of standards like, the measurement for film sensitivity (yes, this translates to digital photography). ISO setting determines how sensitive the image sensor is to the amount of light present.The higher the ISO setting, the more sensitive the image, which makes it possible to take photos in low-light situations.

ISO Noise: Similar to the "grainness" you might see in a film, it is made up of coloured dots on your photo. Increased sensitivity (higher ISO) allows the recording of more light and more noise.

ISO Speed and Exposure: Affects the shutter speed and aperture combinations you can use to get correct exposure. Examples include, using a higher ISO when your camera's light meter warns that there's not enough light to expose a shot correctly and you're not allowed to use your flash (i.e. in a concert) OR if the shutter speed is too slow (1/60 sec. and slower) to hold the camera steady by hand, use the next higher ISO, which will allow the selection of a faster shutter speed.

Shutter: The device that allows a specified amount of light to expose a photograph for a set amount of time, by opening and closing.

Shutter Speed: The amount of time the camera's shutter is open; it controls the amount of time light reaches the film. Short shutter speeds are good for action and sunny-day photos whereas slow shutter speeds are good for low-light conditions.

Learning to Use a Proper Camera

Yet another awesome Christmas gift from the greatest boyfriend - a fancy new camera! Until now, I have had a few cameras, all in the category of point-and-shoot cameras that fit into a pocket. This is my first camera that has a strap, a pop-out flash and the capability to shoot manually. Now to learn the lingo and how to shoot!

Glossary

Lasagna: The Easy Way

Lasagna doesn't have to be super complicated; it can be made, mostly, with ingredients you already have in the house. I happened to have leftover raw sausage meat and decided to toss it in - the flavour was awesome!

Ingredients
approx. 1/2 pound ground beef
approx. 1/2 pound ground sausage (I used the kind that comes in a tube used for stuffing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can whole or diced tomatoes, salt-free
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp + 1 tsp dried parsley, divided
1 tbsp dried basil
3 tbsp milk, divided (I used almond milk)
couple of dashes salt
2-inch by 2-inch block of feta cheese, crumbled
about 1/2 pound sliced mozarella or marble cheese (your choice, but something mild)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
lasagna noodles

Directions
In a large skillet, combine beef, sausage, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain about half the fat (or more if you're all health-nutty, but I'd suggest no more than half since so much flavour comes from the pork fat). Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp basil, and a dash of salt. Simmer for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange uncooked lasagna shells into the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking pan, overlapping the edges. (This will involve breaking the pasta to the size of the pan.) Top pasta with 1 layer of sliced cheese, then sprinkle with 1/2 the Parmesan cheese, half the feta cheese, half of the milk, and a 1/2 tsp of parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 F.

When the tomato sauce is ready, spoon a little less than half over the noodles and cheese in the baking pan. Repeat, ending with the tomato meat sauce. Cover top layer with a third layer of noodles and top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle generously with extra Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 F. for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 F. and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce pasta with a knife. OR you could freeze it for another time OR refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Lighter than regular peanut butter balls, these sweet treats are a hit any time of year!


Ingredients
1 1/2 cup peanut butter (or more to hold together)
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp butter, softened
3 cups rice crispies (I happened to have vanilla flavoured rice crispies)
9 oz semisweet chocolate
1 tbsp shortening

Directions
Mix peanut butter, icing sugar, butter, and rice crispies together in a large bowl. Using your hands, ensure all ingredients are mixed then form 1-inch round balls. If they are too crumbly to hold together, add a bit more peanut butter until they're the right consistency. Place them on a wax or parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Microwave chocolate and shortening for about 1 minute, stirring and checking every 20 seconds until completely melted. Dip peanut butter balls in chocolate mixture and place back on lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you serve them.

Peanut Butter Balls aka Buck Eyes

Buck Eyes are a favourite of my family. They're usually specially requested by my brother. Also check out Crispy Peanut Butter Balls, which are similar, but contain rice crispies. Makes about 40 pieces.

Ingredients
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-2 1/2 cups icing sugar
9 oz semisweet chocolate
1 tbsp shortening

Directions
Line baking sheet with parchment waxed paper.

Microwave peanut butter and butter for 1 minute, or until soft (check every 20 seconds). Stir in vanilla and icing sugar, until doughy.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler (or in a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water). Dip balls in chocolate.

Place peanut butter balls back on baking sheet in fridge. Once chocolate has hardened, 30 minutes or more, store in an air-tight container in the fridge.