The Kitchen Operas

So we’ve been eating out a lot due to some schedule craziness around here, and last night I wanted a really nourishing and delicious dinner.  But all I had in the house were some really weird odds and ends (tomatillos, alfalfa sprouts, red lentil stew, rhubarb, mushrooms), and a whole bunch of squash. I’m saving [...]

Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman. [...]

This is one of my tried and true recipes that I have been making (and tweaking) for over ten years. It’s a family stand-by, and I know it works because my Mum often requests “Fajita Night”, which means that we make a batch of this chili plus a batch of seasoned ground beef (for the carnivorous Dad), and we all get to make our own Fajitas with whole wheat tortillas and fillings of choice. My favourite fillings include the veggie chili, cheese, low-fat sour cream, chipotles, and guacamole. Mmmmm.

You know what I love?  Enchiladas.  They have become a staple around my house since I made my Kale & White Bean Enchiladas.  I’ve had enchiladas on the weekly rotation ever since, mixing it up a little by adding poblano peppers to the tomatillo & onion mixture when I’ve got them on hand. I thought [...]

I may have just discovered my favourite food of all time: Panade.  What is a panade you may ask?  Well, it’s a savoury bread pudding that tastes like French onion soup with soggy bread.  Which I know is not the most appealing-sounding thing — but think about it: a bread casserole baked in veggie stock [...]

Mmmmmm.  Queso Fresco.  Soft fresh cheesy goodness. I am adoring this new-to-me cheese… I don’t know if it’s because it reminds me of all the amazing meals I had in San Miguel, or just because it’s amazing.  It hardly matters, it’s divine: creamy without being too rich (because it’s a fresh, unaged cheese after all), [...]

Sigh, last night was the final night of my South Carolina beach/work vacation: And I wanted to cook something special for my Mum, who has just discovered Swiss Chard, and my Dad who is just starting to get into greens. And seriously, when greens are this beautiful, how could you not want to cook with [...]

By now, I don’t think I need to introduce my fabulous Pem to you… (you know, Pem who took me to San Miguel, and also inspired Carrot Koshambri, Red Curry Quinoa, Kale & Lentil Dal) but she’s inspired another recipe. This is one of her mum’s (Pria’s) standbys, and I need to learn her secrets, [...]

Ok, I have to leave you with one last post about the food in San Miguel, as it’s what I’m missing the most: Mexican breakfast. For example, my favourite Mexican breakfast — clockwise from left: Crepes filled with mushrooms, “green and red” sauces, refried beans with queso fresco, squash blossom quesadilla and scrambled eggs in [...]

I visited my family Sunday night to regale them with stories of Mexico, and show off my photos of San Miguel.  My mum and sister kept saying: “oh, I’ve seen that one on your blog” so some of the surprise was already gone! I thought that Mexican food was in order, and so settled on [...]