To help kick off the Summer, here is compilation of my favourite burgers on the web by some of my favourite bloggers!
Friday, June 27, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Grilled Italian Chicken with Renée's Gourmet Salad Dressings
*This post was sponsored by Renée's Gourmet Salad Dressings, though all opinions are 100% my own.*
I've always been a huge fan of Renée's Gourmet Salad Dressings. Whenever I make a caesar salad, everyone always asks me for the recipe and the answer is always the same "It's Renée's". Renée's makes salad dressings and dips that you will find in the refrigerator section of your grocery store - meaning it's fresher and isn't full of preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients. When you read the back of the bottle, you know exactly what you are getting - a real, wholesome product that you can feel good about feeding to your family. These dressings aren't just for salad though, they make a for a really nice marinade as well! The vinegar in the dressing helps tenderize the meat, while the oil seals in the natural juices and gives the meat a nice, crispy, golden crust.
When my husband and I first started dating, he would often make this recipe for me. Italian dressing makes the perfect chicken marinade in his option, and I have to agree with him! The spices are perfect, and the chicken is tasty enough that you can eat it without any sauces or dips. I often cook up a huge batch and freeze the cooked chicken breasts. This works out awesome for quick dinners, salads, or other recipes that call for pre-cooked chicken. Because the marinate makes the chicken so juicy, it freezes really well and doesn't taste dry when it's defrosted like most chicken does. I've also frozen fresh chicken with the marinade which works out really well - the chicken will marinate as it defrosts!
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Gourmet S'mores + Free Printable!
Gourmet S'mores Spread. |
My friend Sarah has the most epic backyard parties. Her "Food-on-a-Stick" get-together has got to be one of my absolute favourites (you might recall my post from last year when I made Greek Salad Skewers for the event).
This year I was debating making Homemade Marshmallows and Graham Crackers as my "Food-on-a-Stick" contribution, when Sarah posted a Gourmet S'mores Menu that she found online. Needless to say, it was solidified - a gourmet s'mores bar was happening!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Leftover Roast Beef Soup
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Easy Homemade Pasta
This recipe appeared in my local newspaper, The Hinton Voice in their Thursday, June 5th edition.
[One of the best things
about being a food blogger is the awesome little kitchen gems that are handed
down to me by friends and family. A friend recently went through her kitchen
and found an old-fashioned pasta machine and promptly gifted it to me. Last Christmas my brother also gave me a
pasta maker and ravioli kit that he found at an Italian store in the city. Needless to say, the universe was telling me
that I would be learning how to make pasta this year, and I’ve decided to document
the experience so that you can try making homemade pasta too! If you don’t have
access to a pasta maker, be sure to check out local garage sales (I have seen
several at them so far this year) or even your local thrift store!
The below recipe is
the one that came with the instructions for my pasta maker, and it worked out
really well! A quick Google search
before starting concluded that nearly all pasta recipes are exactly the same,
with a few variances between quantities.
Most recipes call for special types of flour, however I consulted with a
friend who frequently makes her own pasta and all-purpose works just fine! It’s important to use a good quality olive
oil for this though, as you will definitely taste it in the pasta.
Now, if anyone has an
old-fashioned pasta drying rack that you’re trying to get rid of, you know
where to find me…]
Recipe makes 4
servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼-½ tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
Directions
Place flour and salt
in a small pile on a clean countertop.
Punch a hole in the middle with your fist and crack the eggs into
it.
Whip the eggs in the center
of the dough slowly incorporating the flour.
Using your hands, combine the eggs and flour until the mixture is
homogenous. Add olive oil and ¼-½ cup lukewarm water 1 tbsp at a time until a
dough forms. If your dough is too
crumbly, add more water. If it’s too
wet, add more flour. It should be
slightly sticky but not so much that you can’t easily handle it.
Knead the dough for
10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Split the dough into 2-3 balls and lightly
coat each ball of dough with olive oil to prevent from drying out. Wrap with plastic and place the balls of
dough in a bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes to allow
the gluten to relax.
You are now ready to
start rolling the dough through your pasta maker!
Cooking time: Bring water to
a rapid boil, add a splash of olive oil and cook pasta for 5-7 minutes. It’s important not to overcook your pasta so
be sure to taste test to see if it’s ready. That age old trick of throwing a
piece of cooked pasta at the wall really works – if it sticks to the wall
without sliding down, your pasta is ready!
Nutritional Info (per ¼ recipe)
Calories
- 265 Fat - 7 Carbs – 45 Protein - 11
Fibre – 2
Enjoy
Enjoy
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