About Cheri Neufeld

Posts by Cheri Neufeld:

Iced Chai Tea Latte

Jun 18, 2013 By Cheri in Beverages, Cold No Comments Tags: chai, dairy free, guilt free, healthy, iced, latte, tea

I’m a huge fan of iced coffee but I can’t get away with drinking it as often as I would like. I’m an avid tea drinker too and often get a craving for a cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer day, but sometimes I miss all the flavourful combinations that you can have with iced coffee. So, I decided it was time to stray from my usual favourite iced tea and start coming up with some flavoured versions. My first stop – chai!

James isn’t really a fan of iced tea. Which I think is perfectly fine because it just means more for me! But this is one iced tea that he actually enjoys, which means that now I actually have to share. Boo. :( Ok, deep down it might just make me happy because maybe I kind of like to share and also, it gives me that much more of an excuse to make it. :)

The thing I love about this version of iced tea is that it’s creamy, which is something you don’t usually expect in an iced tea, and the part that I usually crave in an iced coffee. I also love that it’s on the healthy side but still tastes like a treat. This is a life saver because it goes down oh so easily on a hot summer day.

Iced Chai Tea Latte

This tea is lightly sweetened. Feel free to add more honey, to taste, if you prefer a sweeter beverage.

4 cups water
6 black tea bags
1/3 cup cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch pepper
2 cups milk (or almond milk), cold

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in tea bags. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Stir in honey and spices until honey is dissolved. Allow to cool a bit and then cover and refrigerate until cold. Stir before serving to mix in the spices that have settled on the bottom.

For a pitcher full: Stir 2 cups milk directly into the cold tea. Pour into glasses over ice.

For individual servings: Fill glass with ice. Top with 2/3 cup cold tea and then with 1/3 cup milk. Stir to serve.

Makes: 6 (1 cup) servings

Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guacamole

Jun 14, 2013 By Cheri in GF Mains, Main Dish, Meatless 7 Comments Tags: guacamole, lazy, meatless, mexican, quick, quinoa, vegetarian, weeknight

In this house we have trouble repeating meals. Or rather I should say, I have trouble repeating meals. I always want to be trying something new. And, although we do repeat a lot of old favourites, there are lot’s of new recipes in between. One thing that I could eat on pretty much a daily basis is any form of Mexican food. And, I’m pretty sure I’m not alone.

I’ve recently become mildly obsessed with guacamole. Why were we not eating this with every Mexican-style meal before? I guess in my head it just seemed like too much extra work. Because let’s face it, at the end of a long weekday the last thing I really want to be doing is slaving away in the kitchen. But the jokes on me, because in reality it’s so easy to make it’s kind of ridiculous, especially if you make my lazy version. And, it adds so much flavour that we can’t even have a Mexican meal without it anymore.

Now about this quinoa. If you’re looking for a new Mexican dish to switch things up, this meal is your ticket. It’s a one pot meal that’s perfect for a weeknight. It takes minimal effort to put together, all those Mexican flavours you love are cooked right in, and you get to top it will all sorts of yummy toppings – like guacamole! Plus, it’s packed with tons of protein from the quinoa and beans so it’s a great meatless main dish. The only thing I felt was missing was a little bit of crunch, so next time we’ll be sprinkling on a few crushed tortilla chips to finish it off.

Mexican Quinoa

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (1 1/2 cups) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup corn
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
1 quarter of a lime, juiced
To serve: salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and guacamole

Add a small bit of oil to a medium-sized pot set over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeños; cook just until fragrant (about a minute). Add quinoa, broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and lime juice. Spoon into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Lazy Guacamole

1 ripe avocado, peel and pit removed
1 small lime, juiced
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Mash the avocado with a fork until smooth, stir in lime juice, garlic and salt and pepper.

Quinoa recipe adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Peanut Butter Runner.

48 Recipes for Father’s Day

Jun 11, 2013 By Cheri in Life 3 Comments Tags: fathers day, foods, list, roundup

Everyone knows that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So what better way to honor Dad then to make him some food that he’ll love? I know I’ll be making a few of James’ favourites come Sunday. And, I’ll be sure to bake some treats to gift my dad next weekend. Here’s a roundup of some favourite foods of the dad’s in my life, hopefully your’s will love them just as much as mine.

Breakfast

For the potato lover: Crispy Baked Hash Browns. The best part about these crispy potatoes? They make a large batch, so you can feed a crowd, or freeze the leftovers for a quick brunch another day.

For the Diner enthusiast: Southwestern Breakfast Skillet. Spicy sausage, bell peppers, hash browns, eggs, and cheese. What’s not to love?

For little hands to make: Homemade Egg McMuffins. These easy breakfast sandwiches can be made by the kiddos for their dad – no hot frying pans needed.

For the meat lover: Chicken and Sage Sausage Patties. A healthier sausage patty that’s full of flavour and easy to make.

On the go: Breakfast Bagel. If you’ve got busy Father’s Day plans these quick breakfast bagels make a great handheld breakfast.

For the muffin lover: Cherry Almond Streusel Muffins. Cherries are just starting to come into season here and these muffins take advantage of their sweetness. They also happen to be a favourite of the dad in this house.

For the waffle lover: Quick Waffles with Vanilla Pudding and Blueberry Syrup. A waffle combination to dream about. Waffles topped with warm vanilla pudding and blueberry syrup – all made from scratch and easy to make.

For the coffee lover: Blueberry Cheesecake Coffee Cake. Although coffee cake doesn’t actually contain any coffee, it gets it’s name from being the perfect pairing to a hot and steamy cup of jo’. This version has a layer of blueberry cheesecake on top, making it decadent enough for a special occasion.

For the rhubarb lover: Rhubarb Crunch Coffee Cake. It’s in season. Enjoy it!

Appetizers

For some healthy crunch: Crispy Microwave Potato Chips. Quick to make and healthy to boot. Give Dad the satisfying crunch without the cholesterol – these chips are oil free!

To go with those chips: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Dip. A gourmet version of onion dip. It’s sooo good. Psst.. it also makes a great condiment for burgers. Another great burger spread? This Red Onion Relish.

For the spice lover: Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip. Cheesy, gooey and spicy. This dip has got it going on.

For the nacho lover: Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce. Just like the movie’s – with no processed cheese involved.

Dinner

For the meat and potatoes guy: Cajun Grilled Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Pan Sauce. Spicy, juicy, smokey meat, topped with a flavourful and creamy mushroom sauce. Delish!

For the quesadilla lover: Chicken, Bacon and Black Bean Quesadillas. Smokey, and full of flavour. These crispy, creamy, tex-mex quesadillas are a go-to weekend lunch for us.

For the seafood lover: Grilled Fish Tacos with Fresh Salsa. I dedicated this post to my dad three years ago. I still feel the same way about him, and these tacos. Another favourite: Grilled Fish Tacos with Avocado Salsa.

For the burger guy: BLT Chicken Burgers. So. Much. Flavour. These chicken patties are packed with cheese, helping to keep them moist and flavourful. Topped with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and basil mayonnaise, how can you go wrong?

For the burgers: Perfect Burger Buns. If you want the perfect bun to go with those burgers, make this recipe. It got it’s name for a reason. Bonus: you can make them ahead and freeze.

For the beef dip lover: Quick French Dip Sandwiches. Easy to make and packed with flavour. These juicy sandwiches will please any beef dip enthusiast.

For the crispy chicken lover: Baked Crispy Chicken Sandwiches. This sandwich has all the flavour of a deep fried crispy chicken sandwich, without the oil. Spreading it with a quick garlic aioli just sends it over the top.

For the pizza lover: Tropical Barbecue Chicken Pizza. Every time my father-in-law comes to visit I have to make him this pizza. It’s his favourite, and for good reason.

For a smokier pizza: Quick BBQ Pizza Dough. Quick to make and so delicious. Everyone can make their own pizza on the grill, just the way they like.

For the chili guy: My Favourite Chili. It took me a while to find my perfect chili recipe, but the moment I tried this, I new it was the one.

For the Chinese food lover: Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls. Batter and fried chicken in a sweet and sour pineapple glaze. Bonus: you can fry the chicken ahead and freeze, just warm it up in the oven while you make the sauce.

For the taco lover: Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Spicy Avocado Cream. A more gourmet version of a family favourite. Crispy taco shells, with smokey, spicy chicken and a creamy avocado sauce.

For the pasta lover: Quick Chicken Parmigiana. Crispy chicken smothered in pasta sauce and cheese, resting on a bed of spaghetti. Super flavourful, with no frying required.

Sides & Condiments

For a barbecue: Barbecue Bean Salad. Feeds a crowd and goes with any barbecue meal.

For a Greek inspired meal: Greek Orzo Pasta Salad. A great side to grilled chicken or any Greek themed menu. Orzo is tossed with olives, feta, spinach and a homemade Greek vinaigrette.

To top the burgers: Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. Make the burgers extra special with these sweet and sour pickles. They’re a great make ahead!

To round out any meal: Chunky Cucumber Salad. This salad goes with virtually any meal and is a favourite of James’.

For the broccoli lover: Mandarin Orange Broccoli Salad. A great side for a barbecue. Or, double the recipe for a Father’s Day potluck.

Dessert

For the gluten-free dad: Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Raisin Cookies. My dad is gluten-free and I love to make him cookies. Not only do these easy gluten-free cookies make a great dessert for Father’s Day, but a great gift too.

For the dairy-free ice cream lover: Caramel-Pecan Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream. No one will miss the dairy in this delicious caramel ice cream with crunchy pecans and chocolate swirl.

For the doughnut lover: Baked Doughnuts (Chocolate, Vanilla & Cinnamon-Sugar). It doesn’t have to be deep-fried to be delicious! Make dad’s favourite flavour, or a variety for a get-together. (Can be made ahead.)

For the cookie and brownie lover: Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies. Can’t decide between a brownie or a cookie? This delicious bar combines the best of both worlds.

For the spiced cookie lover: Ginger Crinkle Cookies. Another one of my father-in-laws favourite foods. We like to sandwich them with Vanilla Ice Cream for an extra special summer-time treat.

For the mousse lover: Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse. Creamy, decadent and oh so easy.

For the chocolate lover: Triple Chocolate Cupcakes. Chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate ganache, topped with chocolate frosting, and even more chocolate. It’s like a truffle, in cupcake form.

For the cheesecake lover: Mocha Chip Fudge Cheesecake. A creamy mocha cheesecake covered in a rich fudge topping. Decadence.

For the Dairy Queen lover: Peanut Buster Parfait Ice Cream Cake. The popular peanut buster parfait, in cake form. Prepare for deliciousness.

For the pie lover: Classic Apple Pie. This is hands down James’ favourite dessert. If you’re feeding a crowd try this Apple Slab Pie with Crumb Topping. It’s equally delicious and a little less work.

For the rhubarb lover: Rhubarb Crisp. A go-to in our house. Want cake instead? Try another fave, this simple Rhubarb Pudding Cake.

For the spice cake lover: Zucchini Carrot Cake with Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting. A delicious carrot cake with the extra added oomph of zucchini. Slathered in a rich cream cheese frosting, this is every carrot cake lovers dream.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Jun 7, 2013 By Cheri in Cakes, Fruit, Sweets 3 Comments Tags: cake, easy, pudding, rhubarb

rhubarb pudding cake

I’ve always been a huge fan of rhubarb. Growing up we enjoyed it one of two ways, fresh from the garden – dipped into a bowl of sugar after each mouth puckering bite, or in my mom’s delectable rhubarb crumble. We would hover in the kitchen, stealing stalks of rhubarb while she chopped them up and tossed them in sugar before sandwiching them between spiced crumbles of dough and tucking it all away in the oven. Once the rhubarb filling would start bubbling through the top, making our mouths water with each sticky rhubarb pop we knew we’d be savouring that familiar sweet-tart flavour very soon.

I have so many good memories surrounding those stalks of rhubarb that they can’t really help but hold a special place in my heart. Every year the moment they come into season I can’t help but nab them all up and get into the kitchen immediately. This year, for the first time ever, I have my own rhubarb plant growing in my back yard, hidden amongst the bushes. My kids sneak slices while I prepare a rhubarb treat, all my childhood memories come flooding back, and I know my kids are making memories of their own.

This is my happy place.

I love how the tartness of rhubarb pairs with desserts to offset their sweetness. My go-to has always been this rhubarb crisp, but I felt it was time to switch things up a bit. This cake is now tied for first in my rhubarb studded heart. The cake itself is tender and soft with the taste of vanilla and a light hint of cinnamon. Underneath is a layer of sweetly tart and sticky rhubarb that soaks up into the bottom of the cake, creating a gooey pudding texture without being soggy.

I’m usually pretty good at portioning off my desserts but I will admit to having a second piece of this, and that I had to cover it and put it far away to avoid a third. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, would just send it over the top. If you’ve never tried rhubarb before I encourage you to seek it out and give this recipe a try. It’s an easy, lazy, summertime cake that does not disappoint. And, who knows the memories you’ll make along the way.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
4 cups sliced rhubarb (1 inch slices)

In a medium sized bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Beat together together butter and 2/3 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in vanilla and egg. Beat in flour mixture alternatively with milk in three additions, starting and ending with flour. Beat just until smooth.

In a separate bowl mix together rhubarb and remaining 2/3 cup sugar. Pour into a greased 8×8 inch baking dish. Pour batter over top; smooth top (it’s ok if it doesn’t perfectly cover).

Bake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes: 9 servings

Adapted from My Recipes.

Red Onion Relish

Jun 3, 2013 By Cheri in Condiments 8 Comments Tags: bbq, jam, onion, pickled, red onion, relish

BBQ season is upon us! Sadly, we don’t actually own a barbecue at the moment. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to survive the summer without one. We basically live and breath barbecue during the summer. It takes over all my summer cooking. And, it usually means I don’t have to make supper alone because James has got the meat covered. How will I survive without it’s smokey, campfire, back to caveman, quality? Probably by inviting myself over to some BBQ potlucks. So prepare yourself for that call. I’ll bring the chips, dip and red onion relish!

I couldn’t decide whether to call these pickled onions, pickled red onion jam, or red onion relish. They’re all of these things at once. But, in the end I decided to go with red onion relish, because that’s how we use it – like a relish. Obviously this was decided after I took pictures. Call it pickled red onion jam, call it red onion relish, whatever it is, it’s a tasty condiment to have tucked away in your fridge.

This versatile relish is so much more gourmet then the neon green, hot dog stand version. It’s a great savoury spread for burgers, sandwiches or hot dogs, dolloped on top of grilled chicken or fish or, in one of my favourite ways, as an appetizer on toasted slices of baguette with goat cheese and salad greens. Delish.

It’s made with white wine instead of vinegar which gives it a more delicate flavour, while still giving it punch. An equal balance of honey and sugar, along with the pungent red onions gives it the sweet and sour quality of a relish. And, it’s jam like texture and beautiful color make it a great condiment for backyard barbecues. Just make sure to label it well because packed up in a jar it looks a lot like the rhubarb strawberry jam. That would be one way to wake yourself up in the morning – eyes half closed spreading it on your toast with peanut butter. Bam! Good morning!

Red Onion Relish

4 cups sliced red onions
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until onions have softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed (it should be thick like a jam). Allow to cool. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to six weeks.

Makes approximately: 1 cup

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Rhubarb Strawberry Floats

May 29, 2013 By Cheri in Beverages, Cold, Cool, Sweets 4 Comments Tags: float, ice cream, jam, quick, rhubarb, strawberry

As far as I’m concerned summer is here. We’ve had a couple weeks of gorgeous weather, I’ve got my garden planted, the neighbourhood splash park is open, and we’ve been having picnics like nobodies business. It may not say so on the calendar but we had such a hard, long winter that I’m kind of ok that we skipped past spring. Next fall Max is heading to kindergarten and starting the arduous journey of leaving me behind. Sniff. He already asks me pretty much every day why he’s not grown up yet. “How long is it going to take? When can I be a police man?” And, I’ve been informed that I can’t come visit the police station unless I become a police woman. But, he will come visit me for coffee or when he’s sick. Good to know. So in light of all that, I’m going to be taking advantage of this leisurely season and and enjoy having them all to myself for just a little bit longer.

Summer means one thing in the blogging world, cobwebs start to form on our web pages and comment boxes. Everyone is too busy enjoying the outdoors to spend time on the Internet. And, I think that’s awesome! I’m going to be right there with you. I’ll still be posting plenty of delicious recipes but my posting schedule may be a little more erratic then usual. When you live in the Great White North there is just too much to fit into the short summer months to spend any time inside. And, I’m so glad it’s finally here.

Now, I hope you listened to me a couple weeks ago and made some rhubarb strawberry jam because you’re going to need some to make these delicious floats. Having the jam on hand makes these floats a breeze to whip up. Just turn the jam into a quick sauce, mix it with some vanilla ice cream and sparkling water and you can have yourself a delicious and refreshing float anytime you please – very handy for last-minute entertaining.

You could substitute purchased jam if you’re not up the the task of making some yourself but it will more then likely be a quite a bit sweeter, so you may not need the added honey. Also purchased jam will not have as fresh of a flavour, that doesn’t mean you can’t use it, just keep these things in mind if you decide to substitute. But, I say go ahead and make the jam, it has so many delicious uses!

Rhubarb Strawberry Floats

Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce

1 cup rhubarb strawberry jam
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons honey

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Store, covered, in the fridge.

Makes enough for approximately 7 floats

To assemble floats

2 scoops vanilla ice cream (or dairy-free vanilla ice cream)
3 tablespoons rhubarb strawberry sauce (above)
1/2 cup club soda or sparkling water

Add ice cream to the bottom of a glass, top with sauce and soda water. Stir and serve.

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