I knew in the middle of it all that I needed to find a good chicken stock recipe. I’ve tried many, but none of them ever seemed flavourful enough. I wanted something simple, that I could make easily even when the house felt like it was collapsing in on itself, and something that didn’t involve an entire chicken carcass (ick!). I had a bunch of chicken drumsticks that I was never able to barbecue like I had hoped, so I went on a search and finally found the homemade chicken stock I’ve been waiting for. It’s quick (it took me 1.5 hours to make from start to finish, chopping and all), it’s flavourful (with minimal ingredients that I almost always have on hand) and it contains bones (important when making a stock with the most health benefits), with none of the messiness of dealing with an entire slimy bird. Yay!

This is the type of recipe I love making on a Sunday afternoon. Like jam, it quietly simmers in the background, perfuming your house – minimal work but satisfying and comforting results. This will definitely become a regular in our kitchen. And, if you’re looking for a feel good soup to pair it with, this Chicken Barley Soup does the trick.

I’ll be taking a break from blogging over the next couple weeks as some unexpected things have come up. I promise to be back as soon as I can. I appreciate the time you take out of your day to visit this little blog of mine and I’ll try my best to keep you updated on Facebook so you don’t feel like you’ve been left hanging.

See you soon!

Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock

The stock should stay good for 1 week in the fridge or several months in the freezer.

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 pounds chicken backs, wings or legs, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 quarts hot (or boiling) water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 bay leaves

Saute onion in a large stockpot, over medium heat, with a small amount of olive oil until onions are softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add half the chicken and cook, flipping halfway through, until no longer pink. Remove to the same bowl as the onions and repeat with the remaining chicken. Once all chicken is cooked, place the chicken and onions back into the stockpot, cover and cook over low for 20 minutes, until the chicken releases its juices. Raise heat to high, pour in hot water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer (using boiling water brings it to a simmer faster), scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Lower heat, cover and let cook at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bones from pot with a slotted spoon (you can remove the meat from the bones and reserve it for chicken soup if desired). Drain stock through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel. Let cool before refrigerating. Once refrigerated you can remove the layer of fat on top.

Makes: 2 quarts

Adapted from Simply Recipes. Originally from In Pursuit of Flavor.

I have to be completely honest, I’ve never tried a true hollandaise sauce before. Crazy, I know. So, I can’t really comment on how this compares to the original but, from what I’ve read, this method of making hollandaise, although less traditional, is just as delicious. It may be slightly less luxurious, as most “easy” recipes are, but the end result is a tangy and silky sauce that’s quick to prepare and is pretty much fool-proof.

I used my food processor because my blender broke last week, but I noticed that quite a bit of egg yolk got stuck to the bottom so I don’t think my sauce got quite as thick as it could have. My advice would definitely be to use a handheld or regular blender to get the best results.

Unlike a more tradition hollandaise you don’t cook the egg yolks before adding the butter in this recipe, but there’s no need to worry, the heat of the butter should cook the egg yolks. If you’re still nervous about it feel free to use pasteurized eggs.

Asparagus with Easy Hollandaise Sauce

• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Steam or boil asparagus until crisp tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile make hollandaise: Blend egg yolks, water, lemon juice and salt in a blender until frothy. Melt butter in a small saucepan until bubbly; do not brown. With the blender running, gradually drizzle in hot butter. Blend until mixture is thickened and emulsified.

Plate asparagus and top with hollandaise.

Serves: 6

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Now that we’ve moved to New York my hubby’s office is only a five minute walk away which means he comes home for lunch almost every day. And, I’m loving it. We generally like to keep things pretty simple but soup and grilled cheese are pretty much a must. The thing I love about soup is that it keeps on giving – you make the recipe once and you can have it for lunch again later in the week.

James isn’t a big fan of potatoes, unless they’re in the form of french fries or mashed potatoes (drenched in gravy, of course), so I don’t make baked potatoes very much at all. Baked potatoes are one of my favourite ways to eat potatoes but for the potato-averted they seem to be a bit of a nightmare since they’re so full of… potato. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised when James loved this soup. I think the number one reason is because the soup is smooth and silky – no bland chunks of potato to be found. Add some crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and chives and you have a baked-potato-lovers dream that’s fit for non-potato-lovers too.

Loaded “Baked Potato” Soup

• 4 strips bacon, diced
• 1.5 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
• 1.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• salt and pepper, to taste
• grated cheddar cheese and chopped chives, to serve

In a large saucepan cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Set aside for later.

Cook leeks in a couple tablespoons of the bacon grease until soft. Add potatoes, stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely and simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes mash easily with a fork. Remove the sprigs of thyme and puree the soup with a handheld blender, food processor or blender. Strain through fine mesh sieve to ensure smoothness, if desired. Pour back into pot, add sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat until warm; do not boil.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with cooked bacon, cheddar cheese and chives.

Makes: 6 servings

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Tomatoes this time of year tend to be pretty tasteless, so this a great winter salsa since it uses only one small tomato. This type of recipe is highly adaptable. If you don’t like cilantro, leave it out. Throw in some red peppers, if you like. Or use red onions instead of green. Really, it’s not a science. You can literally chuck in whatever suites your fancy. Next time I’ll probably add some chopped avocado and amp up the spiciness by leaving in the jalapeño seeds.

I’m also planning on taking this out of the snack realm by making some to serve at our next taco night. It takes no time to prep and every bit of homemade goodness turns a good meal into a great one.

Black Bean Salsa

For a spicier salsa leave the seeds in the jalapeño pepper.

• 1 small tomato, seeded and diced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membranes removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Toss ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Refrigerate until serving.

Adapted from Whole Living.

This recipe calls for fresh berries and I already had some (surprisingly) delicious fresh blueberries in my fridge (thanks to an awesome sale from my grocer) but since I didn’t have any fresh strawberries I used a bag of frozen ones instead. To my delight the frozen ones worked great, I just needed to add a few minutes to the simmering time. I imagine you could use all frozen berries and have it turn out, as long as you feel comfortable going by sight rather than cooking time. Allow them to thaw first and don’t drain away any of the tasty juices.

One of the big draws to me for this jam was that it uses maple to sweeten it, instead of sugar. By now I’m sure you’ve noticed my love of anything maple. It adds just a little something extra to the jam and it’s not overly sweet like some homemade pectin-free jams seem to be. I also love that it makes such a small amount. It feels like no work and you get delicious results in no time.

We enjoyed it while it was still warm, wrapped up in fresh crepes with a side of bacon. Mmm.

Mixed Berry Jam

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Place berries in a medium-sized saucepan, lightly mash berries. Add remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 50-55 minutes or until the mixture passes the jam test (below). Cool completely before storing, covered, in the fridge for up to 1 month. Freeze for longer storage.

Jam Test:

This applies to any jam that is made without using pectin.

Place a small plate in the freezer while you make your jam. Once you think the jam is ready place a dollop on the frozen plate and return to the freezer for two minutes. Remove the plate from the freezer and push through the jam with your finger, there should be a slight film on top that wrinkles as you push. If it’s not ready yet, boil it for a few more minutes and repeat the test.

Makes approximately: 1 1/2 cups

Adapted from Giada at Home.

I can’t believe that Christmas is this weekend. How did time go by so fast?

This year will be the first year that our little family is totally alone for Christmas, I’ve come down with tonsillitis, the kids are fighting off their own illnesses and we’re between houses, staying at a friend’s place while they’re gone for the holidays. But, I’ve got so much to be thankful for that I can’t complain too much about life’s little inconveniences. Just look at those cutie pies I get to hang out and snuggle with. What more could I want?

We’re going to keep things very simple this year and just enjoy being together. We’ll probably watch oodles of Christmas movies, take a walk uptown to enjoy the Christmas lights and drink lot’s of hot beverages to sooth our sore throats. It should be a good, low-key Christmas.

I think everyone must have a person or two in their lives who are currently eating gluten-free. For those of us that don’t eat gluten-free, it can be a bit scary hosting a gluten-free guest. Not only do we want the food to taste great, but we need to learn how to cook in unfamiliar territory. It can be easy to get overwhelmed when you start studying up on the subject. That’s why, for this weeks post on Simple Bites I decided to share some quick tips with you for easy gluten-free entertaining.

From the post:

“Although most of the people I know who eat gluten-free truly don’t mind if there are certain items on the table that they can’t eat, it’s nice to make the extra effort and make all of the food to be enjoyed by everyone. It’s just more fun if everyone can participate in every part of the meal – that way there are no temptations and nobody feels left out.

It doesn’t have to be stressful to cook gluten-free. With a few quick tips you can have a great meal on the table in no time.”

Read more and get the recipe for these simple and gluten-free Black Forest Brownie Trifles on Simple Bites.

So, what are you up to this Christmas? 

When you have a baby on the floor searching for (and finding) every dust bunny and minuscule piece of something disgusting, who also must absolutely see what it all tastes like. And, a preschooler who thinks he’s a chef and wants to add all sorts of inedible things to dinner while your back is turned. Extra babysitting is not the thing you need.

I love cooking with my kids. And, I know it would be possible for me to make traditional risotto if I kicked them out and cooked by myself (I’m not a great multi-tasker) but I love that they want to be in there with me and I love how much my son is interested in cooking (and therefore interested in eating). So, simple and easy is the way to go for me. But, I still want to enjoy some creamy risotto with my pan-fried chicken and brussels sprouts.

This baked risotto is much simpler then the original (seriously, all you do is stir it up and throw it in the oven) and it free’s up space on the stove top when it feels like things are overloaded. Of course, the results aren’t quite as perfect as traditional risotto. But it comes close. The only thing lacking, I would say, is the little bit of the crispness that you normally get from toasting the rice in a bit of fat first. But the results are so tasty and creamy, with that loose risotto feel, that it will be hard for me to go back to the original except for on the rare occasion (read: special company).

This is just a very basic recipe. It’s great on its own but you can also feel free to dress it up with different spices, throw in some cooked veggies or meat and turn it into a one pot main dish. It would be a great way to breathe new life into some of those holiday leftovers.

Tip: To reheat the leftovers (as I did for the picture above) add a bit more stock or water to bring it back to a loose consistency. (This is what it looks like fresh from the oven. :))

Simple Parmesan Baked Risotto

• 1.5 cups arborio rice (a.k.a. risotto rice)
• 4.5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper, to taste

Stir together the stock and rice in a 10 cup baking dish, cover tightly with foil (or lid). Bake at 355ºF for 40 minutes or until rice is al dente (cooked but crisp) and most of the stock has been absorbed (it will still be quite loose and wet). Stir in parmesan and butter until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves: 6

Adapted from Donna Hay.

I have a secret to tell you. I used to not be able to make a good pot of chili to save my life. I’ve tried many five-star recipes with promises of perfection, but nothing tasted right when I made it. It wasn’t flavourful enough, hot enough, was too liquidy.. the list goes on. If I had a delicious chili at someone else’s house and asked for the recipe, when I would make it at home, it would always come up lacking.

I’ve heard that everyone has a nemesis in cooking. Something that should be easy to make, that everyone can do, but for some reason it never turns out for you. Chili was my nemesis. But, no more! And, I’m extremely happy about this fact because it is one of my all time favourite meals.

This chili has a great robust flavour, a good amount of heat, without being too hot, and has the perfect amount of meat/bean ratio (for me). Having a thick and hearty chili is a must for us because we like to scoop it up with a side of corn chips.

If this chili wasn’t so filling I would probably eat the entire pot myself. It is that good.

Do you have a cooking/baking nemesis?

Adapted from KraftCanada.

James has never like Bread and Butter Pickles, so I never buy them. Not that he doesn’t want me to, but I like other kinds of pickles so I don’t feel the need to buy a jar just for me. But honestly, Bread and Butter Pickles have always been one of my favourites.

When I saw these pickles on Recipe Girl, I knew I had to give them a go. As a general rule, store-bought things that James doesn’t like, magically become favourites once I make them at home. And, since this recipe was so darn easy, I knew it wouldn’t be a waste of energy if he didn’t like them. But, true to form, he loved them. And, I loved them. And Max… still doesn’t like pickles… but he likes olives, so that makes up for it. Crazy boy.

If you want to venture into the world of making pickles I encourage you to break in with this recipe. They really are soo good. I’ve never piled so many pickles on my sandwiches before. The hardest part about this recipe is that you’re supposed to wait 24 hours before eating them. Although that didn’t stop me from nabbing a few every time I opened the fridge. ;)

These would also make a great hostess gift for a fall barbecue. I’m pretty sure you would be the star of the show if you brought along a jar of homemade pickles. So if you want to just fade into the background, keep them to yourself. :)

Have you ever made pickles? What are your favourite kinds?

Adapted from Recipe Girl.

This Vegetable Bibimbap definitely falls into that category. I almost flipped past it on my newest iPad edition of Everyday Food. But then I got after myself and decided to take a look at the ingredient list and found that it actually contained a lot of the foods we love, even if they were in a different format then I was used to. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and give it a try.

I’m so glad I did.

It was a simple meal with a great authentic (Korean) taste. I was a little hesitant about stir-frying cucumber because floppy cucumber didn’t sound great to me, but I was proved wrong and discovered that I like warm, floppy cucumbers. Who would have guessed? I wasn’t too sure about the egg either but everything just worked so well together and had a great Asian flavor.

I wasn’t too nit-picky about cutting the vegetables julienne since I was just serving it to my family. That’s definitely the most time-consuming part of the recipe. But, if you’re not too picky it really doesn’t take too long (or if you’ve got mad knife skills. I do not.).

This recipe has reconfirmed the fact that I need to take a step back from my American food rut and enjoy making something different.

Do you skip by recipes with names you don’t recognize or do they pique your interest?

Adapted from Martha Stewart.