Lunch

Mushroom Aioli Toasts

By in Appetizers, Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Sides 8 Comments Tags: , , , ,

mushroom aioli toasts

A couple of years ago I couldn’t have imagined our family eating a meal where the star ingredient was mushrooms. My husband was never a fan, but every once in a while I would make them anyways just in case he changed his mind. And, he did. The changing point came when I first made these cajun grilled pork chops with creamy mushroom pan sauce. Don’t they always say that you have to introduce a food to a child 10-20 times before they’ll start liking it? I guess it works with husbands too. Hehe.

Ever since then I’ve realized that, very often, someone may not like a certain food simply because they don’t like the way it was prepared. That’s why we never say never in this family. If we don’t like something we try it a new way until we find the preparation we like.

Now we can’t seem to get enough of mushrooms. We put them on everything from burgers to pizza, in frittatas and salads. We almost always have a stash of mushrooms in our fridge. What a change!

These sandwiches are truly crave worthy. Start with some toasted, crusty whole grain bread, slather on a quick mustard aioli, pile on fragrant mushrooms and garlic, top it all with cheese and broil until the cheese is melty and golden. Just describing it makes my mouth water.

You can serve it for lunch with smoothies, for a quick dinner with a salad, as a side to grilled meat or pasta, or even as an appetizer for a guest worthy meal. A recipe that is as delicious and versatile as that definitely has a place in my recipe folder.

mushroom aioli toasts

Mushroom Aioli Toasts

Any cheese can be used to top these toasts. On an everyday basis we like cheddar. For a dinner party feel free to splurge on some fontina. If using for appetizers serve on baguette slices for smaller servings.

Mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 16 oz. mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Mustard Aioli
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
To Assemble
  • 8 slices crusty bread
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or fontina)

Place butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet, let melt over medium heat. Add mushrooms, cook until softened. Season generously with salt and pepper, cook until liquid is gone and mushrooms start to brown a bit. Add garlic and cook 30-60 seconds, just until softened.

Meanwhile stir together all of the ingredients for the aioli in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high. Place bread slices on a large baking sheet. Broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Spread each toast with aioli. Divide mushrooms evenly between toasts and top with cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.

For a fresh take, top with salad greens before serving.

Makes: 8 toasts

Adapted from How Sweet It Is. Mustard Aioli adapted from Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 7 Comments Tags: , , , ,

slow cooker french onion soup

When I made this soup for the first time I made a big mistake. Since my hubby comes home every day for lunch we usually reserve soup for lunch time. Since this soup takes 6-8 hours to cook in the slow cooker, and I didn’t feel like getting up in the wee hours to get started on it, I decided to make it the day before. It was a great plan, until a couple hours in when my house started smelling fabulous and I knew I had to wait a whole entire day before I could eat a bowl of it. It was torturous. I was tempted to skip on my dinner plans and just have it for supper. But, my will power persevered and I spooned it away in a storage container and stashed it in the fridge to be heated up the next day. It was so worth the wait.

I’ve never made French Onion Soup before. Mostly because James isn’t a fan of onions so I thought it would be off the list. Especially after having not so great versions at restaurants. But then, I had a rich, flavourful version that got me craving another bowl and I decided it was time to try it at home.

This was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Rich and flavourful, slightly sweet and oh so comforting. And, you know what, it even satisfied the picky onion eaters in the family. The kids, hubby and I gobbled it right up.

Normally you place the bread on top of the soup bowls and then broil it, but since I don’t have oven safe soup bowls we broiled the bread separately and placed it on top. It’s just as delicious and makes for any easy dipper for little people who may have a harder time getting their spoon to break up the bread. I’m a little wary of soggy bread but both me and James loved this and when the bread soaks up the delicious broth there is absolutely nothing to not like about it.

slow cooker french onion soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup beer
  • 2 quarts low-sodium beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1.5 teaspoons dried)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • Gruyere cheese, sliced or grated (harvarti is also good)

Turn on your slow cooker and set to high. Add butter and let melt. Add onions, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well. Cover and let cook for 1-1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until onions begin to caramelize and turn brown. Stir in flour, allow to cook for a couple minutes then stir in beer and beef stock a bit at a time, stirring well between each addition to avoid lumps. Stir in thyme and pepper. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired.

To serve: Top baguette slices with cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve on top of soup. Alternately, if your soup bowls are broiler safe you can place the bread and cheese right on the soup and broil.

Makes approximately: 8 servings

Adapted from How Sweet it Is. Originally from Tyler Florence.

Vegetable Chowder

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Soup 3 Comments Tags: , , ,

vegetable chowder

It’s February. We’ve had snow since October 3rd. We have another 2 months of snow to go. If I wanted to, I could get quite depressed about that fact. The winter doldrums are fighting hard for our attention. But we’re fighting back by taking swimming lessons, building snowmen, sitting on the front porch when the sun is shining to soak up every bit of vitamin D we can, and of course making soup. I don’t really make soup in the summer, so I console myself by saying that all this cold and snowy weather means I can have soup for that much longer!

This chowder is choc-full of veggies giving it the lightness of springtime but the comforting warmth of winter. Just the thing to lift the spirits and look forward to warmer days.

The next time I make this soup I’ll probably try it with some diced ham thrown in, in place of the bacon, only for the fact that I think it would go beautifully with this soup and it’s always nice to change things up a bit. I’ve learned one thing in making soup, if the recipe calls for chicken stock don’t try and substitute it with chicken broth, it won’t be nearly so flavourful. So go for the dark, rich stuff here.

Vegetable Chowder

Cut up the remainder of the veggies for easy snacking the rest of the week. For a meatless soup omit the bacon and use veggie stock in place of chicken stock.

  • 4 strips bacon, diced
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Cook bacon, in a medium-sized saucepot  set over medium heat, until crispy. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion, celery and carrots to the fat in the pot, cook until softened. Add zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and red bell pepper; cook just until starting to soften. Scrape vegetables into a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, stir in flour. Cook until you can smell a slightly nutty aroma. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, in small additions, until well incorporated and mixture is smooth. Slowly whisk in milk. Return the vegetables you had set aside to the pot, along with corn, potatoes, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove bay leaf and stir in in bacon, to serve.

Serves: 6

Adapted from Fresh with Anna Olson.

Quick Beef Gyros

By in Beef, Lunch, Main Dish 1 Comment Tags: , , , , ,

quick beef gyros

Whew. 2012 flew by in a whirlwind. Just a little over a year ago we moved from Oslo, Norway to New York City and half a year later we moved home to Canada. No wonder I’m so tired! :P This year the holidays felt extra special and the celebrating seemed to go on and on. It was awesome! We even took a road trip to visit my husband’s family. It has all been such a blast and makes it a little harder to get back into a routine. Er, What’s that again?

3 countries. 1 year.

I’ve always been a huge fan of gyros. If we’re ever at a food court for a meal you better believe I’m headed for the gyro place. It’s the only time I ever get them because certain other people in my family are not a fan. Until now.

When I came across this recipe I figured it was worth a shot. It was so simple that I figured the worst that could happen would be that I would get all the more to myself. :) But that was not the case. They were a huge hit. So much so that I can now make gyros as often as I like, and everyone gets excited about it. They may not be the most traditional but they’ve got everything that I love about a gyro – flavour! Here’s to home cooking winning again! :D

I know it’s a little late but, Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is a year full of blessings for all of you.

Quick Beef Gyros

Beef Filling
  • 1/2 pound deli roast beef
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • pinch paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • pepper, to taste (be generous!)
Tzatziki Sauce
  • 1/2 english cucumber, finely diced
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion (about 1/8 of an onion)
  • 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried  dill weed
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
To Serve
  • naan, pita bread or other flatbread, warmed
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • crumbled feta cheese
  • kalamata olives, sliced if desired
  • remaining half of cucumber, chopped

Mix together Tzatziki ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until serving.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add all ingredients for the beef filling. Stir until beef is warmed through.

To serve, top pita with a generous portion of beef, tzatziki sauce and desired toppings. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Adapted from The Stephens Family via Tasty Kitchen.

Ham, Brie & Pear Panini

By in Lunch 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

ham pear brie panini

I went out on a limb last week with this recipe. We had some brie in the fridge and some beautiful red pears on the counter and I just couldn’t resist putting them together in a sandwich. I figured my hubby, whose not a fan of fruit in savoury applications, would not be too thrilled with lunch that day. But to my shock, when he tried it he said, “this would be even better with ham”. My mouth hit the floor. But, I went along with it and we slipped some ham into our sandwiches. He was right, that ham took the sandwiches from good to great.

Even if you’re normally not a person who likes fruit with meat or other savoury items, I encourage you to give this a try. Brie and pear are a fantastic paring, but add to that the smokiness of ham and the zip of mustard and you’ve got one perfectly rounded, killer sandwich. Proof that you should never give up trying new things, you just have to find the right combination.

Ham, Brie & Pear Panini

  • 2 slices whole wheat bread
  • Dijon mustard
  • sliced brie
  • 1/4 pear, sliced
  • sliced ham (or Canadian bacon)
  • baby spinach

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Spread one side of each slice of bread with olive oil spread. Flip them over so they’re butter side down. Spread one slice with a thin layer of mustard. Top with slices of brie, pear, ham and  a small handful of spinach; top with one more slice of brie (to help it stick together). Top with remaining piece of bread, butter side up. Place on  preheated skillet and let cook until bread is browned and cheese starts to melt. Flip sandwich over carefully; once flipped press down firmly with the spatula to help everything stick together. Cook until both sides are browned and crisp, and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

Alternately you can cook this in a Panini press or in a waffle iron.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Soup 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

It”s soup season! And, I couldn”t be happier about it. Soup is so comforting, flavourful and easy to make, and that fact that is warms you up instantly from the inside out is an added bonus. I find my feet and hands cold constantly these days and I”m wrapped up in my sweater for most of the day. But after a couple bites of soup the sweater goes off and I”m warmed right through.

Although soup is generally easy to make, it”s not always quick. I”ve had my eye out for quick soups for a while now. I”m lucky enough to have my hubby come home for lunch every day and I like to occasionally make a quick, warm, fresh meal to get us out of the sandwich/leftovers doldrums. Quick, being the key word because although we can take our time with supper, lunch has more of a time constraint.

This soup fits the bill on all accounts. It”s made from start to finish in 30 minutes (great for a last-minute dinner too), it”s so flavourful (the first chicken tortilla soup my family has actually loved), has just the right balance of flavours (I”ve tried so many versions of this soup that were far to tart and lacking in flavour) and it”s a warming, nutritious meal for the middle of the day. I know it”ll be on the table often when we”re in need of something to warm our bellies and our toes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You can use partially frozen chicken in this soup, making it perfect for a quick, last-minute meal. Thaw the chicken just enough to cut it into chunks, then add it to the pot as directed.

  • 1/2 onion, diced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 4 cups chicken broth

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1.5 cups frozen corn

  • 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces

  • juice of 1 small lime

  • To serve: crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, cilantro

In a large saucepan, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook until softened. Add salt, bell pepper, garlic and cumin, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaf, corn, tomatoes and chicken. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice, simmer for several minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve with desired toppings.

Adapted from Weelicious.

1 2 3