Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce

(about 4 servings)

This is an easy and delicious pasta sauce. It's flavor depends primarily on the sausage you are using. I'm very fortunate to live near a butcher who offers a decent choice of well seasoned sausages.

If the fat content of your sausage is high, you might consider preparing the sauce the day ahead and refrigerating it overnight. That way you can easily remove the hardened excess fat from the sauce the next day.

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lb bulk (or casings removed) sweet Italian sausage 
1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2-3 pinches red hot chili flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
fresh chopped parsley, to serve

4 servings of your favorite dried pasta

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is lightly browned. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside.

Crumble the sausage meat and fry until browned in the garlic flavored oil. Add the tomatoes, reserved garlic and the red hot chili flakes. Simmer gently until the sauce begins to thicken; about 20-25 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and keep warm.

Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Divide the pasta among 4 plates and top each with the sauce. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper; Cacio e Pepe

(2 servings)

When I think about something indulgent for Valentine's Day, chocolate is not the first thing that comes to mind. I think of cheese, a nice sharp, salty cheese with pasta.

This simple spaghetti dish will transform into something absolutely superb if you use the best possible ingredients available to you. The pepper needs to be freshly cracked, and the Pecorino Romano should be grated right before it's combined, otherwise this dish will fall short of its potential.

I've given up trying to create a thin cheesy sauce with butter, cream or pasta water for this dish. I usually fail and end up with huge clumps of sticky pasty spaghetti. I suspect at some point I probably become impatient. Simply tossing the drained spaghetti with the grated cheese and black pepper couldn't be easier and the resulting dish is nice looking and clump free.

6 oz dried spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 2 oz)
3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in the olive oil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. Check the package for cooking times.

While the spaghetti is cooking, toss together the Pecorino Romano and cracked pepper until the mixture is evenly combined. Set aside.

Drain the spaghetti thoroughly, but don't rinse. Lightly toss with tongs or a large fork for about 30 seconds to shake off excess water.

Place about a quarter of the spaghetti into a serving dish and sprinkle with a quarter cup of the cheese and pepper mixture. Toss. Repeat until everything is well combined.

Divide between bowls and serve immediately.

Smoky Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

If you have a food processor handy, then this flavorful cheese spread can be prepared in just minutes.

Happy Holidays!

8 oz Neufchâtel or cream cheese

2 tbsp sour cream

2 oz smoked Gouda

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil), drained

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

2 pinches cayenne

salt, to taste

2 green onion, sliced (reserve some for garnish)

Place everything except for the salt and green onion into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.

Remove the top and scrape down the sides. Taste and add salt as needed; adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle the sliced green onion evenly over the top. Replace the top and pulse just until the onion is combined.

Garnish with the reserved green onion and serve with crackers, bread or vegetable sticks.

Broccoli Crunch Salad with Prosciutto and Feta

(about 4 servings)

I haven't set foot in Whole Foods since I left Texas. The closest one is in Seattle, I think. It's all fine. There's a small country market nearby that has great produce, sustainable fish and seafood, a good butcher and an adequate bulk food and spice section. I don't give WF much thought these days, although I was thinking about their Broccoli Crunch Salad the other day. I used to grab a tub or two whenever I was too lazy or busy to make my own.

This version is less sweet and more savory. It contains prosciutto in place of bacon and I have gotten into the habit of adding feta cheese of late because I love that briny goodness.

3.5oz mildly smoked lean prosciutto, diced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey, or more to taste

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces 

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tbsp cashews, toasted
3 tbsp dried currants
salt, if needed

Fry the prosciutto in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until it's browned and crispy. Stir in the red onion slices and cook until they are limp. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, apple cider vinegar and honey in a large bowl.

Add the broccoli, prosciutto and onion mixture, feta, cashews and currants. Toss until everything is evening coated with the dressing. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed.

Serve. This salad keeps really well, refrigerated.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Smoked Mozzarella Cheese Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

If you have a food processor handy, then this cheese spread will come together in practically no time at all. The sun-dried tomato and smoked mozzarella are absolutely terrific together.

8 oz cream cheese, cut up
4 oz *smoked mozzarella (see note below)
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil and drained
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic, or to taste
2 pinches cayenne pepper
salt, to taste

Place all of the ingredients, except the salt into the bowl of a food processor.

Run the motor until everything is well combined. You might have to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice. *I used a very soft, smoked mozzarella cheese from Trader Joe's. If you use a firmer type mozzarella, you might want to add a small amount of olive oil (from the sun-dried tomatoes), sour cream, plain yogurt, white wine or milk, if the processed spread seems too thick. Anything you have on hand to thin it out a bit.

Taste, and add salt and more garlic if needed. Pulse a few more times to combine thoroughly.

This spread tastes best if allowed to sit for an hour or two before serving. It will keep refrigerated for about a week or so.

Salad with Pear, Walnuts & Blue Cheese

(2-4 servings)

This delicious salad comes together in about 15 minutes. I often make a light meal out of it.

1 large Bartlett pear
2 tsp butter
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp juice
1/2 tsp mustard
salt, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cups mixed greens such as baby spinach, baby chard and baby kale
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
3-4 oz blue cheese crumbled
freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Wash the pear and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

Heat the butter in a non stick skillet over medium heat and gently saute the diced pear for a few minutes. Drizzle the honey over the pear and remove from heat. Set aside.

Combine the vinegar, juice (apple might be nice, I only had black currant juice on hand) and mustard. Add salt to taste and stir well, then stir in the olive oil. Set aside.

Divide the greens, walnuts, blue cheese and pear between four salad plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, dust with freshly cracked pepper and serve.

Moussaka

(about 6-8 servings)

Moussaka is usually considered a Greek dish although there are different versions of it to be found throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. The seasonings might differ a bit as well as the vegetables used. It might be served hot or cold, with or without the creamy cheese enhanced béchamel.

Whenever I make moussaka, I prefer preparing the meat sauce the day before because it just tastes so much better when the flavors have had the chance to meld.

meat sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 - 2 lbs lean ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup dry red wine
15oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pot (with lid) over medium high heat. Cook the lamb or beef until it's nicely browned. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions have softened.

Stir in the salt, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and allspice. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, then pour in the wine and continue to cook another minute or two.

Stir in the tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about an hour or so.

Check and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator overnight or until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

eggplant
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 large eggplant

Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small container and allow to fuse for at least 30 minutes or longer.

Wash, then slice the eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place the slices in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Lightly brush the tops with the garlicky oil. If there's any oil left over, set that aside to grease the baking dish later.

Place the sheet into the middle of the oven and broil the slices until the tops are lightly browned. My oven has a Hi and Lo broiling setting. I used the Hi setting and it took about 12 minutes for the eggplant to be done.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.

béchamel
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup pecorino romano
2 pinches nutmeg/mace

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture. Stir in the salt and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens; about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk a small amount of the hot sauce into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture back into the béchamel. Stir in the cheese, reserving a tablespoon or so to sprinkle over the top of the casserole later. Stir in the nutmeg or mace and set aside.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 3 qt baking dish with any leftover garlic oil or use extra olive oil. Place a single layer of eggplant over the bottom of the dish and cover that with a layer of meat sauce. Repeat and continue until all of the eggplant and meat sauce has been used up. The baking dish I used measured 8.5" x 11" x 3". I ended up with 3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of meat sauce.

Spread the béchamel over the top of the layered eggplant and meat sauce layers. Sprinkle the reserved pecorino romano over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the casserole is bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

Smoked Salmon Spread

(about 1 1/2 - 2 cups)

For my first batch, I tried one part smoked salmon to two parts neufchâtel. The spread was quite tasty, however I much preferred this beefed up version which used equal amounts of smoked salmon and cheese.

This spread tasted better the next day after the flavors had the chance to meld a bit. It will keep refrigerated for about one week.

8 oz neufchâtel or cream cheese
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tsp hot creamed horseradish, or to taste
2 tsp fresh dill, minced or 1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream
1-2 tbsp milk
8 oz hot smoked salmon
1 green onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Place the neufchâtel or cream cheese into the bowl of a food processor along with the lemon juice, horseradish, dill yogurt and 1 tablespoon milk. Run the processor until everything is thoroughly combined. Add the second tablespoon of milk if the mixture seems too stiff.

Scrape down the sides and add the hot smoked salmon. Pulse a few times and taste. Add the green onion as well as salt and freshly ground pepper if needed. Pulse until just combined.

The salmon spread tastes better if allowed to sit for at least 3-4 hours. Can be kept refrigerated for about one week.

Red Chard with Currants & Feta

(4 servings)

Almost everywhere I go here on the Olympic Peninsula, I come across bunches of beets and chard. Both crops appear to be abundant here. The chard especially always looks very colorful and inviting; bunches of rainbow and reds.

I wanted to try something a bit different with the chard (other than braising it with lemon and garlic). I found an interesting recipe on Epicurious which added currants and feta cheese. The finished dish was delicious! I will definitely make this again.

adapted from Epicurious
1 bunch chard, about 1 lb
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
a few grinds of black pepper
2- 3 pinches red pepper flakes
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp dried currants
1/3 cup crumbled feta

Wash the chard and shake off the excess water. It's not necessary to dry. Trim off the very ends of the chard, then cut the stems into one inch pieces. Set aside. Cut the leaves into one inch ribbons. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over a medium flame. Add the garlic and saute until it begins to brown. Quickly add the reserved stems and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Add the sliced leaves. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes evenly over the chard and add the water and currants. Cook about 3-5 minutes. (I cooked mine for 5 minutes. That was too much for me personally. I would have preferred it crispier. So, watch the chard carefully until you like the texture.)

Remove from heat and stir in the feta.

The Red Rooster Cafe's Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue Cheese Dressing recipe from the front page of The Red Rooster menu.

This week I'm staying at a ranch near Cottonwood, AZ which is about 20 minutes southwest of Sedona. There are a lot of good wineries and restaurants in this picturesque area.

The Red Rooster Cafe is located on the historic Main Street in Cottonwood. I enjoyed a memorable mini burger (3oz patty of grass fed, organic beef) served on a baguette with a layer of a delicious sun-dried tomato cream cheese spread, as well as a garden salad with a really tasty homemade Blue Cheese Dressing. I was pleased that they printed the recipe for the dressing on the front page of their menu.

Roasted Beets with Blue Cheese & Walnuts

(4-6 servings)

My move left me sore and exhausted, but I'm thrilled that's behind me. I have spent the better part of two weeks taking it easy and recuperating at a friend's house. My friend has the most amazing kitchen. Thing is, she doesn't cook and I have been so tired, I haven't felt much like cooking either. Instead, I have been happily consuming frozen dinners and small containers of yogurt, lol.

This beet salad will probably be the last thing I prepare for a while. (In a few days I'll be on my way to Santa Fe, MN.) I haven't cooked beets nearly as often as I did a few years ago. Back then I was consuming about two pounds of them a week. Too much of a good thing has its disadvantages.

This salad of roasted beets, blue cheese and toasted nuts is delicious. It makes me wish I'd made more use of this fabulous kitchen.

2 lbs small beets
3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp very fine orange zest
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt and freshly cracked black pepper, as needed

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Wash the beets and trim off the leaves if they have any. Reserve those for another use. Place 2-3 beets onto squares of foil and enclose the foil around them until you have a small packet. You will have two to four of them depending on the size of your beets.

Place the packets onto a baking sheet and bake for about 50-70 minutes or until the beets have softened and can easily be pierced with a knife. Remove from oven. Open up the tops of the packets to prevent them from cooking further and cool until they can be handled.

Slip the peels off the beets, cut them into small wedges and place them into a large bowl.

Combine 3 tablespoons each of the vinegar and orange juice and stir in the orange zest. Taste, and add more vinegar or juice to your liking. Pour this mixture over the warm beets and toss until they are evenly coated. Cool the beets to room temperature.

To serve, top the beets with toasted walnuts, blue cheese and parsley. Add a pinch of salt and cracked pepper, if desired.

Salad with Pink Grapefruit & Avocado

(4 servings)

This week they were practically giving away huge juicy Texas grown pink grapefruit! There's a wonderful selection of locally grown stuff at the market at the moment.

vinaigrette
juice squeezed from 1/2 pink grapefruit and from the leftover membranes, (about 1/2-2/3 cup)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp grainy mustard
1 1/2 tsp honey
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Whisk everything together except the salt and pepper. Taste, then add the salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

salad
6 cups mixed baby greens such as spinach, kale and chard
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 pink grapefruit, segmented (then cut them in half)
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped

Divide the greens between four salad bowls. Top each with onion and feta cheese, followed by the grapefruit segments and avocado slices. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts evenly over the four salads.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over each salad and serve.

Carrot (Juicer Pulp) Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I received a juicer this year for Christmas and I love it! I have been juicing everything in sight; carrots, apples, oranges, bananas, pineapples, carrots, celery, beets...  red cabbage. The juice has been amazing, so much better than store bought!

However, one of the drawbacks of any juicer (in my opinion) is the pulp. There's a lot of it. Initially I put it into my composter, but that bothered me. The pulp wasn't completely dry and it contained a lot of fibre as well as nutrients. It just seemed wasteful to me to be dumping it into my garden. I did a quick check online to see what others were doing with their leftover pulp and to my surprise I came across some really interesting recipes for crackers, muffins, soups and cakes.

The first time I made this cake, I followed an online recipe which used 2 parts carrot pulp to one part flour. My cake turned out so heavy and dense, it was like one giant hockey puck!

I looked through a couple of cookbooks to check proportions and discovered that depended on whether the carrots were pureed or shredded. The Silver Palate Cookbook suggested about 2 parts flour to 1 part carrot puree whereas Maida Heatter's, Great Book of American Desserts suggested 1 part flour to 2 parts "shredded" carrots. I experimented a bit and found what worked best for me was a combination of juicer pulp and shredded carrot at a ratio of 1 part flour to 1 1/4 parts carrots. This yielded a nice moist cake with a lovely texture.

Check out the link for the icing sugar. I made my own for the frosting, using sucanat!

carrot cake (one 9 inch layer)
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
*1 1/2 tsp Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder (optional)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 pinches salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup carrot pulp
**1/4 - 1/3 cup carrot juice, if needed
1/2 cup shredded carrots, packed

1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and flour a 9 inch cake springform and tap out the excess flour. Cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Combine the flour, sucanat, cocoa powder (*Maida Heatter added cocoa powder to her carrot cake resulting in a darker batter) cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the oil, yogurt and eggs. Whisk in the carrot pulp. **If the mixture seems too thick/dry after adding the carrot pulp, you might need to add some carrot juice. The finished consistency should be similar to "regular" yogurt which has been whisked. 

Stir in the dry ingredients until they are well combined. Fold the shredded carrots, raisins, walnuts and coconut into the batter, then pour the the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Smooth the top and bake for about 30-45 minutes or until the sides begin to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan, then remove the cake and peel off the parchment paper. 

cream cheese frosting

4 oz cream cheese (1/2 package)

2 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup icing sugar

Place the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract into the bowl of a food processor. Process, using pulses until the mixture is smooth.

Add the icing sugar; about half at a time and process until it's completely mixed in.

Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cooled cake.

Chile con Queso, Made with Real Cheese (gluten free)

(about 6 servings)

If you are a huge fan of Velveeta, this recipe might not be for you. This Chili con Queso is different from the stuff you might find in a restaurant. I used a sharp cheddar cheese which I thought was quite good in this, however I did get one complaint, lol. Everyone else dug right in!

1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/2 a large yellow onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic pressed
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (or something hotter, if you prefer)
2 tbsp rice flour
one 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3-4 cups shredded cheese, about 3/4-1 lb; use cheddar or a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack
salt, to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium flame and add the onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Sprinkle the rice flour evenly over the vegetables and then quickly stir in. Add the canned tomatoes and stir, then add the vegetable broth. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Lower the flame to medium-low and add the cheese by the handful, each time stirring until it's completely melted (you might not need to add all of the cheese; taste as you go along). Check and add salt, if needed.

Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve.

Chili Casserole

(6 servings)

I have no idea why they call this casserole, "Tamale Pie". This dish doesn't taste like tamales at all, instead it's a very delicious and satisfying combination of chili and cornbread; perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

A word of caution. I used dried New Mexico chili for this which generally is considered to be relatively mild. On occasion they seem hotter than usual, as was this batch. I used four pods and the finished dish was "medium-hot" with a slow burn on the back of my tongue. The cornbread topping and sour cream tamed the heat somewhat, and overall I found it "pleasant". You can decrease or increase the amount of chili pods as desired.

filling
2-6 dried New Mexico chili pods
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tsp oil
3/4 lb extra lean ground pork
3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
one 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup beef broth or tomato juice
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

topping

1 cup fine cornmeal

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 ear corn, shucked
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg

garnish
sour cream
sliced green onion

Remove the stems from the chili pods and place into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you  have very small pieces.  Place the chili into a small bowl and add the garlic. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and soak about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet or pot with a lid. Fry the pork and beef until it is browned, then stir in the onions. Cook until they are translucent, then stir in the bell pepper. Cook another 5 minutes.

Stir in the reserved chili pod, garlic and water mixture, diced tomatoes, broth or juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer covered, over a low flame for about 30 minutes.

When the meat mixture is almost ready, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Combine the cornmeal, cheese (reserve a small amount of cheese to sprinkle on top), corn, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In another bowl whisk together the milk and egg. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. Set aside.

When the meat mixture is ready, spoon it evenly into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Top with the cornmeal mixture and smooth that out as much as possible with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top.

Bake for 35-50 minutes or until the top has nicely browned and the chili is bubbling hot.

Garnish with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Extra Sharp Cheddar Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

I used to envy my sister who lives in California and has easy access to Trader Joe's. They seemed to be all over the place and I loved to accompany her there whenever I was in town for a visit. Well, they finally arrived in Texas, and yesterday I went to the grand opening of one in my neighborhood. It probably wasn't the best day to go as it was extremely crowded, although I must say I was very impressed by how quickly and smoothly they managed to check everyone out.

Despite this being their first day, some of the produce at Trader Joe's was pretty disappointing. The lemons looked old, most of the jalapenos had some kind of fungus developing on the stems and the corn was way past its prime. The cheese department on the other hand was terrific. They had a good selection of cheeses. I walked away with four different varieties of "extra sharp" cheddar I wasn't familiar with to try out at home.

Hopefully their produce will be in better shape the next time I'm there.

8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, I used a white one
3-4 tbsp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
2-3 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 clove garlic, minced
a few pinches cayenne pepper

Cut the cheese into one inch or smaller chunks and place into the bowl of a food processor along with 1 tablespoon of wine (to start), 2 tablespoons of sour cream, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and cayenne. Start by pulsing the mixture until the cheese breaks up. Scrape down the sides, if needed.

With the motor running add more wine and/or sour cream until you have a nice smooth consistency for spreading. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Lemon-Lime Cheesecake Popsicles

(6 x 1/2 cup molds)

These refreshing frozen treats reminded me a bit of key lime cheesecake which surprised me having used just a regular lime and one lemon. I added only three tablespoons of a local wildflower honey which was the perfect amount. The resulting pops were light and not overly sweet, yet they weren't too sour or too tangy either.

1 cup milk  (I used 1%)
6 oz neufchâtel or cream cheese
1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 tbsp honey, or to taste
finely minced zest from 1 lemon and 1 lime (use a microplane, if possible)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice

Place the milk, cheese, yogurt, honey, zest and juice into a blender. Process until smooth. Taste. Add more honey, if desired.

Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for several hours, (preferably overnight) or until they are frozen solid.

Cheese & Onion Enchiladas with Beef Chili Sauce

(4-5 servings)

My cheese and onion enchiladas aren't photogenic after I remove them from the oven, but they are tasty and I always look forward to eating them. I have no idea what restaurants do to make theirs look attractive.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1 tbsp coconut oil or a high heat oil
1 lb lean ground sirloin
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups beef broth
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
2-3 tbsp chili powder, to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
3 tbsp masa harina or corn flour
salt, if needed

hot water
8-9 corn tortillas
the reserved and cooled sauteed onions
1/2 lb Queso Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, washed and thinly sliced

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet over a medium flame and add the onions. Saute them, stirring from time to time until they are a nice golden hue; about 20 minutes.

Place the onions into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.

Wipe out the skillet, set over a high flame and add the coconut oil.

When the oil is hot add the ground sirloin and fry, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it has browned nicely.

Lower the heat and stir in the garlic. Cook for about a minute, then pour in the beef broth. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, coriander and oregano. Simmer the sauce for about 12-15 minutes, giving it a good stir once or twice.

Sprinkle the masa harina over the sauce and stir until everything is evenly combined. Simmer for another minute or two until the sauce has thickened. Check and see if it needs salt. Remove from heat.

Spoon a little more than half of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Fill a bowl or pan large enough to hold the tortillas with hot water; from the tap is fine.

Place two tortillas into the water at a time and leave for about a minute until they have softened.

While the first two tortillas are soaking in the water combine the two cheeses. Set aside about 1/4 cup of cheese and add the rest to the cooled onions. Toss to combine.

Fill each tortilla with about 1/8 of  the onion and cheese mixture. This will be a generous amount of filling. Place a few slices of jalapeno pepper over each one and roll up.

Place each enchilada into the casserole dish with the seam side facing down. Keep adding another tortilla to the water after you finish rolling one up, until they are all done. When all of them are in the casserole, spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the reserved cheese over that.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling hot.

Remove from oven and serve.

Veggie Shepard's Pie from BBC Good Food

(4-6 servings)

This is a recipe I have wanted to try ever since I first came across it. I love that it contains sweet potatoes without loads of butter or marshmallows or sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. It's a savory dish, packed with flavour.

Veggie Shepard's Pie turned out so much better than my expectations. I will be making this again soon, perhaps with mushrooms!

adapted from BBC Good Food
2 tsp olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large onion halved and sliced

1 stalk celery, diced
2-3 large carrots (about 1 lb), cut into sugar-cube size pieces
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 cup red wine

1/4 cup water
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable or 2 vegetable stock cubes

salt and freshly grated black pepper
1 3/4 cups frozen small green peas
2 lbs sweet potatoes, baked and cooled
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, about 1/4 lb

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium low and add the garlic. When it becomes fragrant, add the onion and fry until golden. Adjust the heat if necessary to keep the garlic and onion mixture from burning.

Add the celery, carrots, thyme (reserve a pinch for later), wine, water, diced tomatoes and the concentrated vegetable stock paste or cubes. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are almost done but still have a bit of a "bite" to them and the liquid has reduced to about 1/2 (give or take). Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Stir in the frozen peas, and remove from the heat.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Spoon the carrot mixture into an oiled 2 quart casserole.

Remove the skin from the baked potatoes and mash them with a fork. Stir in the cheddar cheese (reserve a a pinch or two to sprinkle over the top of the assembled casserole). Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Spread the mashed sweet potato and cheese evenly over the carrot mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with a pinch of the reserved thyme and a small amount of shredded cheese.

Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden and it's bubbling hot.

Horseradish Cheddar Spread

(about 1 1/2 cups)

Things are still a bit hectic after the holidays and I have done very little cooking. For the most part I have been snacking on salads, sardines and cheese; anything that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

Last month I made a last minute cheese spread, and since then I have wanted to make one again with horseradish. I had planned on adding chopped chives, mainly for the flecks of green they would provide, but the small bundle I purchased last week didn't last, so I added chopped shallots instead.

1/2 lb sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp deli style mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
up to 4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp chopped shallots or chives

Cut up the cheese into smaller pieces and place into the bowl of a food processor. Add the sour cream, mustard, paprika and 2 teaspoons of the horseradish. Pulse the mixture a few times and when it begins to break up into a crumbly mixture, pour the wine down the chute.

Keep pulsing until you have a smooth mixture. You might have to remove the top and scrape down the sides at some point.

Taste the spread and add more horseradish, if necessary. (I have found horseradish can vary a lot by brand so it's always difficult to suggest a precise amount). Add the shallots or chives and pulse a few more times until they are evenly combined.

Sprinkle with a bit of paprika, if desired. Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.