Family Bites

Corn and Zucchini Risotto, Two Ways

I’ve seen a lot of “what’s saving my life” type of articles floating around the internet this summer, so I thought I would play along. Here’s a look at what I’m feeling an immense amount of gratitude for these days:

Books: On January 1^st, I set an arbitrary goal to read 50 books this year. I’m on book 32 at the moment and feel hopeful that I’ll hit my target. Some of my favourites: Educated; Girl, Wash Your Face; The Wedding Date; It Ends with Us; Beartown; An American Marriage; The Kiss Quotient.

Tissue: Ben leaves for University on Saturday. There really isn’t anything more to say about that other than this: who knew that successfully achieving a goal (loving, caring for and nurturing a child from infancy through to young adulthood before launching them into the next stage of life) could leave you so dang sad and heartbroken? Also, a PSA: if your toddler is a huge Buzz and Woody fan AND you have a child moving away to University in five days DO NOT watch Toy Story 3 this week. Just sayin’.

Orange Le Croix and Aperol: Most days I’m too tired or too lazy to make a proper Aperol spritz, so my weeknight cheat is to grab a large glass and fill it with ice, orange flavoured La Croix, and a generous splash of Aperol. I know “spritzing” is all the rage this summer, but I like to think of my variation as the one that worn out moms are drinking. During the day, I like to mix the aforementioned water with this tea, which I buy from Costco.

This Soundtrack: I know it’s from a Christmas movie – only three more months until they start airing again - but this is my favourite working/cooking/writing background music. It’s also perfect for a dinner party or when you’re having drinks with friends.

The Instant Pot: I know this electric pressure cooker has its critics, but I’m an unapologetic fan. Risotto in six to ten minutes? Perfect brown rice in less than 25? Soup that tastes as though it’s been simmering on the stove all day? A whole frozen chicken cooked in less than an hour? Call me crazy, but this machine has a permanent place in my kitchen and has made getting dinner on the table a cinch this summer, despite demanding jobs, a cranky toddler, and hungry/working teenagers.

What's saving your life these days? I'd love to hear.

 

Corn and Zucchini Risotto (Pressure Cooker Variation)

• 4 ½ cups water
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine
• Generous pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine water and 1 cup corn in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup and discard the solids. If the liquid doesn’t measure 4 ½ cups, add additional water until it does. Set aside.

2. Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a pressure cooker and turn on the sauté function. When the oil is hot, add the grated zucchini and chopped onion, and sauté until the onion is soft and almost translucent, about 4 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. If the pot seems too hot turn it off for a minute or so in order to avoid burning the vegetables.

3. Pour in the rice and stir continuously until it becomes translucent around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and salt, stir and cook until the liquid evaporates.

4. Add the corn stock and stir. Turn off the sauté function and turn on the manual setting. Set to high for six minutes and secure the lid in place. When the time is up, do a quick release. Remove the lid and set aside. The risotto will look soupy. Stir thoroughly and let it sit for one minute. Stir in remaining corn, butter and parmesan. Taste and season with extra salt, if desired. Serve at once.

Corn and Zucchini Risotto (Dutch Oven Variation)

• 4 ½ cups water
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine
• Generous pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine water and 1 cup corn in a blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup and discard the solids. If the liquid doesn’t measure 4 ½ cups, add additional water until it does. Transfer to a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low.

2. Heat olive oil in a medium Dutch oven. Add zucchini and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add in the chopped garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

3. Pour in the rice and stir continuously until the rice becomes translucent around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add in the wine and salt, stir and cook until the liquid evaporates.

4. Stir in 2 cups of the corn stock, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the broth is mostly absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Repeat with 1 more cup of corn stock. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup stock, remaining corn, butter and Parmesan. Taste and season with extra salt, if desired. Serve at once.

In the French Kitchen with Kids

It’s been a minute since I’ve taken the time to write a proper book report over here, but the title I’m going to talk about today is definitely worth the wait.

After more than two years of blood, sweat and (lots of) butter, my friend Mardi is finally birthing her book baby into the world today. In the French Kitchen with Kids: Easy Everyday Dishes for the Whole Family to Make and Enjoy is a must-own title for parents who love to cook, parents with young children, people who like simple, mouth-watering recipes, or folks with an affinity for all things French. I bet you know at least two - but maybe even 20 - friends or family members who fall into one of those categories, which means you should probably tell everyone you know to head to their local Indigo to pick up a copy tout de suite.

Designed to prove that cooking French food doesn’t have to be challenging, the result is an approachably elegant collection of recipes tailored for young chefs and their families. The chapters are broken out into the main meals of the day – Breakfast, Lunch, After-School Snacks, Dinner and Dessert – with a few select ones reserved for the Special Occasions section of the book. Perhaps the chapter loaded with the most promise is the Basic Pastry Recipes tucked into the back, where you’ll find a recipe for homemade puff pastry. For real.

While the recipes are truly incredible, one of my favourite parts of the book are the little boxes of bonus information scattered throughout the pages. Denoted by whimsical icons, like a French flag (cultural reflections, historical musings and more), egg timer (tips for timing the components of the recipe properly), whisk (tips for a specific recipe), smiley face (don’t overlook these – they are a gold-mine of tips for cooking with kids) and more, there is so much wisdom to be gleaned from these small crumbs of captivating information.

As you can see, Matthew is as excited about this book as I am.

Roasted Fish Tacos

Long-time readers already know I’m not much of a summer lover (it’s my fourth favourite season, after all), but this year I have a plan to make it the happiest one yet. I’m arming myself with a few strategies to keep us cool and content during the coming months, and have lists upon lists of ideas, recipes, books, movies and bucket list wishes to keep the kids (who range in age from 3 to 18) happy over the next two months.

First in the lineup is knowing how to make roasted fish tacos. I’m teaching everyone I know this simple, simple dinner recipe (including my own kids), because a) it’s delicious b) it’s quick and easy c) you can rely on several store-bought shortcuts if that’s your jam to make this meal even easier to put together and d) it’s just as easy to make for two people as it is for ten.

The list of ingredients is quite concise. You’ll need:

• Fish (we love salmon, but white fish works just as well)
• Slaw (you can make your own or you can buy a pack of kale slaw - readily available at most grocery stores and Costco. If you buy it – hey, why not? – trash the accompanying dressing and douse the veggies with a generous splash of olive oil, white wine vinegar and salt instead)
• Guacamole (homemade or store-bought) or mashed avocado
• Lime wedges
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced green onions
• Corn tortilla (but wheat ones also work if that’s what you prefer)

To make the tacos, do the following:

1. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and lime juice. You can add lime zest as well, if you like. Then sprinkle with salt, chili powder and cumin. Roast at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.

2. While the fish is in the oven, assemble/make the slaw and guacamole, and warm the tortillas (I do mine in a dry skillet, so they get golden and crispy). Chop the tomatoes and green onions.

3. Place the tortillas in a clean dish towel to keep them warm. Flake the fish and pile it onto a plate. Serve with bowls of slaw, guacamole, lime wedges, chopped tomatoes and sliced green onions. Feel free to add some tortilla chips and salsa on the side.

Here’s to having a happier, tastier summer, friends.

Magnolia Lemon Pie

What a wild month this has been!

From a high school prom and Mother’s Day to a royal wedding, the first long weekend of the summer, and university offers and acceptances, I think it’s fair to say that we kind of crushed the past four weeks.

In between those highlights there’s been a photo shoot for the cover of my next book, summer jobs starting, the exciting discovery of superheroes, and a mama who’s learned she can cry on command – usually in the car, but also sometimes in the kitchen -  when she lets herself remember there are only 14 weeks left until her firstborn leaves home for school. The internet is full of articles dedicated to helping parents cope when their kid leaves for college - trust me, I’m reading them - but I’m hoping that if I just let myself feel all the feels now then maybe that first weekend of September won’t be as tough as I’m anticipating.

Alternatively, the other solution might be to open a bakery. It’s no secret that baking is both a form of therapy and procrastination and right now I’m using it for a little of both, which is why I’m making pies even though Matthew and I are the only ones who really like them. Since we can’t possibly consume a whole one between us, having a place to sell some therapeutic creations wouldn’t make me feel so bad about finding comfort in a bag of flour.

Chicken Enchiladas

At the rate I’m going, I should probably consider renaming this blog “101 ways to cook chicken for dinner.” I don’t usually post two recipes for the same ingredient back-to-back like this, but there was so much interest in this super simple enchilada dinner I shared on Instagram last week, it felt negligent not to point you all in the direction of the recipe.

My family is cray-cray for this meal. Well, not the toddler, but he’s in an anti-sauce-meat-almost-everything phase right now, so we can all agree that for this particular dinner his opinion doesn’t count. If your kids are on board with Mexican flavours, chicken and cheese, I think they’ll be down with this dish.

The best part about this meal is that the simmering of the chicken yields the most flavourful enchilada sauce and no packaged or prepared ingredients are required. The method might look a little lengthy, but it couldn’t be simpler, I promise. I like to use corn tortillas, but the flour ones work just as well. I’ve tried making it with both and can confirm that the difference is nothing more than a matter of taste.

Head here for the recipe!

This Week's Bites

Thank you for all the sweet notes this week! 

I foresee a lot of snack boards in 2018. I made the one above for New Year's Eve and it was a such a success. They are the easiest way to feed a crowd, and can be customized in a so many ways. Think themed snack boards and seasonal snack boards; possibly even super healthy snack boards, vegan snack boards and very kid-friendly snack boards. I'm sure you'll see many more of these from me in the coming months. 

Here's a look at some of the articles that caught my eye lately! Have a great weekend... 

• A family-friendly pizza party in 10 easy steps.
• Speaking of parties... these sheet pan brownies should be served at your next one.
• Bon Appetit's "Keepers" - the magazine's forty favourite reader recipes.
• What children and parents can learn from baking together. 
• The Instant Pot has a honeymoon phase.
• People are obsessed with Lush's Sleepy Body Lotion (It's saving my hands this winter!).
• Weeknight sushi bowls.
• Instant Pot dynamite cold tonic. I'm making this STAT. 
• How to be a modern parent. 

Happy Belated New Year!

Happy Belated New Year!

I’ve been thinking about this blog post for weeks. How do I pop back into the space after such a long absence? What do I want to say besides “hi?” Is anyone around? Do people even read blogs anymore? Are they relevant or interesting? Is everyone spending their time on social media instead? What do I want to write about? Do I still want to share recipes? Talk about books? Write about parenting and kids? All of the above? You can see why it’s been hard to know where to start.

Last year literally kicked our butts. There is no other eloquent way to write that. It started off one way, ended in another, and in between were roughly nine or ten long, challenging months. From the conversations I’ve had in person to things I’ve read online, I don't think too many of us were sad to say sayonara to 2017. I’m hoping this year turns out a bit differently.

Speaking of last year, as you know I completely immersed myself in my work, writing a 65,000-word cookbook. Curiously, this year I feel the call to scale back. Rest and regroup. Decide what comes next. It’s a big year for this family, with the first of our young chickens preparing to flee the coop, and I honestly feel completely consumed by my kids and their needs right now. Not in a draining way, but in a there-is-nothing-else-I-want-to-do kind of way. I crave spending as much time with them as possible, probably bordering on needy if you were to ask them, and I find myself constantly wondering if I’ve taught them enough, read to them enough, laughed with them enough, and most importantly hugged them enough. Also, I need to learn how to make a quilt.

We enrolled Ben in t-ball for the first time when he was four-years-old, and I decided then and there that I would save every team t-shirt and sweat-stained jersey that ever stretched across his small shoulders. I would harbor them in a plastic storage bin at the back of my closet, and when he applied to university my plan was to turn each one into a block of fabric used to fashion a quilt that he could take to school with him. The bins have doubled in size since then and the university applications have been submitted. I think it’s time to get to work.

As for the other kids, Jackson, who was just seven years old when I started this blog, will be old enough to get a driver’s license next week. Matthew is five short weeks away from turning three. Rob and I are truly challenged with raising our kids and taking care of our parents these days, as I’m sure so many of you are, and oh my goodness why is this stage of life not talked about more?

I’m not exactly sure what’s next for me, but one thing I’m certain about is that I want to read and write. And cook, of course, but lately I’ve been feeling uninspired in that department, so I’m simply rolling with it until I feel the creative juices begin to flow again. For the time being, I’m reading. I’m on my third book of the year and hoping to read no less than a one a week in 2018.

Now, it’s your turn. I’ve missed your comments and emails, and I’m curious how things are going for you? Now that we are two weeks into January are you keeping up with your resolutions and plans? Are you cooking anything amazing? Reading anything worth talking about? How are your kids? I hope to hear from you.

P.S. Based on your lovely responses early last year, I’m relaunching my newsletter! Look for that at the end of this month.

Apple Spice Pancakes

Matthew has turned into a bit of a pancake monster. He asks to make them three or four mornings a week, usually with Rob, who’s on parenting duty in the wee hours of the morning (yes, we still have a VERY early riser) while I work at my desk between 5 and 7 am. We approach this morning work arrangement with the same amount of enthusiasm the residents of Hawkins, IL tackle the upside down (that’s for you, Stranger Things fans!), but it works for all of us right now.

The difference between Rob and I and our pancake-making methods is that I follow a recipe, whereas he freewheels it every single time, adding a little of this and that to the mixing bowl without really measuring or taking note of ratios or quantities. I can’t say I think the result is always desirable, but guess what? The kids freaking love his pancakes! It might have something to do with the fact that he often adds cocoa powder and/or leftover chocolate chips to the bowl, and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that some sort of candy-like substance has appeared as well. I, however, prefer my pancakes unembellished, or studded with something fruity like blueberries, bananas and even apple.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze

This was supposed to be a blog post about molasses oatmeal rye rolls, but instead you're getting a recipe for a pumpkin spice bundt cake with maple glaze. It couldn't be easier to make, is just as suitable on a holiday dessert table as it is served for weekend tea, and is both classic and completely comforting. I dare say we’ve never needed comfort food more than we have in the past four weeks, and at a time that’s filled with plenty of challenging days, the silver lining is that this is the right season for such meals.

Rob’s dad has been in the ICU for 31 days, and while he’s made several steps forward in the right direction, there have also been a few setbacks that left us wondering what the next day would bring. We honestly weren't sure which direction things were going to go, and while we've tried to keep some sense of normalcy at home for the past month for the kids, with daily trips to the hospital and the heavy hearts we were carrying, it’s certainly hasn't been easy.

I put a system in place over the past few weeks to make getting meals on the table a little easier. I relied on my slow cooker a lot. I picked a recipe that would yield enough food for dinner as well as the next day’s lunches – ideally something that will feed about 10 -  and used that to keep us nourished throughout the week. On Fridays – three of the past four have been real doozies, the kind that bring urgent phone calls from the hospital – we crashed on the sofa at 9pm with a bottle of red wine, a bag of chips and some store-bought guacamole. Fortunately, the boys are often out with friends this night so we don’t need to worry about feeding them and Matthew is generally happy with scrambled eggs, toast and a smoothie.

On Saturdays, we plan for pizza. If I’m around during the day I make it, thankful for the distracting task of lining rimmed sheet pans with rolled balls of homemade or bakery-bought dough, ensuring there’s enough to feed anyone who’s been at the hospital that afternoon. If I’m also at the hospital, we grab a few pizzas on the way home.

We’ve made a point to be home on Sundays and have been cooking a big meal with and for the boys. Pasta with Bolognese, salad and bread; aromatic curies; beef stroganoff and homemade rolls. And while we've tried to commit to eating healthier in the weeks leading up to Christmas, there's also been cake. Specifically this simple bundt cake that first appeared at Thanksgiving for the pie-haters in the crowd, and is now a staple fall dessert in our house.

I know half the world seems to have their holiday decorations in place already, but we're a little behind on life these days, so I'm still eating like it's fall. We’re not sure what the next few days, weeks or months will bring, but keeping everyone well fed remains top of mind, especially those incredible ICU nurses. Matthew and I have big plans to bake a few batches of cookies this week in attempt to say thank you for taking care of Poppa.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze

Serves 10 to 12

For cake:

• 2 1/2 cups cane or granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cups pumpkin purée

For glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 

 

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven 350°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and oil until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cinnamon; add to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, and beating well after each addition.

4. Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze by beat glaze ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or maple syrup, if necessary, for desired consistency. 

6. Remove cake from oven and cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Remove pan and cool completely. Place cooled cake on a serving platter or cake stand and spoon glaze over top, letting it drip down sides. Let glaze set at least 15 minutes before serving.

A New Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash

I didn’t grow up eating squash, and I’m not sure I knew a lot of people who did. We certainly had turnip on the table for almost every holiday meal, but I can’t recall a single time someone cooked squash. Is that strange? Was it an 80s thing? A regional thing? A family thing?

Today, I cook far more squash than turnip simply because I’m convinced I don’t like it, but that’s probably because it wasn’t peppered with much flavour when we consumed it as kids (side note: if you have a great turnip recipe, can you send it to me?). Squash is a different story though, and in my home, I add it to frittatas and salads, serve it as soup, puree it into mac and cheese and even use it in quesadillas.

My go-to for years was butternut squash, but I started branching out and admit I’ve really grown to love spaghetti squash for its pasta-like consistency and versatility.

Do you know to how to cook spaghetti squash?

I totally thought I did, until I came across a new method that was completely game changing. I can’t remember where I first heard or read about it, but just to be clear, this mind-blowing method is not my own discovery but I’m very happy to tell you about it.

Traditionally, to cook spaghetti squash, halve the vegetable lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 45 to 50 minutes. You can still cook your squash this way, and it will turn out, but there really is a better way. Here’s how I currently cook my spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Trim the ends from the squash and cut widthwise into 1-inch thick rings. Remove the seeds. 

3. Place the squash pieces on a cooling rack set over a rimmed sheet pan and sprinkle both sides generously with salt (don’t worry, it will be wiped off before cooking).

4. Let the squash sit for 15 minutes. Wipe off the salt and any water that has accumulated on the sheet pan. Return the squash pieces to the cooling rack and roast for 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes.

5. Peel or cut the skin away, and use a fork to separate the strands into long “noodles.”

So, why the change in cooking method? Halving the squash lenthiwise yields short strands, but cutting it widthwise into rings creates spaghetti length strands instead. In addition, the salting draws out the moisture and leaves the squash crisp instead of mushy. I really dig it, and so do my teenagers. 

Here are a few more cooking tips:

• Spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut into. If you have a microwave, you can cook it for 2 minutes before slicing into it to make it easier to cut.

• Look for squash that’s short and plump instead of long and thin.

• The 30-minute cooking time is just a starting point, depending on the size of your squash. Feel free to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes, if you don’t think it’s cooked completely.

• To remove the seeds, run a sharp knife around them and they’ll just fall off.