Family Bites

Cream Puff Christmas Trees & Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Baguette

This year I’ve decided that I’m not going to take charge of the dessert for dinner on Christmas day. I’ve made it every year for the past ten or so, and instead I’m assembling an assorted cookie platter to serve alongside something that one of my sisters-in-law will hopefully provide.

Don’t worry; I’m not slacking by any means. I make the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. I also provide an appetizer and the cocktails, and dinner doesn’t even happen at my house, so you can imagine the work involved in transporting everything to another home. It’s a long story as to why our dinners happen this way, but suffice it to say it’s really the easiest for everyone involved, and doing it this way ensures the entire Scott clan can have Christmas dinner together.

When dessert was in my hands, the most popular one to date was a mock croquembouche I made for the kids three years ago. I say mock because there was no piping of choux paste in my kitchen that year, nor any spinning of sugar, and in place of both traditional ingredients I used store-bought frozen cream puffs topped with microwave melted chocolate (should I hand in my food writer card now?). Normally I would hang my head in shame over the shortcut I took to get that dessert on the table, but seeing how excited the kids were about what I had made forced me get over myself pretty quickly. And to be honest, I’ve never looked back when it comes to making cream puff Christmas trees.

Last month, I was approached by M&M Meats to develop two recipes for them for the holiday season. The catch, of course, was that I needed to use a minimum of one of their brand name products for each of the recipes, a task that was surprisingly simple. To start with, as soon as I found mini cream puffs on the menu I knew I would put together another Christmas tree using both of their available flavours. This time I dipped the tops into melted white chocolate and sprinkled them with gold sanding sugar, before stacking them with the chocolate hazelnut cream puffs into a tree-shaped structure supported by a glue made of basic white icing. The result was ridiculously festive, and one that my boys were pretty pleased with.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

This soup is warm and cozy, and utterly essential for the season. It's also a tried and true family favourite recipe, beloved by all from the nine-month-old baby to the septuagenarians who come for Sunday supper each week.

I shared a version of the soup on the blog back in November 2010, but I’ve updated it over the years and I think the way we eat it now is just a little better. Also, I fear it’s been buried so deep in the archives that few of you are familiar with the recipe, so I’m bringing it back to the top of the blog so you can print it off and have it handy for December.

Why December specifically? Isn’t it funny that no matter how busy we are that month there’s still a house full of people looking for dinner each night? In between the social events, shopping, gift-wrapping, work, school concerts, cooking and baking, the people you live with still need three square meals a day, because sadly man cannot live off Toblerone alone.

This soup will be the dinner that saves you. It’s quick to prepare (then simmers for an hour or so), nourishing, and so freaking good you’ll want to eat it all winter long. It also makes ample portions, providing plenty of leftovers for the following day. If you happen to be celebrating Thanksgiving this week, your leftover turkey will make a nice substitute for the chicken in the recipe.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

If your family isn’t fond of spinach, you can replace it with 2 cups of frozen peas.

Serves 6-8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 ½ cups wild rice, brown rice, or basmati rice (I use a wild rice blend)
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 - 14oz. can coconut milk
• 2 cups diced uncooked chicken breasts or thighs
• 5 oz. fresh baby spinach
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Warm the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onions, carrots, celery until soft, translucent and slightly brown. Add the curry and cumin, and stir to combine. 

2. Add the rice and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.

3. Add the chicken and coconut milk.  Simmer for 1-2 hours, or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked. 

4. Add the baby spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve warm.

Note: If using peas instead of spinach, add them at the end of dish and cook until they are warmed through.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

This just might be my new favourite dinner. I know, I probably use the term "new favourite" far too often, but the thing is, I almost always mean it. I usually pour on praise like this only to the meals that taste the best, but in this case, I'm bestowing it upon a dinner that is:

a) Easy to make

b) Uses leftovers and everyday popular pantry items

c) Was literally inhaled by the four hungry boys at my dinner table - itty bitty bites for the baby included  

If I was to list a fourth consideration in hopes of convincing you that this dinner needs to find a place on your table it would be this: you can make it in advance, whenever it's convenient for you. If you want to assemble it the night before, while you're cleaning up the kitchen, go ahead. If you have 10 minutes of free time in the morning, you can get this put together and popped into the fridge until later in the day. Or, if you're home in the afternoon and your baby/toddler/small child naps (side note: if that's you tell me what it's like, because I have a nap-resistant infant and can't relate) you can whip this up by using just a few minutes of your free time. 

Lastly, if you serve this with a side salad it yields enough leftovers for the school lunchbox, the definitive characteristic of a meal you really must make; and one that's sure to become a favourite for your family, too. 

P.S. - I've started a new category over on the right side of the page. It's called 'Leftover Love' and it's where I'll store all recipes that make use of leftovers, like the chicken in this recipe.

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

I almost always use frozen spinach in this recipe, but as you can see in the photos above, it was fresh spinach leaves that made it into my most recent batch. Either options works well, but if you happen to use fresh, sauté a 5 oz. package in a teaspoon or so of olive oil until completely wilted, before adding to the pasta and chicken mixture.

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 500g penne pasta, cooked
• 1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a small bowl stir together the panko, garlic powder, oregano, paprika and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the cooked chicken, cooked pasta, spinach, and marinara sauce in a large bowl and mix well. 

4. In a 9 x 13-inch ovenproof casserole or baking dish, layer the ingredients in the following order: pasta mixture, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, and panko blend. You should get three layers of each, ending with the panko.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the pasta is warmed through. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Harvest Kale Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Every once in a while I make a meal specifically with myself in mind. Admittedly, it’s a bit of a hard thing to do, because when you love to feed others you tend to put their likes, wants, and needs ahead of your own. When those other people also happen to be your children, well, you really have no hope of choosing meals catered just to you because you’re likely too worried about their nutritional needs, picky palates, or desire for nothing but meat all the time (oh sorry, is that just my kids?).

This harvest kale salad definitely wasn’t made with my boys in mind, although they did eat a bit of it, mostly because I suggested it would be a good idea for them to do so. No, this salad was made because it happened to be what I was craving one sunny Sunday not too long ago, when apples were newly available at the market, a few fresh squash were crowding my countertops, and the oversized bunch of kale I enthusiastically purchased the day before was smothering the other contents of fridge. I hauled everything over to my workspace, and applied a few of my favourite salad-prepping principals to the dish:

• Combine both cooked (squash) and fresh (apples) produce.
• Add something crunchy (the pepitas).
• Add something cheesy (goat or feta).

The result just joyously shouted, “fall!” from the dinner table, and while Rob and I tucked into the dish, the boys were more enthralled with the roasted garlic sweet potato mash and green beans with pesto, not to mention the fake fried chicken, which I obviously made specifically for them. 

Harvest Kale Salad

Serves 4-6

If kale isn't your thing, this salad also works well with baby spinach. Just skip the bit about massaging the dressing into the greens and serve it on the side of the salad.

• Olive oil
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
• 4 medium shallots, quartered
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 bunch of kale, rinsed and dried, ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the squash and the shallots in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

2. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then spread the squash and shallots on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until the squash and shallots are tender and lightly golden, about 30 minutes.

3. Place the kale in a large salad bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon, vinegar, maple syrup and ½ cup of olive oil for the dressing; season with salt and pepper.

4. Drizzle some of the dressing over the kale. Using your fingers, ‘massage’ the vinaigrette into the kale leaves, evenly coating them. Let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.

5. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl and top with the roasted squash and shallots. Toss and drizzle with more dressing, if desired, before serving.

A Tale of Two Vegetarian Pastas

Up until a year ago, pasta wasn’t something we ate very often, a fact that surprised many who knew we had two teenage boys in the house. It wasn’t that we weren’t fans, because we really, really were, it’s just that the boys prefer meaty meals, so pasta was something we turned to once every two weeks when we unearthed a litre of Bolognese from the freezer, or had leftover bits of chicken to refashion in the form of a new and exciting dinner.

Lately, though, I’ve discovered a love for the simple, humble vegetarian pasta dish, and I find myself serving it more frequently to my enthusiastic eaters who don’t seem to mind the absence of any meat (well, maybe they do, but they keep quiet about the fact).

I have two dishes that I've had on repeat since last spring, one of which is busy weeknight-worthy, and the other is mostly suited for Saturday or Sunday night dinner because it requires the time-consuming (but hands-off task!) of caramelizing onions. Having said that, it’s sophisticated enough to serve to your guests, so consider this the post where I give you TWO must-make vegetarian pasta dishes designed to suit any of your dinner needs.

The first, spaghetti aglio e olio, is about as cheap and cheerful as a dish can get, and goes from stovetop to table in less than 30 minutes. Made with just a handful of ingredients – olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, pasta and Parmesan – I serve an oversized bowl of these oil-coated noodles alongside a hearty kale salad and no one seems to mind that I may have omitted adding any meat.

The second dish, pasta with yogurt and caramelized onions, is sophisticated yet simple, striking enough for company, and reminds me of an Alfredo sauce that’s lighter, leaner, and better thanks to the hefty garnish of caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese.

Both dishes leave me feeling satiated and completely satisfied. They’re also easy on the wallet and save me lots of time, the true testament of a meal that sees plenty of table time these days.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Serves 4

• 1 lb. dried spaghetti
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 1 minute less than the directions on the package. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water; drain pasta.

2. Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, set a large skillet set over low heat and warm the oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat until the pasta is drained.

3. Return the skillet to low heat. Add the pasta and half of the reserved cooking liquid and stir until the pasta is well coated with the sauce, adding more water as needed. Dump it into a large serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley and the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with extra cheese on the side, if desired. 

Pasta with Yogurt and Caramelized Onions

Seves 4

• 4 good glugs of olive oil
• 5 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound fresh fettuccine, tagliatelle or other long pasta
• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Optional: chopped parsley or chives

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onions. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and golden brown, 30-40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain and reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.

3. In the same pot, whisk together the Greek yogurt with the pasta water, starting with ¼ cup and adding more, as needed, to reach desired thickness. Toss pasta with the yogurt mixture. Transfer to a large platter or bowl, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and top with onions. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives, if desired.

Adapted from Amanda Hesser, The New York Times and Food52’s Genius Recipes

The Anatomy of a Busy Weekend Family Feast

Our Sunday suppers were put on the back burner this summer, mostly because it was difficult to coordinate everyone being available and in town at the same time. I didn’t mind too much, though. There’s a season for everything, and summer might not be the time to try and corral everyone for dinner on a bi-weekly basis.

Now that school is back in session, I decided to kick off September with the first Sunday Supper of the fall, and while it was admittedly foolish to invite 15 family members for dinner on the same weekend that Rob was out of town, Ben was playing in a hockey tournament, Jackson had a social calendar penciled full of more plans than I’ve had in the past six months, and the baby is teething, it was a surprisingly simple task thanks to five minutes of advanced planning and a meal made of nothing but make-ahead foods.  Here’s how I got it done:

Saturday - 10:30 a.m.: Jackson has a scheduled guitar lesson at our house at that time, so I plunked Matthew into the highchair with a snack and sent Ben upstairs to do homework while I made a double batch of our favourite chilli. 

Saturday - 8:00 p.m. After the first hockey game of the day, dinner out with the boys, getting Matthew settled for the night and sending Ben off to another game, I went into the kitchen and made an apple cake for the next day’s dessert, as well as a party mix (see below) for Sunday afternoon pre-dinner snacking during the baseball/football games and tennis match that I knew would be on TV.

Sunday – 8:30 a.m. I prepped the cornbread by whisking the dry ingredients into a bowl and stirring the wet ingredients in a glass measuring cup, which I covered and popped into the fridge. I made sure there was enough milk and water for the kids, and I made a list of the beer I needed to pick up on my way home from hockey.

Sunday 2:30 p.m. After the last hockey game of the weekend, I secured the beer, slid the chilli into the oven to warm, combined the cornbread ingredients and baked them into a fluffy dinner accompaniment. Jackson and I also worked together to whip up some quick-pickled jalapeños, a must-have condiment in our house (also, if you try this recipe you’ll never buy them again), and grated a big chunk of cheddar cheese.

Sunday 4:30 p.m. Fifteen of our favourite family members arrived. I set out bowls of pretzels, crackers, hummus and party mix, passed around cold beer and cider, and quickly assembled a condiment tray with the jalapeños, hot sauces, cheese, and sour cream. I cut the cornbread and placed it into a breadbasket, and set out bowls, plates, spoons, and cups for the kids.

Sunday 5:30 p.m. The chili was removed from the oven and I announced that dinner would be self-serve from the stovetop. Everyone helped themselves, we crowded nine kids around our table – baby included – while the adults ate and watched sports. The apple cake followed, and was served with vanilla ice cream and coffee, and the house was empty and returned to order by 7:30pm.

Toffee and Pretzel Party Mix

I saw the new Martha Stewart book, Appetizers, at Costco last week, and when I glanced through the pages, one party snack mix in particular caught my eye. In addition to the typical cereal/pretzel/nuts combo, this one also included toffee bits, which when melted, bind some of the ingredients together to create a sweet and salty treat that people can’t seem to get enough of. While I don’t have a photographic memory, I did take note of the recipe and this is my version of what I saw.

• 2 cups square wheat cereal (like Shreddies)
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup pretzel sticks
• ½ cup toffee bits
• ½ cup butter
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. prepared or Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Combine cereal, nuts, pretzels and toffee bits in a bowl and set aside.

3. Melt the butter. Add the rosemary, brown sugar, mustard and salt. Stir well and pour over the dry ingredients. Toss to combine.

4. Spread the mixture in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes or until the toffee is melted.

5. Cool and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Skillet S'mores Dip

I can't take full credit for this make-your-children-happy treat, as versions of it have been floating around the web for a while. What I will claim, though, is that it can turn a gloomy Tuesday afternoon into something special in less than ten minutes, because that's how long it takes to put this seasonally inspired skillet sweet together. 

There really isn't a recipe to follow: just pour two cups of chocolate chips into a 9-inch skillet and top with 17 or 18 marshmallows that have been sliced in half. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 10 minutes (watch the chocolate - if it overcooks it's likely to seize) and serve with graham cracker sticks for dipping. 

I’ve yet to let a year pass without sharing a s’mores-based dessert here or over at SavvyMom (2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010) so consider this the 2015 contribution to the list. 

Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob

Grilled corn smeared with a thin layer of zesty mayonnaise and topped with crumbled feta and chopped cilantro; this is a definitely a recipe that’s too good not to share.

Local corn on the cob should be readily available in the coming weeks, and in anticipation I’ve been testing a few new recipes for our family to try. The favourite to date was easily this Mexican-inspired side dish, and I’ve been smitten with it ever since I shared it with the readers over at SavvyMom last month.

While I wouldn’t hesitate to make this for a casual weeknight dinner, I definitely think it screams, “easy entertaining,” as well. Plunk a large platter of cobs down in the middle of your outdoor dining table, and pass around wooden skewers or corn holders to make for easy eating. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Head on over to SavvyMom for this seasonal favourite recipe.

Non-Dinner Dinners for Summer

It’s been a little quiet around here lately, but not because we haven’t been eating. Quite the contrary, but I feel like we’re chowing down on the same things week in and week out, and none of it seems worthy of sharing. Then it dawned on me that if we like our quick and casual approach to early summer dinners, you might too, so I should tell you a little more about our non-dinner dinners of late.

Essentially, we’ve been alternating between dinner salads (like the kale Cobb Caesar and the popular paella salad), and what I affectionately refer to as a Parisian picnic, which is nothing more than a large round serving board filled with an assortment of cold odds and ends from the fridge, some bread, pita, and/or crackers, and whatever seasonal fruits and veggies and are hanging out on the counter. When accompanied by some cold lemonade, frosty beers, or a pitcher of Sangria, this dinner does not disappoint.

Sometimes I add a simple green salad on the side, and other times I cook up some pasta and toss it with a dollop or two of pesto, which helps to satiate the meaty-craving young men at my table. Also, there’s always a bowl of cold cubed watermelon within easy reach. I even serve this to guests instead of a proper sit-down dinner, and guess what? Nobody ever leaves unhappy.   

I used to feed the boys like this when they brought their friends home for lunch. It’s so hard to know which kids eat what, so I figured that an assortment of fresh and dried fruits, veggies, dips, meats, cheeses, breads, etc. would offer something of interest to everyone. It worked well, then, and this slightly upgraded version is a huge hit now.

So, if you aren’t in the mood to make dinner, don’t fuss. Just haul out a wooden board or platter and purge the fridge of any remnants that need a new life.

Thai Beef with Basil (& Coconut Rice) Bowl

Something happened to my feet after I gave birth to Matthew. Actually, the something happened to my feet, my knees and my hips and I've been hobbling around the house in pain since my sweet baby came home from the hospital. I've been told this type of lower joint pain is common post-pregnancy, specifically in older women, and I'm giving it another week or so before I haul myself off to the doctor. 

There are a few things that offer comfort to my aching lower body, and my beloved Birkenstocks happen to be one of them. I've been wearing this hippie staple for nearly two decades since I spotted the fashionable women of France wearing them in the late 1990s when I lived abroad, and I've been a fan ever since. Luckily for me, this eco-chic it shoe is trendy today, so the fact that I'm sporting multiple pairs for therapeutic purposes is making me accidentally trendy this season. 

It turns out my dinner last night also took a fashionable turn when I spooned the Thai beef with basil and coconut rice into a bowl instead of serving it on a dinner plate like usual. Truth be told, I had no plates to use as they were sitting dirty in the dishwasher, so my rustic low bowls - usually reserved for dinner guests - were employed instead. 

Serving food in bowls is a popular trend this year, a fact I find fascinating since bowls have held food for more than a few centuries. People are eating smoothies in bowls, making "dinner bowls" on the regular, and writing books full of recipes designed to be eaten in... a bowl (side note: it's a beautiful and inspiring book).

So for the second time this month I'm finding myself unintentionally en vogue. I'm not used to being so hip, but if my Birkenstocks and beef in a bowl make me so, well, I'll take it. 

Thai Beef with Basil

This recipe is really nothing more than some fancied-up ground beef and rice, staples in my freezer and pantry. The addition of spices, fresh basil, and coconut milk take it up a notch, making it a little more special than something you might usually create with such humble ingredients. 

Serves 4*

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced and seeded (for less heat)
• 1 small red pepper, diced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• Coconut rice (recipe below)
• For toppings: coarsely grated carrots, sliced peppers, cucumber spears, chopped avocado, fresh mint leaves, cilantro, lime wedges

1. In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce, and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside. 

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, jalapeño, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add the beef and season generously with salt and pepper, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and pressing down firmly to help brown the meat and crisp it up in spots, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the broth and basil and cook, stirring, until the basil is wilted, about 2 minutes. 

5. Spoon coconut rice into bowls and top with beef mixture. Scatter fresh toppings of choice over top and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately. 

Coconut Rice

Serves 4

• 2 cups uncooked basmati/jasmine/long grain rice
• 1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1. Place all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir well to combine. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15-18 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

3. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover and let sit 5 minutes more. 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

*While this recipe is meant to feed 4 people, it barely fed the four I feed dinner to each night. I ended up doubling it once I saw how much food was in the skillet. If you have less hungry people, you should be fine, but if you happen to be feeding teenagers, I might consider making a double or triple batch.