Can a Canadian Gal Become Italian with Frico Caldo

Bellini's Frico Caldo

Growing up in Southern Ontario in an area founded by Scots and Brits I grew up in a rather eclectic neighbourhood with diverse cultures and influences. Our neighbourhood reflected a small slice of the melting pot that we call Canada where this British gal's senses were awakened and I learned to be accepting of all food cultures. The question is, as I dream of a sojourn to Italy in the fall, I wonder if I could ever truly be Italian; live and breathe as an Italian, think like an Italian, live in the moment "vivi il presenti?" Of course, I tell myself, I can have all the joy in the world trying. Read on for 10 reasons I think I could become Italian, and the one reason I may not want to.

Waffle Iron Shredded Hash Browns and Maple Glazed Bacon for Slow Sundays

Waffle Iron Shredded Hash Browns

Welcome back to my kitchen my friends. Once again sleepy heads we have embraced S-l-o-w Sundays, a feature here at More Than Burnt Toast. Pull up a cozy chair and join me a while on this S-l-o-w Sunday. Let me make you a steaming mug of chai tea or your favourite "joe" and a memorable breakfast just as you like it. Would you enjoy a "sunny side up" or poached egg perched on top? Or for fun lets cook an egg in the waffle iron too. It saves heating up the kitchen because in truth it is going to be a hot day. Consider it done. 

A Taste of Yellow in Your Memory with Lemon Chicken, Garlic Creamed Corn and Baby Potatoes with Parsley and Lemon Butter

Lemon Chicken, Garlic Creamed Corn and Baby Potatoes 

with Parsley and Lemon Butter

There are many of us who have been writing for a while, long before Julie and Julia, long before Pinterest... gasp...even before Facebook. Some bloggers start with an enthusiasm that quickly wains, some blog for their friends and family, some blog for the sheer enjoyment, and some have achieved varying degrees of success. But how do you as a blogger measure success? Is it finally securing that cookbook deal? Is it those articles in high profile magazines? Is it thousands of followers? These are all perks of the food blogging community but not what we are about. I measure the success of a blogger by the number of lives they have touched, the awareness they have raised for pertinent issues, their ability to grab my attention with little effort.  I by no means put myself in these categories but we have all been touched by someone out there in the blogosphere that we have connected with. Yes we are food bloggers but we are not only passionate about food. One of the biggest perks is the connection that we have with each other in more ways than one.

The British Columbia Food Trail Goes Greek with Spot Prawns with Tomato, Feta, and Ouzo with Skordalia

Spot Prawns with Tomato, Feta and Ouzo with Skordalia

Here in the interior we herald in Spring with tender local asparagus, freshly shelled peas, and crimson stalks of rhubarb but on the coastal waters of British Columbia nothing says Spring more than fresh live Spot Prawns. From May 1 until July 1, we have the opportunity to devour some of the freshest and best-tasting prawns in the world here in British Columbia.  Huge, luscious BC spot prawns are one of the most tantalizing things to be found in the waters around Vancouver. Sweet, firm, peachy-pink and tender, the prawns are sustainably harvested by local fishermen. This means we are able to enjoy eating them well into summer and still feel good about it. With the window of opportunity to enjoy this delicacy being relatively short , rest assured we have rolled up our sleeves and have feasted on local Spot Prawns often. 

A Tribute to Elena Arzak With Basque Chicken and Roasted Fingerlings with Red and Yellow Pipérade

Basque Chicken with Roasted Fingerlings with Red and Yellow Piperade

In Europe, the Basques are known for their creativity in the kitchen and their long-enduring culinary heritage. In the Spanish Basque country itself, food and eating are the center of everyday life and the focus of endless conversation. Basque women lovingly pass on their cooking techniques to daughters and granddaughters, and Basque men, who belong to traditional cooking clubs called "txokos", themselves enjoy lingering over the stove and table. Basque people have been tremendously successful in passing down their traditions and lore and maintaining a link to their culture through both cooking and storytelling.

Paula Wolferts Chicken Smothered with Tomato Jam Served with Maquoudas

Paula Wolferts Chicken Smothered with Tomato Jam Served with Maquoudas

 Like most of us I am a savvy media user although I must admit to not spending nearly as much time with these accounts as my colleagues. It was on Facebook that I discovered Paula Wolferts Moroccan Cooking Group which at last count has over 2,500 members. She posts to it half a dozen times a day, making it one of the liveliest food discussions on Facebook.

A few months ago Paula mentioned she had a new recipe for her chicken with tomato jam that would be in her latest cookbook The Food of Morocco. I was intrigued, e-mailed her and asked her for the recipe which she graciously sent to me. It is for this reason that wonderfully warm, spicy aromas are wafting from my kitchen and I am dreaming of Morocco, mosaic tiles, tajines, couscous and drinking mint tea.

Cornbread Pumpkin Stuffing Squares with a Side of Tuscan Herbed Roast Pork

Cornbreqad Pumpkin Stuffing Squares with a Side of Tuscan Herbed Roast Pork

The holiday season is upon us and with that comes tables groaning with irresistible foods of every description. For me it would be all about portion control which can be a difficult task when faced with such taste tempting treats. For my holiday meals next to my favourite creamy whipped mashed potatoes the stuffing steals the show for this Canadian gal.

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf with Chive and Onion Mashed Potatoes

Old Fashioned Meatloaf with Chive and Onion Mashed Potatoes

It was certainly unintentional, but look up at that photo of my delicious meatloaf. Do you see Mr. Lettuce Head? He has red lettuce hair and a surprised scallion smile on his face, and if you really use your imagination he is using a Bluetooth or maybe that is a baseball glove. Your call. The scallions fall where they may. As you can see this retro meatloaf recipe takes me back to the comfort foods of my childhood where I could lay on the moss covered hills surrounding my home, sun washed face towards the sky and watch the cloud bunnies and elephants drift by...and dream. Close your eyes and it is easy to take yourself back.

But reality sets in, sorry about that, and sometimes you just have to EAT, and it is not about getting that perfect shot or arranging your food artfully on the plate. This could have been a different shot if I were not in a hurry to dig in to this hearty retro meatloaf with buttery mashed potatoes, a food memory from my care free childhood. This is a blog about food after all!! The recipes come first and the photos...well...they are usually thrown together just like this meatloaf!! I think our 24th Game Changer Paula Deen would approve.

Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzel with Sweet Potato Wedges and an Autumn Coleslaw that Steals the Show

Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzel

with Sweet Potato Wedges and an Autumn Coleslaw

For anyone who reads these pages occasionally you will know that I recently indulged in a shopping weekend in Washington State. Shopping has its place in the world but there comes a time, usually after a mornings splurge, when my thoughts move over to my next foodie adventure! If the truth be told it is not simply about nourishing the body but about the experience. Kindred spirits will agree it is undeniably true that our travel experiences are usually centred around all things food related. This trip was no different.

On a Sunday drive through the Cascade Mountains I found myself in a fairy tale village perched on top of the misty Cascade Mountains with an elevation of about 1,100 feet! Leavenworth is fashioned after a Bavarian Village in one of the most beautiful settings you could imagine. The drive to the village alone is exhilarating, although on this day it was a misty, rainy morning! If you can look beyond the "kitsch," where there is a Bavarian motif around ever corner, you will find a very resourceful town that is worth a visit. There is always something happening!!!! Oktoberfest had just ended and I haven't attended a festival since growing up in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, but I was in the mood for some premium German ales and some classic schnitzel!!!

Cooking Light Late Autumn Harvest Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa

Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa

Once Thanksgiving has come and gone it is time to switch gears and bring out the warm sweaters, start a fire and begin to browse through my trusted cookbooks for comforting dishes to ward off any chill in the air. Living in Canada cold weather is an inevitable and unavoidable part of winter. Since I won't be moving to the Bahamas any time soon I have to think of ways to keep warm during the cold winter months and food usually plays a huge role.

Chicken Saltimbocca with Garlic and Olive Oil Mash and Roasted Vine Tomatoes

Chicken Saltimbocca with Garlic and Olive Oil Mash

 and Roasted Vine Tomatoes

The days are shorter, the nights cooler, there is a nip in the air and the trees are showing their first signs of burnished gold. Although barbecue weather is still here my mind has already flipped over to comfort food, crackling fires and cozy blankets.  I am one Canadian that hopes the warm spell continues for a while and that an Indian Summer will carry on into November.

 With the shorter days comes the longing for comfort foods. When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, or a favourite blanket. Comfort foods nourish the soul as well as our bodies and tend to be familiar foods that remind us of simpler times or of a contented childhood. The best medicine when the weather turns is undeniably some delicious comfort food. Just like the pending season your senses can be awakened with anything from a caramelized squash soup to a large bowl of comfortable macaroni and cheese. It is not uncommon for my home to be filled with warm, fragrant and earthy aromas of a slow cooked roast or bubbling crock pot.

Lidia Bastionich and Grilled Tuna Rollatini under Tomato Lemon Marinade Served with Calabrese Salad

Grilled Tuna Rollatini under Tomato Lemon Marinade
Served with Calabrese Salad

Lidia Bastianich is one of the most-loved chefs on television, a best-selling cookbook author, restaurateur, and owner of a flourishing food and entertainment business. She has married her two passions in life, her family and food to create a career that is unparalleled. She lives her life as they do in Italy where food isn't just food... it's a revelation!!!! Food is one of the cornerstones of Italian culture and even if times are changing and life is more and more frenetic, Italians still find never ending pleasure in sitting at a table and sharing a good meal together.

Judith Jones Makes a Potato Dish for Julia Child

A Potato Dish for Julia Child

Who is Judith Jones you ask? She is senior editor and vice president at Knopf , having worked for them for over 50 years and can be noted for rescuing The Diary of Anne Frank from the rejects pile in 1950. And if that doesn't jog your memory, Judith is the book editor who championed a cookbook no other publisher would touch ..."Mastering the Art of French Cooking"  by Julia Child.

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Happy Easter!!!!! Every family celebrates these holidays with different traditions and celebrations. Whether you celebrated yesterday, today, tomorrow or even Monday or simply don't celebrate at all, I hope you are creating unforgettable memories this long weekend. I had a small gathering yesterday and perhaps it is the heady scent of the forsythia, the flowering apricots and magnolias, the warmer days, the gentle buzz of a honeybee or the lengthening hours of light that have made this holiday season what dreams are made of.

Hippo of the Sea Panko Crusted Halibut with Colcannon and Roasted Tomatoes

Panko Crusted Halibut with Colcannon
and Roasted Tomatoes

Today is the first day of Spring!!! In Ireland the ancient Celtic feast of Imbolc was celebrated as the first day of Spring back in February. Obviously the Celts did not live in Canada! At last the sun-filled days we have all been waiting for are finally here, and hopefully to stay!  The primary purpose of this Pagan festival was to celebrate Spring and the end of a long cold winter.  In ancient times a festive meal was eaten containing oat gruel, dumplings, apple cake, and colcannon. Today is officially our first day of Spring so it seemed only fitting that I would have this delicious Colcannon, complete with the earthy flavours of kale and the creamy addition of butter and cream paired with some panko and herb topped halibut and "memories of summer" roasted tomatoes.

Longing for Spinach Artichoke Potato Lasagna

Spinach Artichoke Potato Lasagna

I have had this dish in my bucket list of recipes for so long that I don't even recall where the idea came from. All I know is that it would satisfy my obsession for potatoes, for experimenting with more vegetarian meals for Meatless Mondays and I could even use the new little crocks that came with the caccavelli I discovered at my local Italian grocers. Another added bonus is that I could use fresh ricotta for it's firmer texture and superior quality.

Every Tuesday I would take a side trip to my "foodie mecca" and wistfully ask if they had any fresh ricotta in today. For the past month or so someone has been eating up all of the ricotta...lasagna must be at the dinner table of every home in the valley...so it has not been available. Then we had a snow storm and there was no delivery!!! My search for fresh ricotta seemed doomed to fail.

Easy Smoky Potato Pancakes...and the Winner of My 4 Year Blogiversary Giveaway

Smoky Potato Pancakes

Yesterday we had such high hopes that Spring had arrived. People were walking the pathway behind my condo, winter jackets were shed...and now back to reality this morning with a blanket of snow covering the ground. Sigh....all the more reason to take comfort in the kitchen.

Although I consume a majority of vegetarian meals it has been a while since I posted a recipe for Meatless Mondays. From Canada to Croatia, nations across the globe are taking the pledge and joining the Meatless Monday movement. Going meat free one day each week is a powerful way for each of us to reduce our ecological footprint and reconnect with foods that are both nutritious and delicious.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Goes Red for "Have a Heart" (and my 4 Year Blogiversary Giveaway)

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Flank Steak with Garlic-Chive Mashed Potatoes

As Valentine's Day approaches, our minds turn to our loved ones...plus perhaps a little bit of panic about what to give and what to eat. To make things easier on you, we have collected our Valentine's Day menu ,with a twist, from the pages of Cooking Light with recipe suggestions on how best to say "I love you" with Red Food. We are also honouring Heart and Stroke Month since these recipes are on the "light" side and good for not only your own heart health but for the ones you love. What better way to show them you love them by creating light dishes that are good for them from the pages of Cooking Light magazine. Stay tuned for my 4th Anniversary Giveaway...so keep reading!

As we continue into a new year we are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies and now one gent in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We are now in our second year and continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! Every month millions of readers turn to Cooking Light for recipes, advice on nutrition and fitness. If you have a "heart - healthy" red dish that would fit into this months theme please feel free to add your link at the bottom of this post.

From strawberries to beets, red fruits and vegetables pack a vibrant nutritional punch. We've all heard the cliche that an apple a day can keep the doctor away, but the same runs true for a virtual cornucopia of red foods, including strawberries, cherries, raspberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and beets? Many red fruits and veggies are loaded with powerful, healthy antioxidants...such as lycopene and anthocyanins...that may do everything from fight heart disease and prostate cancer to decrease the risk for stroke and macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in people aged 60 and older). Antioxidants soak up damaging free radicals as well.

To amp up our Red Menu Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club started us off with Bruschetta with Warm Tomatoes. Briefly heating the tomatoes intensifies their sweetness while preserving their bright, fresh flavours. This is a timely reminder of summer! In the area of food and phytonutrient research, nothing has been hotter in the last several years than studies on the lycopene factor , another antioxidant, in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. Good thing I eat tomatoes like apples!

For our menu I chose a recipe from the pages of Cooking Light that used both red meat and red potatoes... Bourbon and Brown Sugar Flank Steak with Garlic-Chive Mashed Potatoes. I've made this recipe several times, always to rave reviews!!! It's perfect to make when you want something that tastes special, but takes no time at all. Marinate the steak before you head off for work in the morning and supper will be ready in however long it takes to cook the potatoes.

Potatoes' reputation as a high-carb, white starch has removed them from the meals of many a weight-conscious eater, but this stereotype is due for a significant overhaul. Analysis of Red potatoes revealed that these spuds' phenolic content rivals that of broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts, and includes flavonoids with protective activity against cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems and certain cancers.

Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen rounded out the theme by bringing a refreshing Granny Smith, Radish, and Radicchio Salad with Orange-Walnut Vinaigrette. This tasty salads include radishes and radicchio and is eye candy when the vegetables are julienned.

In the vegetable neighborhood of salad greens Radicchio is the rowdy redhead when it comes to nutritional power. Radicchio has many healthful properties, it provides an antioxidant content rivaling that of blueberries and spinach.

Next Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe wowed us with a salad that uses red onions....Spanish Salad of Oranges, Fennel, Red Onion, and Mint with Dressing.This is a typical Spanish-style salad that goes so well with our menu.

Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. Onions are also a rich source of flavonoids, substances known to provide protection against cardiovascular disease.

Now let's introduce you to one of our latest members of the Virtual Supper Club Jerry of  Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants from my old stomping grounds of  Ontario, Canada. He rocks red with beets in a Roasted Sweet-and-Sour Beets, Carrots and Parsnips dish. The cider vinegar provides fruity, acidic zip and enough liquid to prevent the sugary maple syrup from burning.

Beets are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and detoxification support.

And for the "piece de resistance" I would also like to introduce Roz of La Bella Vita who is living "the beautiful life" in South Carolina and loves Cooking Light also. She uses fragrantly sweet and subtly tart raspberries in a sensuous Almond Jelly Roll with Raspberry Filling. This cake can be made a day in advance; just wrap it in plastic wrap, and store your treat in the fridge. This leaves more time to spend with the ones you love.

 Raspberries are high in antioxidants and flavanoids. Now for the giveaway....

The Best Thing I Ever Ate (Recently) Challenge...Aglaia Kremezi's Greek Lemon and Oregano Potatoes

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges based on a theme to infuse new life into my cooking adventures. Even every day food should always be an adventure either with new ideas, or experimenting with a new cuisine. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local markets for our favourite comfort foods.With these personally imposed challenges my own culinary skills have been rejuvenated and back on track and I am once again inspired.

My inspiration comes from so many different places... cookbooks, your blogs, the Internet, magazines, restaurants and friends. With the birth of a New year this is the perfect time to pump up our kitchens into high gear and celebrate cooking!

Two Sides for my Bucket List Menu

 

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

We all have a bucket list of recipes we want to try from magazines, cookbooks, our blogging friends or wherever you find your inspiration. If you're like me you will have an infinite list of recipes in the wings. This week I have tried to put a small dent in "the list" by recreating a few of these dishes that have been waiting patiently for their moment to shine.

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges based on a theme to infuse new life into my cooking adventures. Even every day food should be an adventure either with new ideas, or experimenting with a new cuisine. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find in your culinary exploration. With these personally imposed challenges my own culinary skills have been rejuvenated and are back on track and I am once again inspired. With the holidays coming this is the perfect time of year to pump up our kitchens into high gear!

For the past few days I have been sharing with you a menu from beginning to end.. from starters to dessert... from my "bucket list".  We started off with an hors d'oeuvres that made our tastebuds sing with citrus notes...Crab Cake Sliders with Lemon Remoulade. Following that was the piece de resistance, a classic Roast Chicken with Thyme Gravy. By chance the recipe chosen for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club fit right in with my menu with a  nutty, almost smoky flavoured Wild Rice Dressing with Roasted Chestnuts and Cranberries.