Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Heralds in the New Year With "Clean Food"

Are you tired of shovelling snow, driving along ice-patched roads or wearing suits designed for igloos? If so, then move to British Columbia because so far it has not hit in full force (insert photo of fingers, toes and eyes crossed here). Even on the dreariest winter days we are happy to band together in the kitchen to create a menu that is healthy and "lightened up." 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 a group of ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. 

I Danced the Dance and Celebrated with Zucchini Blossom Risotto with Prosecco

Zucchini Blossom Risotto with Prosecco

A number of years ago I found myself in a small pedestrian-only hamlet on a small Greek island in the sun-baked Agean Sea. The warm, thyme-scented breeze stroked my hair as I wandered up the uneven cobblestoned streets where laughing children smiled their shy smiles and giggled as they passed by on their way to some after-school adventure. As I continued down the street waving tentatively to the locals I happened upon a handwritten menu board outside a quaint taverna with kolokithokorfades on the menu. The bait was set and I was lured in. I had spied these lightly battered zucchini flowers all over Greece in the 5 weeks I had been travelling there, but each and every time this elusive seasonal treasure was disappointingly sold out just as they were that day. This was my last week in Greece and I still had yet to try this delicacy.

Foodspotting Brings the Game Changers Into High Tech Featuring Herb Crusted Paneer with Indian Risotto

Herb Crusted Paneer with Risotto from 

Carvers, Inn at Big White as seen on Foodspotting

One of my favourite past times on a cool evening is to sit curled up by the fireplace with a good cookbook. It is a valid form of reading that I know you will understand with plenty of dreaming and planning involved.  These days there are two criteria for adding a cookbook to my collection. It has to be filled with mouthwatering photographs and it must be a good read. If my daughter and her friends were sitting next to me they would whip out their iPhones and enjoy on-line versions of the same. There comes a time when you just have to give up the feel and smell of a good book in your hands and Foodspotting indulges those passions. 

Zarela Martinez Game Changing Creamy Rice Casserole

Creamy Rice Casserole 

Zarela Martinez came late to her calling. As a young mother and social worker in El Paso, Texas, this northern Mexican native began baking cookies and catering for extra cash. Her mother, who is a renowned cookbook author, encouraged her to pursue her passion, and arranged for her  to travel to various U.S. cooking schools. It seems that culinary talent runs deep in the family. After several years of study, Zarela met Paul Prudhomme, who urged her to focus on her passion for regional Mexican dishes and develop her personal style. She spent a week in his kitchen, a brief period of time that changed her life.

Risotto with Buffalo Mozzarella, Roasted Tomatoes and Basil Oil

Risotto with Buffalo Mozzarella, Roasted Tomatoes and Basil Oil

What I miss most about living in my house when I moved to the city and became a condo dweller are my gardens. Yesterday I received an e-mail to say that after 3 years of waiting and hoping my name came up on the list for a plot in our local community garden less than a block away. Planting tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini are at least a month away, so, until I can grow my own kaleidescope of heirloom tomatoes roasting is the way to go. 

Harumi Game Changer Deep Fried Chicken with a Leek Sauce and Green Pea Rice

Deep Fried Chicken with Leek Sauce and Green Pea Rice

I often think of Japanese cooking as complex and difficult but Japans most famous housewife Harumi Kurihara, has sought to change that perception. She is all at once a cookbook author, restauranteur, TV chef and personality, and a business woman with a line of products to rival her famous American counterpart Martha Stewart. She has become one of the best known style gurus in Japan over the last 20 years! We can learn more about this amazing woman on her site where it is easy to see why she deserves her rightful place on "the list" of Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers.  

Game Changing Lemon Chicken Breasts and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Lemon Chicken and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Of all of the celebrity cooks my favourite is the Barefoot Contessa. I am always inspired to prepare her homey dishes in my kitchen and I have never had a recipe that is lack lustre or even comes close to heading for the garbage bin. I cannot say the same for every dish I have experimented with in my own kitchen.

Roasted Pumpkin Risotto Cakes with Tomato Sauce

Roasted Pumpkin Risotto Cakes with Tomato Sauce

Do you have a favourite recipe that you will always make extra just so that you will have leftovers? I would have to say that I am guilty of making extra mashed potatoes so they can do double duty the next day as either pancakes or patties. The other dish I always make extra of is risotto just so that I can make these risotto cakes or patties with their gooey buffalo mozzarella centre. The risotto recipe below is a delicious winter version. When served immediately with its creamy consistency and outstanding flavour it is a winner, but as it sits overnight the liquid continues to absorb into the rice and you have the makings of incredible risotto cakes that are reminiscent of the Sicilian specialty arancini the following day. 

Patricia Wells Seared Pancetta Wrapped Cod on a Bed of Lemon Risotto

Seared Pancetta Wrapped Cod on a Bed of Lemon Risotto

Patricia Wells is one talented and enterprenurial American lady who is living her dream life in France, splitting her time between Paris and Provence. Perhaps I can go so far as to say, she is living my dream life carrying on a love affair, not with an individual (although I am sure she loves her husband), but with a region of France, a centuries-old stone farmhouse, and a cuisine. With her many books she is considered one of the foremost authorities on French cuisine and received the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her contributions to French culture. She has written eight cookbooks altogether, at the time of writing, full of easy yet sophisticated recipes which has her being credited with taking the mystery out of French cuisine and making it less intimidating. Julia Child paved the way but Patricia Wells perfected it.

Lucky Penny Wines Paired with the Epitome of Spring Risotto

Spring Risotto

There's a new kid in town with an "Aussie" accent and a flavour that will jump out of the glass!!!! A little while ago I was invited to attend an event in Vancouver that my schedule would not allow. I was honoured to still be a part of the excitement of a new wine label being introduced to British Columbia by the makers of Australia's famous [yellow-tail] brand. Lucky Penny is set to inspire our cooking and social scene and stimulate the senses of wine lovers across the country. Of course British Columbia produces many world class wines, but it is good to explore other options.

Chicken Rolls with Oka and Thyme with Wild Rice and Spring Mushroom Risotto

Chicken Rolls with Oka and Thyme with Wild Rice and Spring Mushroom Risotto

I should have known when this recipe inspiration came from a cookbook called Autumn in Ontario's Wine Country that this recipe would not have that "taste of Spring" that I was looking for, even if I did use fresh green chives and served it with asparagus. The wild rice, red wine, earthy mushrooms and the fragrant thyme had this recipe one foot firmly in another season.

Ottolenghi's Multi Vegetable Paella

Ottolenghi's Multi Vegetable Paella

If I had to choose one recipe to eat for the rest of my life this multi-vegetable paella just may be it! The recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi's latest cookbook Plenty which is a compilation of his recipes from the Guardian. I'm not a vegetarian and neither is Chef Ottolenghi, but he has a fresh and exciting way with vegetables whether they are to be served on their own or as an accompaniment.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Takes on New Food for the New Year.... Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach

By now I hope you have each embraced 2011 like a warm blanket and look forward to all the possibilities a new year brings. I am not one to make New Years resolutions but when our newest member here at the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club suggested we start our year off with a New Food the course was set.

In our well-rounded worlds it was at first hard to believe that we had not tried pretty much every ingredient available to us in our 5 corners of the world. What ingredients have I never tried before was my first reaction? But as I peeled back the layers it came to me that I have never tried quinoa...yes that's true... so a search was made on the Cooking Light web site for the perfect dish to share with our ladies. Since my initial reaction I have come across so many foods I have not tried making before like panna cotta, sauerkraut, oysters, kale soup...the list goes on. We tend to make resolutions like keeping the house cleaner, spending less, or biking to work. This year why not throw your foodie fantasies into the mix? Do you want to learn to handcraft pasta or make the perfect pie crust? Thank you Mary Ann for opening our minds to all the possibilities.

As we continue into our second 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 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.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Celebrates the Holidays with Wild Rice Dressing with Roasted Chestnuts

Wild Rice Dressing with Roasted Chestnuts and Cranberries

We are taking a brief break from my "Bucket list " menu to bring you our monthly event. 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 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.

Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash with Dried Cranberry and Pecan Rice Dressing

Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash

To all my Canadian friends I hope you have survived Thanksgiving with your belt buckles intact and retained the warm glow that comes from being thankful for all that we have...family, friends and a table groaning with awe inspiring dishes.

But what if you have fewer guests and you want to go hiking instead of spending all day in the kitchen? Well, the answer is here. Of course you can have this dish anytime since it is quick to prepare and bursting with fall flavours from the earthy taste of butternut squash and sage to the sweet tones of honey crusted chicken. Top it with crispy shallots and a side of wild rice and other aromatic rice with autumnal flavours and the sweet tang of apple and you have Thanksgiving on the "fly."

No crispy shallots in the photo since I  didn't take the time to stage them for the photo... which was done in a hurry of course since hiking was in the cards...and what is that ghostly figure on the plate.....spooky......just a play of light...or is it?

Out of My Comfort Zone to Learn the Art of Paella - Voting begins Today

Voting begins today!!!

Well the votes are in from our esteemed judges and I am still standing in Project Food Blog at  Foodbuzz . Have you caught the BUZZ!!!! I have!!!!A heart felt thank you to all who took the time to vote in the People's Choice. There are now 400 bloggers left in the competition so on to round 2 where we are making a classic dish from any worldwide cuisine that we feel is out of our comfort zone!!!!Project Food Blog is the first-ever interactive competition where thousands of Foodbuzz Featured Publishers are competing in a series of culinary blogging challenges for the chance to advance and a shot at the ultimate prize.  As contestants we will see who will rise above the pack and become the next Food Blog Star!!!! I have made it this far and it is so much fun to participate and become more deeply embedded in the Foodbuzz community!!!! Every day we should be this excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. 

Zucchini Wars with Zucchini Risotto with Saffron and Shrimp

Zucchini Risotto with Saffron and Shrimp

I am sure that by now, if you don't have a garden of your own, your neighbours are stealing into your yard in the wee hours of the morning and leaving care packages of zucchini on your porch. Or perhaps you are covertly picking the locks of your neighbours cars and leaving them in their baby car seats. If this sounds all too true you have hit the mother load!!!People seem to have a love/hate relationship with this prolific summer squash. I am a lover of zucchini so am always looking for new ways to highlight it's delicate flavour. Bring on the zucchini wars!!!!

Fry Up Some Chicken Fried Rice for Our Daily Special

Chicken Fried Rice

To celebrate the upcoming weekend with a BANG I am joining in on the Foodbuzz Daily Specials  once again. Today's feature on Foodbuzz is a set of Cuisinart Green Gourmet Fry Pans like the ones here at CHEFS™ catalogue. Green Gourmet hard-anodized pans feature an aluminum alloy core and exclusive nonstick surface that is ceramic rather than petroleum-based, so it helps to conserve existing oil reserves. Their handles are made from 70% recycled stainless-steel and conducts heat so well, that they are more energy-efficient too. Even the manufacturing process uses less energy than others. I was thrilled to see that Cuisinart now makes a new Green quality gourmet nonstick alternative cookware.  Knowing how harmful to my family and the environment petroleum and Teflon products could be, I knew there had to be an affordable non-stick option out there. We have some stainless steel pans, but it's so hard to keep things from sticking and burning. You don't have to cook with oil, and clean up is a breeze. I think these pans will be on my Christmas wish list for sure (Shhhh...did I just say the C-word)!

Fresh Herb and Pea Risotto for the First Day of Spring

Fresh Herb and Pea Risotto

Rice was introduced to Italy by the Arabs who dominated Sicily and parts of the Southern mainland in the late Middle Ages, but, proved best suited to the vast marshy regions of the Po Valley. Here it was enthusiastically adopted by the residents of the Veneto region, Lombardia and Piemonte. Thanks to the Arabs we now have one of the best comfort foods on the planet!!!

Welcome to Cuba with Mojo Chicken and Black Beans and Rice on the FOODalogue Tour

A Cuban Feast

Joan of FOODalogue  started the year off with another armchair travel adventure with her Culinary Tour 2010 - South of the Border . I hope you have been travelling with us since Joan is an excellent travel companion. Her tour is almost at an end and if you haven't had a chance to travel with this very popular event check out her site for all the round-ups of delicious recipes and stories by all the participants. This year she has featured the cuisine of 10 of our south-of-the-border neighbours.