Southern Flavours

I bought some green tomatoes yesterday for a green salsa recipe I picked up on line, but forgot to pick up the cilantro, lime and avocado. I have enough green tomatoes to experiment, so came up with this for brunch. 

- Dice one green tomato and mix in flour with some sort of a southern rub: cajun, southwestern, zydeco, etc. I used a custom zydeco rub from Galloways in New Westminster, BC.

- Fry the tomatoes in a pan with garlic, a crushed chipotle pepper and oil. 

- Cook hominy in a separate pan and mix with the tomatoes when browned.

- Cook two eggs and serve on top.

Not something to eat everyday or even every week, but once and a while... :D

Time to Meet Your Maki

One of the things I have always wanted to learn how to make is sushi. I have tried, but my rice never turns out and the rolls were uneven. Mind you I didn't have a proper mat either. None of this, however, stops me from coming up with ideas. Two rolls I would love to try and make are as follows:

The Fraser Valley Roll: Grilled trout of some sort (there are several species in the Lower Mainland) with shiitake mushroom, a tart cranberry paste and black sesame seeds inside. I picture this having the nori on the outside.

The Little Italy Roll: Salmon with prosciutto and mascarpone. It would be dipped in a tomato sauce. I see it being uramaki, that is non-traditional rolls with the rice on the outside.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

At Charlotte's request!!

These are one of my favourite muffins, adapted from my Mum's favourite muffin recipe that I've healthified a bit (swapped out 1/2c melted butter for 1/4c oil and 1/4c pumpkin). It's versatile: I've found you can swap out the pumpkin for banana and they're good too. You can add pumpkin seeds, diced apple or chocolate chips to these and it's all good, or add 1/2c applesauce instead of the pumpkin and then add peaches or diced apples with 1t of cinnamon for peach or apple oat muffins. Toss in chunks of cream cheese...add some grated carrots and raisins...or cut out the oats and add bran buds instead...OR (my husband's fave) cut the oats and add 1/2 c cornmeal and then add 1 c raspberries or blueberries...oh yes! (Note -If you cut out the oatmeal, also cut out 1/4 c milk). This recipe can be made awesome in every possible way - there a number of my muffin variations posted on this blog :)
One comment tho - don't bother to healthify them too much by cutting out all the oil and using applesauce or sour cream - I found that they aren't too dry but they just don't have that MMMMM...and then they MUST be eaten the day they're made or the texture goes all wierd and they don't keep...But enough of my babble. Here be the recipe:

In a large bowl mix:
1 1/4c milk (or buttermilk) & 1/2 c oatmeal: Place oatmeal and add 1/2 c of the milk to let the oats soak for a minute or two, then add the rest of the milk.

Stir in the rest and mix well:
3/4 c pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
1/4 c oil
1 t pumpkin pie spice (heaping)
1 t vanilla
2/3c brown sugar (or swap out with 1/2 c maple syrup - I'm too cheap to do it often...! )
1 T Molasses (optional - I like)

In another bowl mix:
2 c flour
1 heaping T baking powder
1/2 t salt

Add dry to wet mixture and mix until JUST mixed - don't over mix or they'll be megachewy. Bake with muffin papers at 375 for about 20 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick and try not to overbake.


Enjoy :)

Pumpkin scones, yo!

Made them.
They rock.
GO here to learn more - I am too lazy to repost...

Who named a pumpkin anyways? I'd like to know where it came from...

yummers

Made falafel from here

After mourning my lack of tzatziki - I made homemade tzatziki from here.

Put both in a pita with a made in my head quinoa sort of tabbouleh salad and a few veg...

Yummy evening really :)

Mmmm....leftovers...

Here's a delicious thing...have leftover chili? Put it on a pizza crust with extra oregano garlic and pepper, add a few chopped tomatoes and some cheese and bake that puppy up.

Deeeeeelicious leftovers :)

I pity the fool who takes my tea

I want this :)
Badly...