Spring time Crostini

Even though it still doesn't feel or look like Spring, the calendar tells me it's soon time to start adjusting some of our vegetables to reflect the season! (and I can't wait!) I'm expecting to see lots of beautiful asparagus and artichokes any day now, and while it's too early to take advantage of your own crop of peas, here is a fantastic spring pea crostini - try the farmers market to see if some spring peas have arrived or if the market is bare, frozen will do - I've pulled out the last of our sweet pea havest we froze last summer.

Thanks to Giada De Laurentiis for this seasonal recipe:

Pea Pesto Crostini

Ingredients


Pesto:

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted OR fresh spring peas

1 garlic clove

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1/3 cup olive oil

Crostini:

8 (1/2-inch thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old, * see Cook's Note

1/3 cup olive oil

Garnish:

8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced
OR
proscuitto, diced

Directions

For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.
Top with tomato halves OR proscuitto and serve.

*Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

Just...Get Cooking!

We had a busy, but oh so enjoyable weekend!  Friday night we had two couples over for drinks and pasta, Saturday was filled with errands and then off to dinner at a friend's house and Sunday, we found ourselves as willing participants on a pilot cooking course!  Yes, we met a lovely and talented lady who is just launching her new company, GET COOKING, and she was kind enough to invite us into her home and newly installed commercial kitchen for a absolute wonderful afternoon of casual company, great food, wine and fantastic instruction - what a treat!

Kathryn Joel, chef and entrepreneur relocated her blended family to Edmonton about a year and a half ago and has submersed herself into the local food scene.  But more than just a chef, she believes in supporting local businesses, farmers and retailers with one simple goal - cook with as much high quality, local food as possible.  Needless to say, we have more in common than just our given name: follower of the slow food movement and a believer of using quality ingredients in simple, straight forward applications which yield a delicious end product on your plate.

Not only talented in the kitchen, she is well versed in the local scene and can share with you her top restaurant pics, favorite stalls at the local farmers market, great butchers, food retailers and where to find new ingredients finally emerging in Edmonton!

Take a look at her website:

http://www.getcookingedmonton.com/

Our 2.5 hour cooking class was in a classic chef's table style, and food on the menu was inspired by French Bistro cuisine:

Gougeres - a french-style cheese puff made from choux pastry

Celeriac and Green Apple Salad with Creme Fraiche - another fantastic recipe using celery root, think a new twist on your favorite slaw recipe!

Moules a la Mariniere - mussels steamed with wine and fresh herbs

Roast Rack of Lamb with a Fresh Herb Crust - beautiful and easy to make!

Bananas and Pears en Papillote - literally fruit steamed in paper.  A perfect end to a fantastic meal!

Here are some pictures (not mine, the better photographer!) to pique your interest:

Our friend Al with Chef Kathryn, learning how to make choux pastry - lots of beating.  Today, Al is at the gym working on his other arm!

Local Creme Fraiche, found at The Italian Centre Shop

Hubby, ever so patiently prepping and cleaning the lamb bones - great job!

Mussels in the pot with wine and fresh herbs

A perfect Farmers Market pear, ready for dessert!

Roasted lamb resting before cutting, notice the nice prep job on the bones!

Students getting involved prepping the salad and gougeres!

I think safe to say, a good time was had by all!  Thank you Kathryn for opening up your beautiful home and stunning new kitchen, your warm hospitality and natural ability to teach was a breadth of fresh air!  David and I look forward to attending more classes in the near future and being regular readers of your website - a great place for all things food and local!

Going Home Part 3: Dr. Phelan's Top Pics

I wanted to write my third and final blog about St. John's on some restaurants and watering hole pics, but I knew the list would be too long and, with the growth in Newfoundland over the past few years, I was not the ex-pat to give the most up to date advice.  So, I turned to a local foodie who happens to enjoy an occasional pint or two to get the skinny on some great starting places.  Dr. Phelan, of course, is my brother-in-law and my hubby's dedicated drinking partner. ;-)

First off, this was not an easy choice to name his top three - Newfoundland continues to expand in their culinary adventures and foodie spots.  Food and drink have always been important culturally and each local will have their own favorite.  You can find some amazing bistros, cafes, and high end restaurants in the city, and every small port has their own selection to choose from - it is also common to see locals take a nice drive "around the bay" to stop in at their favorite local haunt for a bite on a Sunday afternoon.  As for pubs, St. John's has the highest pub ratio in North America condensed on one street -George Street - those who have been there know...

Restaurants

Basho - looks like Japanese restaurant with a fusion mix and  great cocktail selection.  Check the review:
http://thescope.ca/scoff/basho-restaurant-and-lounge

The Gypsy Tea Room in downtown St. John's  - looks like a more traditional mix on the menu of duck confit, seafood and some classic desserts.  Check out the review:

http://thescope.ca/scoff/gypsy-tea-room

Atlantica in Portugal Cove - "Atlantica Restaurant was named Canada"s Best New Restaurant 2007 in by enRoute magazine. Located on oceans edge a few minutes outside St. Johns, Atlantica's focus is to give their guests the most unforgettable dining experience, combining food, wine, service, and ambiance."  Here is the Open Table review:

http://www.opentable.com/atlantica-restaurant


Pubs

Well, of course, we have to start with the pure definition of "pub" in St. John's and steer visitors towards where the locals go : The Duke of Duckworth Pub, or more commonly referred to as "The Duke".  One of the best known pubs in St. John's, you have to look for the access to this fine establishment, carefully placed in a side alley off Duckworth Street. Known as a non-traditional Irish Pub, it's a friendly, singing drinking hole where supposedly, Dr. Phelan has visited on occasion. ;-)

The Republic is also a keeper, and is known as The Duke West - that is, located on the west end of Duckworth Street.

From my days in St. John's, the "artistic types" would  visit The Ship Pub, the oldest pub with tons of local color. Located on Solomon's Lane, an alleyway between Duckworth and Water Streets,  here, you can get your fill of live local bands and poetry readings!

On high recommendation, Tourists should check out Fiddlers Pub in St. John's and The Inn of Olde in Quidi Vidi, a small village inside the city of St. John's and about a five minute drive from downtown.  You will also find Quidi Vidi Brewery here, a well known micro brewery with fantastic local beer!

There are dozens of great pubs to choose from and most within walking distance of each other downtown.  No matter what your looking for, chances are you will be met with a smile, good measure and great conversation from friendly locals!

Next Generation Entrepreneur: Social Selling

So, I am about 4 months into actively running my own Stella and Dot business and I have to say - I made the right choice!  Not your average direct selling business with high pressure sales, tedious "parties" and countless hours making a buck - this is the next generation: social selling.  And guess what?  It's simple, fun and all about having a great time with some killer jewels!

Stella and Dot offers a way for women entrepreneurs to quickly become profitable and use media, technology and product as the foundation of their empire.  In fact, earlier this year, Sequoia Capital, one of the most respected venture firms in the Silicon Valley did something very unexpected: they invested almost $40 million into Stella and Dot!  With the majority of their investments dominating the public market - think Apple, Oracle and Google - they are a powerhouse, but a technology one, not a jewellery investment firm.  WHY?  Look no further than the founder of Stella and Dot, Jessica Herrin, or better still, watch this short clip from CNBC to find out:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232/?video=3000011200&play=1



Social selling is a few steps past your mother's Mary Kay or Avon business.  Get some on trend, high quality jewellery and then build a platform to sell that reaches an enormous amount of people.  Give the Stylists the ability to access marketing and training at the click of a mouse, sell their business over giants like Facebook and set up their own e-boutique (in about 5 minutes) that is consistently updated and allows online easy purchases and you've got a start.  And a great start it is!  Finishing off year three, Stella and Dot averaged $104 Million in sales and is expected to blow away that mark in 2011.  Hedging their bets that Stella and Dot will be the first direct sales business to break the $1 Billion mark in five years, the Executive have added the Publisher of IN Style magazine as their new CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) and recently scooped several designers from such fashion houses as Mark Jacobs to lead the way into their extended line of handbags - expected to launch Fall 2011!

In it's infancy still, Stella and Dot has only reached 0.5% of it's targeted audience in North America, so this is still ground floor opportunity.  Finally, after a successful launch in London, UK and interview with British Vogue, Stella and Dot is set to launch in the UK by September 2011. 

Interested in learning more or better still, jumping on this wagon?  I'd personally LOVE to help you!  I am opening the borders for anyone in Canada, The United States or the United Kingdom to reach out and join my team!

http://home.stelladot.com/luxejewels/stylist_info/opportunity

www.stelladot.com/sites/thegoods1

Inspirations.... Date Night!

Corso 32, small space but big taste

Whether you are young and single or celebrating your golden wedding anniversary, quality time with the one you love is equally important at every stage of your life.  But somewhere between career, children, family obligations and the endless list of chores, the once all-important date night can get smothered and sometimes... forgotten.

My husband and I have a unique arrangement with a blended family: his children are adults and my daughter is with us a bit more than half time.  That means that on every alternate week, we have more time to spend with one another and keep our connection strong - not to mention not having to worry about finding a babysitter, although Jenna is almost at the legal age of being left home alone!

So today, a brief shot if inspiration passed my desk in between training in my new job and conducting searches - we are going to Corso 32 next week - date night!!  And with a bit of luck on my side, presto!  We got in - YES!  This restaurant is one of the several new restaurants in Edmonton to pop up in the past three months and we have been trying irregularly to get in for the past month and a half! Probably the hottest one in town right now and with Susur Lee coming through town and raving about the place, I was afraid we'd be waiting for another month to get it!

(Check back next week to see a restaurant review)  http://corso32.com/

Hailed probably the first real Italian Restaurant in Edmonton, with rustic Italian dishes that are traditional yet in a modern setting, I can't wait to check it out.  The only problem is...what to order!  Here is the latest menu put out last week (I expect they change the menu weekly):

http://corso32.com/corso32-menu.pdf

Needless to say, don't leave it completely to your husband to plan date night - the experience is enjoyed by both so the responsibility should be equal too!  I know my husband was so pleased to get a cute text from his wife inviting him out next Tuesday!  :-)

Quinoa

I love starches.  But sometimes, there is a craving for something....different.  I know, potatoes have thousands of possibilities, and rice, well, just as many.  So on a shopping excursion to our local Costco a few weeks ago, I came across a Costco size bag of organic Quinoa.  An ancient grain, chocked full of nutrients and goodness, and a perfect substitute when you want to switch things up with some of your favorite meals.

But what to do with this bag of little edible pearls?  After snooping around several food blogs and the Food Network, I ran across a quick and easy recipe for first time Quinoa users which received a thumbs up from hubby (and that's saying something when you are replacing a Brit's potatoes)!  I'll be honest, my first attempt caught me with no pine nuts in the house and a short time to execute this recipe.  The result was fantastic with or without the nuts!  Quinoa is a hearty, though light grain.  It works great with steak and a rustic roasted vegetable.  Rule of thumb: treat it like rice.  For whatever measurement you use of Quinoa, use two parts of water and boil for about 15 minutes, or until done.  This is the basis for the Quinoa - from here you can try a wide variety of flavor combinations, depending on what is accompanying the grain.

Here is the recipe to get you started with Quinoa, courtesy of the Food Network:

Herbed Quinoa with Pine Nuts

Cook Time:20 min

Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings, serving size 3/4 cup
Ingredients
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and pepper

Directions

Put the broth and quinoa in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.

Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove nuts from pan and set aside. Heat the oil in the same skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.

When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Per Serving:

Calories 180; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 6 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 30 mg

Mothers know best...especially Teachers!

OK, first off, I have to apologize to my daughter's teacher who gave me a great idea for a blog about a month ago, and it has taken me this long to make it happen!  What can I say, life has been crazy hectic, throw in the flu, change of job and an increase in sales with Stella and Dot, and something has to give!

The title, is self explanatory.  And so true!

So, Jenna has been blessed with a great teacher for her Grade 5 and Grade 6 class years - one who is open to communicating with me and Jenna and genuinely cares about the growth of her students.  On top of that, she is a wife and mother of two boys with a busy schedule!  Regardless, she still has time to mention some of her own tips to maintaining her sanity and the all-important work-life balance, so how could I not pass these on to THE GOODS readers - I mean, isn't that the whole point of this blog?

Mrs. McLeod has re-introduced us to a proud Albertan and master of time management, Sandy Richardson.  Sandy has been gathering a large following over the past few years with her cookbooks, helpful tips of keeping nutrition in a busy household while still managing to spend time with her family.  She is probably the most well-known meal planning expert in North America as well as a known TV personality, while her wisdom is shared and supported by both medical doctors and nutritionist across the country.

Check out her website, filled with recipes, tips and even a grocery store generator:

http://www.cookingfortherushed.com/

Sandy's new book and movement, Eating Forward, is all about bringing families back to the dinner table while improving relationships in the home.  And I would suspect that being a modern mother of seven children probably had something to do with her fantastic time management skills!

One of the many recipes that have been mother/Teacher/family approved is a chicken and Caesar recipe.  I did come across one on the Food Network website, it was rate 4/5 with lots of shortcuts to make the meal in under 15 minutes, so hopefully this is the right one:

Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic Bread

Ingredients


1x1 kilogram precooked roaster chicken from deli

2 Caesar salad kits (complete with Romaine lettuce, dressing, croutons.)

2 tablespoons real bacon bits (optional)

2 – 4 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning

2 tablespoons low-fat grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole-wheat baguettes

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes


Directions

1.Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Place in a microwave safe bowl. Let stand in fridge.

2.Put salad into salad bowl. Pour dressing as desired over salad and toss.

3.Sprinkle with bacon bits and croutons.

4.Divide onto individual serving plates.

5.Toss chicken pieces with spice and cook in microwave at high for 2 minutes or until hot.

6.Toss and heat again for 1 minute.

7.Divide chicken equal over lettuce and finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

8.Slice bread lengthwise, lightly butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and parsley.

9.Turn oven off and toss bread in, butter side up.


So, for those that find themselves at a loss of what to have for dinner en route from work, I suggest you take tomorrow's lunch break and have a glance at Sandy Richardson's website.  Not only will she give you some new ideas for dinner, healthy alternative meals and, like the recipe above, ideas for quick, last minute meals, she also inspires you to take that daily stress off your shoulders and plan in advance, let the kids help out and enjoy each others company around the table.

Although our family is very busy, we always make time to eat dinner together and without interruption.  I took to meal planning a few years ago when juggling life and managing a team was becoming too much work with too little hours.  Every Saturday I try to decide what we will have for dinner, or possible combinations, and then plan my grocery list for the following day.  Though not as systematic as Sandy's routine, it works.

And many thanks to Cheryl McLeod, who took the time to share this cookbook and website with me.  Detention for tardiness is more than acceptable!