From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Easy Summertime Salsa

One of the things I've been making a lot of this summer is fresh salsa. Not only is it nutritious and delicious, it's super easy and always feels like such a treat compared to its store-bought counterpart. I like serving it with chips and chilled white wine for some impromptu entertaining, or eating it with scrambled eggs and warm corn tortillas for a quick weekday dinner. With the last long weekend of the summer approaching, I thought I might share this simple recipe in case you were looking to add something extra to your backyard barbecue menu. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 or 3 tomatoes on the vine, diced
• Juice from 1 lime
• Cilantro, chopped, to taste
• 1 tbsp Cholula hot sauce
• Kosher salt, to taste

Combine ingredients in one bowl and mix well. Chill before serving if desired. When serving, stir occasionally with a spoon so the hot sauce and lime juice at the bottom of the bowl are redistributed throughout the salsa.

2

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Turkey and White Bean Chili

Photo from marthastewart.com

Still determined to save more money, eat out less often, be healthier and cook more at home in 2012? Accomplish all of these New Year's resolutions at once with this simple turkey and white bean chili recipe from Martha Stewart. I tried making it twice last year and both times it turned out wonderfully. Letting the chili simmer for an hour instead of the recommended 15-20 minutes results in a thicker, leaner chili (all the fat floats to the top and you can keep skimming it off). Oh, and if you double the recipe you can freeze the leftovers for easy-to-reheat lunches.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, diced (seeded for milder taste)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced sodium chicken broth [I substituted homemade chicken stock instead]
• 1 cup water
• Sour cream, cilantro, and radishes (for garnish) [I used grated cheddar instead]

Instructions

1. In a large, deep, skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up turkey with spoon, until browned, 9 minutes.
2. Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 3 minutes. Stir in cumin and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.
3. Add cannellini beans, chicken broth, and water; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, and radishes, if desired.

P.S. If you haven't entered my Brave belts giveaway yet, do it now!

8

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Easy Lunchtime Salad

My Vancouver Fashion eZine editor Marilyn Wilson once said I always had "the best brown bag lunches." While I'm flattered by such compliments, it's also a little embarrassing because the compliment feels undeserved. I know exactly how little effort such lunches can take. A little bit of planning goes a long way when it comes to being lazy.

Take this lunchtime salad I've been eating lately, for example. It's a spin on a white bean and olive salad recipe from Everyday Food magazine. I spend about 30 minutes making 4 servings for 4 days worth of lunches at once. The high fibre and protein content make for a healthy satisfying meal, plus everything keeps surprisingly well in the fridge as long as you use separate containers and combine all the components just before serving.

White Bean and Olive Salad with Egg, Radish and Mixed Baby Greens

[Dressing]

• Lemon juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Whisk dressing ingredients together and put into one airtight container.

[Bean Salad]

• 3 cans white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 kalamata olives

Combine ingredients and divide evenly into 4 airtight containers.

[Greens]

• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 142 g mixed baby greens

Combine ingredients and divide evenly into 4 airtight containers.

[Boiled Eggs]

Put 4 eggs in a saucepan with water, making sure that the water covers the eggs by an inch. Bring saucepan to a rolling boil, wait 10-20 seconds, and remove from heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for another 12 minutes before removing them.

Before Eating...

Shake your dressing container. Spoon 1.5 spoonfuls of dressing into a container of greens and a container of bean salad, and shake both. Put on a plate. Peel the egg and slice in half; add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Do you like salads as meals? What are your favourite recipes?

8

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

My manager has a gluten allergy and one of my coworkers has celiac disease, so lately I've been trying to find gluten-free baking recipes to make whenever I bring treats to work. I discovered the recipe below a while ago when I was browsing the Martha Stewart website and made the cookies last Monday. The cookie part turned out soft, moist and full of peanut butter flavour, but the semi-sweet chocolate chips were too sweet and overpowered the saltiness of the peanut butter. Next time I might opt for dark chocolate chips instead.

Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts.
2. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets. [I dipped two spoons in a bowl of water and used them to scoop tablespoonfuls of batter. It was a lot neater than using my hands!]
3. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

12

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

These homemade chocolate peanut butter cups from MarthaStewart.com are a bit messy to make, but completely worth the clean-up because they're super easy and the results are delicious! I made a batch to take to Monday morning meetings and they were a hit with my coworkers. If you need to impress guests at a potluck or party and don't have enough time to bake, you can make and freeze peanut butter cups instead.

Easy Peanut Butter Cups

4 oz. white chocolate

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

12 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate [I ended up using 16 oz.]

2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts

1. Line two 12-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate and peanut butter. Microwave, until almost melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, place semisweet chocolate in another microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, stirring once or twice, until almost melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Dividing evenly, use a spoon to layer semisweet chocolate and peanut-butter mixture into liners, beginning and ending with chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts. Place muffin pans in freezer until peanut butter cups are firm, about 15 minutes. Bring to room temperature before serving.

12

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Breaded Chicken

The nice thing about a simple recipe like breaded chicken is that you can make substitutions with whatever ingredients you have on hand and the dish will still turn out okay. After consulting a recipe for whole wheat-crusted chicken breast cutlets on Epicurious, I went to work making my own version. The breading mixture I ultimately used consisted of white toasted bread, pecorino romano cheese, lemon-infused sea salt, and pepper. Although the recipe calls for a combination of mayonnaise and Dijon mustard as the wet mixture, I substituted a beaten egg for the mayo.

So how'd it turn out? Not bad at all. I think I'm going to add this recipe to the lunch recipe rotation.

3

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Pasta with Porcini Mushroom Sauce and Chicken

While looking for new porcini recipes to try, I stumbled upon one for tortellini with porcini mushroom sauce on Epicurious. The three-cheese tortellini, whipping cream, butter, and copious amounts of parmesan that it called for sounded too rich though. To make a lighter version of this dish, I substituted pennette rigate for the tortellini, half-and-half for the whipping cream, and olive oil for the butter. I left the parmesan out entirely and only sprinkled some on the pasta right before eating it. I also cut a chicken breast up into small cubes and sauteed it with the shallots for some lean protein.

Despite all my substitutions, the creamy mushroomy sauce still proved quite heavy. The solution? Serve with a lemon wedge on the side. Citrus flavours cut through rich sauces wonderfully.

4

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Beef Skewers with Rosemary and Garlic

Things have been a bit crazy lately and consequently I don't have as much time to try new recipes as I'd like to. But this recipe from an old issue of Everyday Food magazine was simple, quick and tasty. I ended up taking the chunks of meat off the skewers and packing them along with leftover rice for lunch.

Beef skewers with rosemary and garlic

2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 flat iron steaks (1.5 lbs total) [sirloin steak will do if you can't find this]

1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Soak eight 6-inch wooden skewers in water for at least 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on a work surface, chop garlic and rosemary, and sprinkle with a little salt. Press blade of knife back and forth across mixture. Place in a medium bowl, and stir in oil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Cut steaks into twenty-four 1.5-inch chunks. Add to bowl; toss to coat. Thread chunks of beef onto each skewer; place skewers onto prepared baking sheet.
4. Broil (without turning) 4-6 minutes for medium-rare.

11

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Porcini Mushroom Soup

Last year the boy's brother went on a trip to Florence with his fiancée and they returned bearing gifts for everyone, including porcini mushrooms for me. Having never cooked with them before, I cast about Epicurious for a recipe and found a delicious-sounding one for porcini mushroom soup. The recipe also called for white mushrooms; I used organic instead of the normal variety because they had better flavour. The result: a hearty, satisfying vegetable soup so full of savoury goodness that my mom asked if I'd put meat in it (I hadn't).

Have any of you tried cooking with porcini before? They're an ingenious ingredient: first, because the mushrooms themselves add a lot of depth to the dish; second, because the boiling hot water you pour over the porcini to soak them in can later be used in soup broths and such. A dual purpose ingredient that adds twice the flavour to anything you cook, and is easy to use to boot. I approve.

9

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Beef Chili and Chicken and Pasta with Homemade Pesto

New year, new job, and along with all these changes, a plunge back into cooking at least once a week. Making a week's worth of lunches and packing them into containers is my way of eating out less and saving more money. The day before the boy and I returned to work from the Christmas holidays, we shopped for ingredients to make this delicious-sounding beef and bean chili recipe I found on Epicurious.com. The amount of fresh jalapeno it called for turned out to be too much and we left out the chili powder completely for fear that the chili might be too spicy. But next time we might halve the amount of jalapeno and substitute chili powder instead. As good as this chili was, it lacked the smoky depth that chili powder probably would've provided.

After the chili was done, I took some homemade pesto out of the freezer to defrost and made quick lunches out of pennette pasta and chicken breast. I tweeted a photo at the end and someone commented that the chicken still looked raw. It does look really pink in the photo, but rest assured that it was fully cooked in real life.



Are you into cooking? What have you made in your kitchen lately?

7

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Apple Pie And Egg Tarts

My latest culinary experiments are both pastry-related. The apple pie pictured above is a test run pie for the one that I later made and brought to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. For the crust, I used a simple pastry recipe from Everyday Food magazine that was published for a blueberry pie. Since I didn't have a satisfactory apple pie filling recipe on hand, I "consulted" Epicurious before deciding to wing it. The pastry on the test run pie turned out perfectly, but the filling needed a few tweaks. In the end the pie for the dinner turned out pretty well. One person said he liked a crust, and another person said the filling reminded her of apple sauce ("a good thing because I like apple sauce"). Hey, I'll take any compliment I can get! By the way, if you're curious about the secrets to a rich, flaky pastry, here they are: A pastry cutter. Cold butter and lots of it. Ice water added a little at a time. Don't overmix your ingredients.



So after figuring out pastry, it was on to Chinese egg tarts, a beloved dessert in my household. To make these, I used a jar lid to cut circles of pastry out and plopped them into a mini muffin pan. Then I followed this recipe to make the custard filling. Like the apple pie, it took two tries to get these right. The first time I made the mistake of greasing the muffin pan before putting the pastry in, which resulted in really buttery, greasy tarts. The second time I just put the pastry straight in, and while it still turned out very buttery and rich, the butter wasn't overwhelming and the tarts didn't feel as greasy. Despite the snafus and the fact that they look more like mini egg custard hockey pucks than tarts, my family loved them. Each batch has lasted less than two days, tops.

16

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Pasta Puttanesca, Fish En Papillote, Pesto

I don't know whether it was cool temperatures or the urge to save money before New York, but the cooking bug bit me shortly before I left on my trip. I made pasta puttanesca twice: once with the boy (who did very well for "someone who doesn't cook," as he put it), and once on my own for lunch. The Epicurious recipe I used is extremely easy and yields a tasty sauce--garlicky, tomato-y, spicy with fresh basil, capers, and olives mixed in. Yum!



Since I didn't want to have pasta for lunch every day of the week, I made a different lunch to alternate with the puttanesca: fish en papillote. I seasoned white fish filets with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and paprika, then wrapped it in in parchment paper with sliced red, yellow, and orange peppers. Each packet was packed with leftover rice.



With tons of fragrant fresh basil left over from the pasta puttanesca recipe, I cast about for another recipe that could use it up and came up with pesto. It sat in an airtight container in the fridge with plastic wrap on the surface for several days before I transferred it to the freezer. I finally used it as a sauce for spaghettini and chicken breast. Next time I might use it in baked chicken.

9

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Pork Chops With Cognac Mustard Cream Sauce

Ta da! My first attempted new recipe in a long time turned into a simple yet satisfying Saturday dinner for the boy and me: pork chops with cognac mustard cream sauce (based on this recipe) topped with sautéed organic mushrooms. It was so easy and delicious, and the sauce and mushrooms proved to be tasty complements to the pork chops. For a side salad, we had spinach tossed with raspberries, cubes of the Tomme D'Or cheese we bought on Saltspring Island, and a storebought raspberry vinaigrette dressing. We also cut up some French bread and enjoyed that with more Tomme D'Or cheese and the ash-ripened Camembert.

14

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Guacamole

My cooking resolution has fallen by the wayside in the last few weeks because it's too hot and lovely outside to be stuck indoors next to the stove or a scorching oven. That's not to say I haven't tried making one or two things of late. Veggie skewers for a beach barbecue. Sangria for a housewarming party. And now guacamole. The first batch was for a casual Mexican dinner at someone's house, and the next batch I made was for a barbecue at the office.

Before trying my hand at making guacamole, I consulted this recipe for an idea of the ingredients required, but I didn't follow it exactly. I only used one roma tomato and left out the onions entirely. I also added more of one ingredient or another as I went along, tasting the mixture at regular intervals. (Guacamole's pretty much goof-proof that way.) The prep work is time-consuming, but the results are so tasty and satisfying. There's something about fresh guacamole that just hits the spot on a hot summer day.

Do you still cook when the mercury rises? What are your go-to dishes? Any recipes for delicious party appetizers, salads, or summer-appropriate foods you'd like to share?

P.S. In case you missed it, my guest post about the new Chanel cosmetics and fragrance counter in Holt Renfrew is up on Closet Full of Nothing. Click here to read it. Enjoy!

7

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Pasta With Bacon And Peas

Thanks to everyone for their kind and supportive comments on the last post! I feel a lot better, and even though work is going to be psychotic for the next few weeks, I think I'm in better shape to face it. I'm going to take it easy with blogging for the next few weeks so I can focus better in the office.

This also means a break from my "cook once a week" resolution, so this will be the last recipe for a while. Weeks ago, I made pasta with bacon and peas based on a recipe in a back issue of Everyday Food magazine--sort of a modified pasta alla carbonara. The pasta turned out light and tasty and was very quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 10 ounces frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 18 ounces fresh angel hair pasta [I used boxed spaghettini]

Instructions:

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a papert towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).
2. Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve immediately.

I made enough pasta for 2 days of lunches and made baked salmon and zucchini for 2 other days. I also cut up kiwis and watermelon for a simple fruit salad.

15

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Mmm more lemony goodness! When I made the lemon ginger bundt cake, my mom said it was good but complained that the cake was too sweet, buttery, and rich. In other words, she wanted a healthier "light" option. I ended up making these lemon poppy seed cookies on Father's Day weekend for both my parents. At 72 calories for 2 cookies, this recipe from the June 2010 issue of Everyday Food magazine definitely fits the bill. Aside from the difference in calories per serving, the fact that this recipe is so much quicker than the cake makes it more suitable for everyday snacking. Serve these cookies with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon and you're good to go.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, egg yolks, poppy seeds, oil, lemon zest, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture until combined (dough will be dry).
2. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies while hot to wire racks and let cool completely. (Store in an airtight container, up to 5 days.)

13

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Lemon Ginger Bundt Cake

I'm still cooking every week, but lately I've fallen into the rut of making the same thing over and over because I haven't had the inclination or time to seek out new recipes to try. Two weekends ago, I tried something new and made a lemon ginger bundt cake according to a recipe from a back issue of Everyday Food magazine. The cake met with positive reviews from my family and coworkers, enough so that I felt confident making it a second time as my contribution to a casual dinner get-together. Its buttery, dense texture goes well with tea or coffee, perhaps as part of brunch or an afternoon snack, but I don't think I'd make it for an after-dinner dessert again--too filling and heavy after a big meal.

Here's the recipe if you want to try it out for yourself. Good luck!



Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest and 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup bundt pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, lemon zest, ginger, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in lemon juice.
3. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until incorporated (do not overmix). Spoon batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Firmly tap pan on a work surface to level batter.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. [My oven runs a bit cooler than most, so I left my cake in an extra 10+ minutes.] If cake browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let cake cool in pan 30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. (To store, wrap cake in plastic, and keep at room temperature, up to 3 days.) Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

11

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Chicken Corn Chowder

My chicken corn chowder is an adjusted version of this recipe. Instead of Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce, I used cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper to add spicy flavour. I also added corn starch to thicken the broth. It didn't taste too bad!

8

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Baked Salmon

My cooking resolution has hit a bit of a rut lately. I keep getting stuck for ideas of which recipe I want to make next, and consequently I keep making the same thing several times before I move on to the next recipe. After the improvised udon noodle soup, I roasted more chicken for a bit until I decided to tackle salmon.

Like the udon, I didn't go at it with a set recipe, but this time the results were much tastier. I sprinkled salt and pepper on the salmon filets, and combined melted butter, dill, and chopped garlic into a sauce and poured/brushed it on the top. Then I laid thin lemon slices on top. I sprinkled salt and pepper and brushed olive oil on the veggies as well. The salmon filets only took 20 minutes to cook to perfection, but the potatoes and zucchini had to stay in the oven for another 30-40 minutes.

What dishes do you like making? Any ideas or suggestions about what I should try cooking next?

16

From Solo Lisa's Kitchen: Quick Udon Soup Lunch

I strayed from the tried-and-true recipe path and improvised something for lunch after yoga one day. This quick udon soup consists of miso broth and udon noodles. During cooking, I broke an egg into the broth and swirled it around, then when I took the pot off the stove I dropped in chopped scallions and enoki mushrooms. The entire cooking process took about 10 minutes, if even that. The dish was edible but quite possibly the blandest thing I've ever made. I love miso and I love udon, so I'd like to find a way of improving this dish in the future. What should I do differently the next time I make it? Add chicken stock? Use mushrooms that aren't so mild? Add ginger? I'd appreciate any suggestions that the more experienced cooks among my readers can offer!

18