Love Your Lentils Campaign - GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Canadiana Baked Beans for the win! 
This just in: I WON THE 2013 Canadian Lentils CONTEST!!!

I undoubtedly have the best friends & family in the world. THANK YOU for voting and for putting up with "a couple" bean related messages/texts/emails. On Friday June 21st, I'll be flying to Saskatchewan to tour lentil farms, pick berries and dine with my kitchen idol, 
Chef Michael Smith. 

Someone pinch me, please. This is simply remarkable. Thank you all so much!!

Many of you have asked  - so I'm happy to share the award winning recipe.

Here's what you need:

2 cups lentils (pre-cooked measurement)

1 bayleaf

8 slices bacon (cook slightly)

2 medium onions

1 large green pepper

Sauce: 

1 can tomato paste 

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

2 cups of water 

1tsp Worcester sauce, maggi, 

.5 tsp cayenne pepper, dry mustard

Steps: Cover lentils with sufficient water, add bay leaf and bring to gentle boil. Once water reaches this point, reduce to simmer for 13 minutes. Drain and add a tsp of salt

In a saucepan, gently cook onions and peppers in a tsp of oil, or bacon grease as I used. 
Cook on medium for three minutes. Once soft, combine onions, peppers and lentils

In a casserole dish, add chopped, cooked bacon and layer in three parts: lentils, bacon, sauce. Do this three times adding all extra sauce to the top. 

Bake on 325 for 60 mins then remove lid for final 20 minutes. (bakes 80 mins total)
Let cool for 10 mins, enjoy! 

Spring Rolls 2.0

Spring Rolls 2.0
Disclaimer: If you end up eating half a dozen of these in one sitting, don't hate me...you have been warned, these are really, really good. Please sign my waiver before making these.

I've made spring rolls a couple of times now... first in a joint effort with my brother in law Richard. Round one was SO GOOD! Richard deserves a lot of the credit. Then I made them again for a superbowl party where 24 disappeared in under 15 mins, and then again for the Jude's birthday celebration where four dozen proved to not be enough. 

'The Jude' is my mom, for anyone who doesn't know. 

You can cook these up right away, keep in fridge for up to 2 days, or you can also freeze them.

Experimenting with different wrapping techniques evolved into one that worked...or I could have watched Richard from the beginning. I'll still take a gold star for improving over time.

I have convinced myself that despite being fried, the super-food innards cancel that out! (Anyone want to back me on this?)

Here are some shots from Round #1. These were taken on a beauty Sunday afternoon when I joined my bil and sis at their home in Ayr...

We made 2 different fillings. 
The recipe below is the one on the right.
Right: pork, beef, sweet potato, carrot, onion, fresh ginger & garlic, spices
Left: beef, cabbage, carrots, onion, fresh garlic, spices

Our efficient rolling station. 

Take that eHarmony haters! 
Richard met my sister Ani on his first date!
[Cough (away from the food), less kissing/more rolling, please]

Fry keeping an eye. crisp all sides.

GET IN MY BELLY!!!

Here's what you need:

1 lb. ground beef 

1 lb. ground pork (I removed the casing from 4 sausages I had in freezer)
3 medium size sweet potatoes

5 carrots

1 medium onion 

2 tbs of fresh chopped ginger 

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tbs of each: paprika, basil, black pepper, salt

.5 tbs garlic powder, onion powder

 a splash of maggi (I freakin love this stuff!)

1-2 pkgs of Egg roll or spring roll wraps (see photo to left) 

Shred your carrots and sweet potato with a cheese grader, or finely chopped with a processor

In a splash of oil, cook your beef and pork together for about 4 minutes

Add onions (diced), fresh garlic and ginger, cook for 2 mins

Add spices, shredded carrots, sweet potato, and a splash of maggi

Cook together on low until everything is tender and potent

Roll them up the best way you know how. Seal with a cornstarch/water paste or melted butter.


Layer with waxed paper and freeze for a few weeks.
We also made samosa triangles by cutting wraps 
in dialonal halves and pressed the edges with a fork.

Don't forget to sign my waiver before making these... ;-)

Bon Appetite! 

Dilly sweet potato fries w creamy dill + garlic mayo

Dilly sweet potato fries w creamy dill + garlic mayo (baked and delicious)

I make these often (my often is twice a week). They are melt in your mouth awesome. 

Sometimes the grocery store will label yams-sweet potatoes, or vice versa. I use whatever and they are both equally delicious.
If you're wanting to get a nice crispy bake to your homemade fries, it's best to cut them into desired size and soak in water for up to 24 hours. I let mine soak for about three hours chilling in the fridge. 

Here's what you need:
4 medium size sweet potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs course sea salt
1/3 cup of fresh dill (chopped)
+ optional: cloves of garlic (the amount you use is up to you. I stink up a storm using an entire head of cloves) and love adding cherry tomatoes to the sheet when flipping mine the first time. 



Prep your baking sheet with aluminum foil and preheat oven to 425.

Peel, soak, and dry your potatoes. Cut them in half and then into half inch sticks.

Toss in a bowl with garlic, oil and dill. Coat evenly.

Bake for 20-25 mins and then add cherry tomatoes (toss in same bowl so they are lightly coated in oil as well).

Add sea salt and bake for another 15-20 mins.

Creamy Dill + Garlic Mayo 

1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill
Juice from half a lemon
2 cloves of garlic (pressed)

Mix together and chill for 30 mins before serving.

You should have enough dill mayo left over to use on your sandwich the next day.

Don't plan on kissing anyone for a few hours? Add an extra clove of garlic. At the very least, I will still be your friend. Enjoy!