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| a beautiful table set for 2 |
Sometimes it is the most simple and inexpensive things in life that really show the people you love how much you care about them! A handmade card, a home cooked meal or some freshly baked/made treats can really impress your loved one and make them feel special. Anyone can go out and buy a gift, but spending your time to make something for someone is a rarity these days.
This month I had two loved ones to make feel special. The first was my Oma (whose birthday was on February 10th), the second was Jake (my husband),who I not only celebrate Valentine's day with, but on February 12th it was the 10th anniversary of our first date. Since I missed my Oma's birthday party (due to work), I was excited to invite her over for a home cooked meal chez moi. And although Jake enjoys my home cooking almost everyday of life, it's not all that often that I make his favourite dishes.
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a restaurant quality meal |
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| tortilla crusted halibut |
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banana bread pudding a la mode |
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| gourmet blend of mushrooms |
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| adding some Shiraz to the broth |
My Oma has cooked for our family for the past 50 years, so I was delighted to finally return the favour and cook a special meal just for her. I decided to make cream of mushroom soup as a starter, followed by tortilla crusted baked halibut accompanied by a spinach blend salad with a honey sesame vinaigrette, and to top it all off banana bread pudding for dessert. It sounds like a meal you would get served in a fancy restaurant, only it cost a bit less and was made with a lot more love! I found an amazing recipe for the cream of mushroom soup from celebrity chef Michael Smith on the foddnetwork.ca's website. I altered the recipe a bit, adding my homemade beef broth instead of chicken broth and using a gourmet blend of cramini, shitaki, and oyster mushrooms instead of just button mushrooms. All in all, the soup was beyond delicious. For the halibut I crushed some tortilla chips in my food processor and set up a flour, egg, and crushed tortilla chip assembly line for the fish and into the oven they went for about 25mins. The spinach salad blend was simple to make as well. I washed and cut up some boston lettuce and baby spinach and then tossed it in the honey sesame vinaigrette that I made. The banana bread pudding was a bit more work. I had to make the banana bread the night before, and then cube it and toast it in the oven. Then I placed it in a baking pan and poured the custard mixture over it. When it was finished cooking, I topped it off with some vanilla frozen yogurt and served it up with a fresh cup of coffee (brewed in my Keurig coffee maker of course). The whole lunch was beyond delicious, and most importantly enjoyed and appreciated by the birthday girl! The soup especially was rich and decadent. The blend of mushrooms really added a meaty texture to the rich and creamy broth.
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a homemade lunch for my valentine |
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| white chocolate covered strawberries |
The very next day was Valentines day! In 2002 I had my 2nd date with Jake on this romantic holiday, and I cooked for him for the very first time. What did I make you ask? Spaghetti and meatballs with ceaser salad. I was only 20 years old at the time, and hadn't really developed cooking as a passion just yet. Jake brought dessert, whipped cream (from a can) and strawberries. They say that the key to a man's heart is through his stomach... well I guess it only took two dates for me to get the key! The strawberries for dessert has become a tradition for us, and now every Valentine's day I make chocolate covered strawberries. This year on Valentine's day, both Jake and I had to work (and opposite shifts at that). That meant that we really didn't have much time to spend together. I decided that a homemade lunch was the perfect way to spend the measly one hour of time that we had together. I started by making one of our favourite soup's, roasted red pepper. We love that kind of soup so much, that we even had the chef's at the banquet hall that hosted our wedding reception make it to serve at our wedding dinner. Believe it or not, it's actually a fairly simple soup to make. In the winter months, I use a jar of already roasted red peppers instead of roasting them myself on the BBQ. To accompany the soup, I made oven roasted chicken breast on a toasted baguette. And then, let's not forget the chocolate covered strawberries for dessert! Jake was pleasantly surprised to arrive home from a long day at work, to find a romantic table for two with some of his favourite foods on it.
The older I get, the more and more I appreciate having someone else cook for me. Even though I love to cook myself. There's just something really nice about sitting back and relaxing, while someone else waits on you, serves you a meal, and then cleans up after you as well. To me, nothing says "I love you" like a homemade lunch. Food is love, and sharing what you love is one of the greatest gifts of all!
Cream of Mushroom Soup : 2 lbs of gourmet mushrooms
1/2 c of butter
3 onions chopped
1/2 of a bottle of Shiraz
4 c of beef broth
1 c of whipping cream
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
3 tbsp of corn starch
1/2 c of water
salt and pepper to taste
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| sauteing the butter, mushrooms and onions |
In a large sauce pot cook mushrooms, onions, and butter on meduim heat until mushrooms turn brown. Add wine and simmer, reducing by 50%. Add broth and whipping cream, bring to a boil. Add thyme and simmer for a few more minutes. In a small cup, combine corn starch and water making a pasty like liquid. Add corn starch liquid to soup slowly and stir. Let soup simmer to desired thickness.
Tortilla Crusted Halibut:
2 fillets of halibut
1 c of crushed tortilla chips
1 egg beaten
1/2 c of flour
1 tbsp of Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp of thyme
dash of salt and pepper
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| assembly line for the halibut |
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| crushing the tortilla chips |
Crush tortilla chips using a food processor. Combine crushed tortilla chips, Parmesan cheese, thyme, and salt and pepper. Place mixture on dinner plate. Place flour and beaten egg on separate dinner plates. Using a fork dip halibut fillet first in flour (coating both sides of fillet), then in egg mixture (again coating both sides of fillet), and then in tortilla mixture (once again coating both sides of fillet). Repeat with second halibut fillet. Place coated fillets in a greased baking dish, and bake for 20-25 mins at 350 F. Turning fillets over at the half way point. Serve with tarter sauce.
Mixed Spinach Salad with Honey-Sesame Vinaigrette Dressing:
2 c of washed and dried baby spinach
1 c of washed and dried boston lettuce
2 tbsp of goat cheese (optional)
2 tbsp of mixed dried fruit (optional)
2 tbsp of sunflower seeds (optional)
4 tbsp of cider vinegar
3 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of honey
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tbsp of water
dash of salt and pepper
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| tossing the salad |
In a small bowl, whisk cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, water and salt and pepper. Toss spinach and lettuce in dressing. Place salad on serving plate, and top with optional ingredients.
Banana Bread Pudding:
3/4 of a loaf of banana bread (with crusts removed and cut into cubes)
1 1/2 c of water
1 c of sugar
1/2 c of butter
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| banana bread |
2 c of whip cream
2 c of milk
4 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of vanilla
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| banana bread pudding |
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cubes of banana bread on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 mins. In a sauce pot combine water and sugar. Beat on high heat until syrup is golden brown. Add butter and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in cream. Add vanilla, milk, nutmeg and eggs (tempering the egg mixture) whisk until combined. Stir in cubes of banana bread. Allow mixture to absorb into bread. Pour into a baking dish, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 45mins. Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries:
1 pint of strawberries (long stemmed ones are desirable)
1 pkg of chocolate chips (white chocolate chips optional)
3 tbsp of cream
2 tbsp of butter
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| white chocolate chips ready to be melted |
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| strawberries ready for dipping |
Wash and dry strawberries. Using a double broiler on the stove, melt chocolate chips. Stir in cream and butter, creating a smooth chocolate mixture. Remove from heat, and dip strawberries in mixture. Place strawberries on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
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| melted white chocolate mixture |
