Sheet Pan Ratatouille

Sheet Pan Ratatouille is a great side for chicken or golden halloumi and garlic bread.

This serves 2, double for 4 servings

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 zucchini, cut into ½" medallions.

1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks

Bunch thyme, approximately 4 tsp of leaves stripped off the stem.

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp honey

4 cloves garlic, peeled whole

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

2 chicken breasts -or- 200g halloumi

- Preheat oven to 450°

- Line a sheet Pan with parchment.  

- Toss the peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, thyme and garlic with 1 tbsp or less of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put in the middle oven rack, stirring halfway through cooking. 14-16 minutes.  Until the tomatoes burst.

- Cook protein of your choice. *CHICKEN* season with salt and pepper, brown in oiled pan 2 - 3 minutes a side and then add to the sheet pan.  *HALLOUMI* cut into 4 pieces, rince halloumi and dry with paper towel.  Heat a non stick pan over medium and dry fry until golden, 2 - 3 minutes a side.

- In a bowl, add 1 tbsp olive oil, honey, and white wine vinegar, mash the roasted garlic add salt and pepper.  Toss the roast veggies in the dressing.  Serve with the protein.

- Enjoy!

Leek and Potato Soup

It is soup season.  This soup came around from finding some huge leeks at a market.

Leek and Potato Soup

2 large leeks or 4 regular leeks

6 russet potato or any other starchy potato

1 tbsp+ chicken better than bouillon

Enough water to cover potatoes

6 rashers bacon

1 to 2 tbsp butter

1 cup grated gouda

Salt and pepper

- Remove dark green leek top and slice lengthwise.  Since the leek and shake off the water.  Cut each half lengthwise again and then slice across the leek.

- Peel potatoes and chop into small cubes. Set aside.

- Cut the bacon rashers into small pieces.  Place in a heavy bottom pot and render the fat out and the pieces are lightly golden. Remove bacon from pan. 

- Add 1 to 2 tbsp of butter to pot and all the sliced up leeks.  Sweat the leeks moving around until they are all started to cook.  Cover for 2 to 4 minutes until the leeks are nice and tender.  Add better than bouillon.

- Add potatoes and enough water until all the potatoes are covered.  Cook until potatoes are soft and mashable.

-Mash potatoes, add cheese and salt and pepper to taste 

- Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Sage Ravioli

Buternut Squash Sage Ravioli

500g butternut squash ravioli fresh pasta

400g butternut squash, cubed

120 g onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely grated.

1 cup sour cream

50g goat cheese

1/4 cup sage, finely chopped not packed

3 tbsp chives, chopped

50g pepitas

2 tsp better then bouillon, chicken or veggie

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

-Preheat oven to 425° and put a 10 cups of water on to boil, adding 2+ tap of salt to the water.

- Cube butternut squash and place on baking tray, toss in olive oil, 1 tbsp sage, salt and pepper.  Bake for 22-24 minutes or until squash gets golden around the edges.

- In a small bowl combine goat cheese and half of the chives, set aside.

- Add ravioli to the boiling water and cook according to the package.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

- In a non stick pan, toast pepitas and set aside.  Be careful not to burn.

- in the same pan add butter, remaining sage and onions and sweat 2 to 3 minutes, add garlic and cook another 1 minute.

-Add broth concentrate, cooking another 2 minutes then remove from heat and mix in the sour cream (it helps if you let the sour cream warm up a bit before adding.). Season with salt and pepper

-Add pasta and cooked squash to the sauce, then pour into a large serving bowl.  Top with goat cheese and chives, sprinkle pepitas on top or serve on the side.

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This might seem like a copy of my last cookies but I keep trying new things and this is my latest creation.  

Browned Butter Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

235 g butter 

200g white sugar

100g brown sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla extract

260g unsweetened peanut butter (I used a processed unsweetened PB, it doesn't separate like natural PB, not sure how the recipe would work with natural PB)

180 g flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

180g quick oats

350g chocolate chips or chunked chocolate. (I added 450g and it was way too much.  Some cookies were more chocolate chips than cookie)

Salt for sprinkling

Brown Butter

Browning the butter is best done in advance to give the butter time to cool.

-In a small light coloured pan, add butter and cook over medium-low heat until it takes on a brown nutty appearance.  I find it is best to stir it frequently so it doesn't splatter as much and it is harder to walk away and let it burn.  Once it has achieved a night dark appearance, removed from heat and set aside to cool.  You can use it as soon as it comes to body temp or even solidifies.

Cookie

-Cream browned butter and sugars together until it is slightly fluffy, add eggs 1 at a time, add vanilla and peanut butter until well combined.

-In small bowl mix together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

-Scrape down the sides of the butter bowl and fold in the dry ingredients.

-Fold in the oats and chocolate

-Cover and chill 1 hour. 

-Roll into balls of about 2 tbsp and top with a bit of salt.

Preheat over the 350° bake cook for about 12 minutes 

Browned Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie
by me

5 oz browned butter (I started with 165g of butter)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup flour
2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Make browned butter by gently simmering butter and letting the solids slightly brown.  Then let solidify.

Cream together butter and sugars, scraping the sides down.
Add egg, mix.
Add vanilla and molasses, mix.
Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, mix.
Add quick oats, mix
Add chocolate chips, mix with spoon.

Chill 30+ minutes.
Scoop and bake at 350 for 10 minutes until cookie is set but the bottom hasn't taken much colour.