foodie

{New} Friday Feature: Weekday Wrap Up

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Sometimes the 5 o’clock rush is just dinner at my house. Nothing fancy, simple basic ingredients from my pantry, fridge or freezer and a trip to the supermarket. No measuring, or creating recipes just cooking and getting dinner on the table.

I thought as a way to share these dinners, I would have a new feature on Fridays called:

Weekday Wrap Up

A frenzy of dinner pictures with no recipes. And since it is summertime, dinners are less consistent or as planned and being at the trailer adds to the inconsistency.

As suggested by one of my dear friends, I will try to take more pictures by using my DSLR camera EOS Rebel T2i – Canon Canada Inc. instead of just limiting the photos to the security of my iPhone.

I have been researching and experimenting with my DSLR at the trailer. This resource has been very helpful Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots Book by Nicole S. Young | Trade Paperback | chapters.indigo.ca.

Below are some food pictures using my DSLR and my iPhone to compare. There is a big difference between the pictures especially ‘depth of field’, new fancy photographer talk. But taking pics at the trailer is much easier with the natural light since I’m outside for the set up. Replicating this at home will be the real challenge.

iPhone of Copycat Starbucks Refreshers
DSLR
iPhone of Caprese salad and salami lunch
DSLR
DSLR Injured Hummingbird
iPhone Prosciutto, Brie, Avocado and Pear Flatout Panini with Veggie Straws
DSLR

The frenzy will start this Friday. And let me know if you enjoy!

Chef Kim

Smoker Pork with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

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Over any given weekend during the summer when the weather is beautiful, we will be BBQing or in this case smoking a variety of meats.

My DH has been experimenting with smoking meats since we began our early camping adventures. He started with a Cabela’s Premium Stainless Steel 7-in-1 Cooker/Smoker : Cabela’s. which worked well but the constant ‘feeding’ the coals and controlling the temperature can be tedious. And when you enjoying the day with a few cocktails, who wants soooo much work.

This Christmas, I gave my DH Bradley Digital 4-Rack Electric Smoker | Canadian Tire. It is such a step up and far more predictable and easier to control your ingredients. The machine feeds the ‘wood pucks’ and digitally controls the temperature.

He smoked a pork butt (shoulder), a spatchcock chicken* and I threw in the cob of corn and baking potatoes in the smoker as an experiment.

Smoker Pork with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

IMG_3720

Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

Mise En Place

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • Canola oil
  • 1-540 ml can of pineapple chunks
  • 1 red pepper, seeded, roasted and peeled
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • zest of lime or lime
  • ¼ cup of ketchup
  • ½ cup chunky chili sauce
  • ½ cup Garden Fresh medium salsa**
  • ½ tsp. sriracha
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp. of cornstarch
  • 1-2 tbsp. of water
  • 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Place enough canola oil to coat the bottom of a sauce pan. Saute chopped onions until it becomes fragrant, then add the finely grated garlic. Saute for 1-2 min. do not burn the garlic. Strain the juice from the canned pineapple chunks and reduce.

Add remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch, water and fresh rosemary. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low, simmering for 10-15 minutes until the apples are softened and flavours come together.

Using a potato masher, mash the chunks from the pineapple/apples in the bbq sauce until it is desired consistency. If you like a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender. 

To thicken the sauce, mix equal parts cornstarch and water. Slowly add to the sauce and stir.

Serve with pulled pork, chicken or fish.

Caesars!
Pulled Pork on Kaiser with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce
Boston lettuce with strawberries and blue cheese
Smoker items
Finished Pulled Pork on a bun

*Spatchcock is when poultry that has been prepared for roasting or grilling by removing the backbone, and sometimes includes removing the sternum of the bird and flattening it out more fully before cooking. This preparation may also be known as butterflying the bird. 

**Using ingredients from my fridge or ‘bottom of the jar’ is something I tend to add to my recipes. This Garden Fresh Medium Salsa was something that I purchased at a discount for a previous dinner and didn’t want to go to waste.

FYI Although there was all this meat being smoked, we didn’t eat this in one sitting. 😉 The chicken leftovers were removed from the bone, chopped and froze and came in really handy for lunch wraps at the trailer.

The Pulled Pork sandwiches were consumed the following day and the BBQ sauce came together very quickly for dinner that night.

The ‘smoked’ corn was……SMOKY, an interesting colour and really well different. I removed the kernels from the cob and froze to be used in a future dish or maybe even a recipe.

Always check out my Instagram @the5oclockrush  to see my daily dinners photos.

Food Day Canada

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Celebrating Canadian Food

A celebration of Food Day Canada, and part of Jackson-Triggs Niagara Summer Concert Series at the Estate Amphitheatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake, the event takes place August 2, 2014. There are 250 tickets including dinner ($175 plus taxes) available, with 350 more at $75 for the Canadian Table Conversation, dessert, icewine and music.

The website Canadian Table. 

Twitter Handle @CDNTable

Click the link for tickets. Great Estates Niagara – Events – Jackson-Triggs Amphitheatre Tickets.

Superb food, wine, conversation and music will take centre stage at Around the Canadian Table, in celebration of Food Day Canada. In support of the Les Marmitons Bursary Fund with the Niagara College Foundation, the region’s top chefs will join farmers, educators, musicians, and Food Day Canada’s Anita Stewart for a unique celebration of all that the season has to offer in Niagara.

The chefs include John Horne (Canoe Restaurant), Tim Mackiddie, (Great Estates of Niagara), David Watt (The Garrison House, Niagara on the Lake), Andrew McLeod (Spencer’s on the Waterfront, Burlington), Erik Peacock (Wellington Court, St. Catharines), Anthony Greco (Zest Restaurant, Fonthill), Mark Picone (Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) at Niagara College and Mark Picone Culinary Studio, Vineland) and Food Network star, Anna Olson.

What a great event for Canadian foodies to attend and celebrate the farmers and chefs of the area.

I need to persuade my ‘foodie’ buddy to buy tickets. How can she refuse food, shopping and of course Niagara wine! 😉

Chef Kim

 

A ‘Sweet’ Collaboration

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I would like to introduce my ‘sweet’ friend and baker, Jacqueline Prince, her blog and cupcake business.

She has followed her dream from small beginnings to a storefront of Sweet Temptations Cupcakery in Guelph, On, Canada.

Sweet Temptations Cupcakery is committed to our local economy and community. Jakki works with a network of local farmers and producers to use, where possible exclusively Wellington County ingredients such as fresh berries and eggs. Locally produced ingredients are not only sustainable for our environment, but support our community.

Weekly, she bakes a variety of fun cupcake flavours that can also be available in gluten-free, vegan, and gluten-free vegan cupcakes for all our regular farmers’ markets – Aberfoyle, Cambridge, Erin, Guelph, Preston and Southfields Village.

From Sweet Temptations Cupcakery for DD 16th Birthday

From Sweet Temptations Cupcakery for DD 16th Birthday

Back in April, Jakki approached me if I would be interested in contributing posts to her blog that would contain more savory and cooking 101 elements for her readers to enjoy. Of course, I thought the idea was brilliant and feedback has been well received.

My latest post contains TIPS for making the best burgers on your BBQ this Summer.

Revving up to Hamburger Season | Sweet Temptations Cupcakery

Charcoal Hamburgers at the Trailer

Charcoal Hamburgers at the Trailer

Please check out and follow her  Blog: Life of a Cupcakery Owner | Sweet Temptations Cupcakery for great baking tips and of course future the 5 o’clock rush contributions 😉

Thanks

Chef Kim

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

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I do love trying “buffalo” food in all forms.

Buffalo wing wraps, mac and cheese, pizza, nachos, poutine and of course wings right from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.

So armed with package of chicken breasts in the fridge, I was looking for inspiration. My DD was requesting another dinner where we could have Baked Potatoes with a selection of toppings. I immediately thought of another bar menu item…potato skins. I found an inspiration recipe that contained both.

Of course I tweaked it. 😉

When I think of Buffalo wings, carrot and celery sticks with a creamy blue cheese dip are always included and in my opinion you can’t do anything buffalo without some blue cheese! I added the celery and carrot components, next for the ‘potato skins’ aspect of cheeses, bacon and tomato garnish were added to the finished recipe.

Served with a blue cheese and sour cream sauce it was delicious. And spicy like Buffalo should be!

So if you love all the great flavor of Buffalo wing sauce and potato skins, here is a recipe for Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake that contains both. Hope you will try the recipe and enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Serves 4-6  approx. 45-50 min.
Adapted from Loaded Potato And Buffalo Chicken Casserole Recipe – Food.com
Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Mise En Place

  • 1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 7 medium potatoes, skin-on, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut on the bias
  • 2 stalks of celery, cleaned and diced
  • ¼ of red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 4 tbsp. Red Hot sauce, depending on spice tolerance 😉
  • 2 tbsp. agave syrup

Topping

  • 1 cup marble cheese, grated
  • 1 cup mozzarella, grated
  • 1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 5 strips of Ready Cook bacon, cooked and cut into pieces*
  • 1 tomato, concasse**

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup 1% sour cream
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ tsp. sriracha
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 500F.

In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and agave syrup.

Add the potatoes and stir to coat.

Add the potatoes to a greased baking dish.

Coated Potatoes
Potatoes and Carrots
Marinating Chicken, Onions and Celery

Using a slotted spoon, scoop the potatoes into the baking dish, leave behind any extra olive oil/hot sauce mix.

Add the diced chicken, red onions and celery to this hot sauce/spice mix and stir to coat all the chicken. Marinate the chicken as the potatoes bake.

3 Cheeses, Bacon and Tomato Topping
Raw Chicken on Top of Cooked Potatoes returning to oven
3 Cheese Topping

Roast the potatoes for 15 minutes at 500F, then stir and add the carrots, cooked for additional 8 min then reduce the oven to 400F. Stir the potatoes and carrots then add to the top, the marinated chicken, onions and celery. Cook for additional 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix all the topping ingredients together. Add the cheese topping to the chicken and potatoes.

Bake 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the topping is melted and bubbly delicious. Add the tomato concasse and the Ready Cook Bacon pieces.

Out of the Oven
Homemade Sauce for Loaded Potato Bake
Bacon and Tomato
Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl, drizzle over the Buffalo Chicken Bake and serve on the side.

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

Buffalo Chicken and Loaded Potato Bake

 

* The recipe could be adapted and the potatoes could be replaced with sweet potatoes. Scrub the outer skin of sweet potatoes, cubed and follow the directions above. Reduce the cooking time for the sweet potatoes.

** The Ready Cook Bacon is a convenience product that I always have in my pantry. I used scissors to quickly cut up the bacon strips.

*** Concasse, from the French concasser, “to crush or grind”, is a cooking term meaning to rough chop any ingredient, usually vegetables. This term is particularly applied to tomatoes, where tomato concasse is a tomato that has been peeled, seeded (seeds and skins removed), and chopped to specified dimensions. I usually skip the peeled part but definitely remove the seeds as then tend to bitter.