Strawberry, Feta and Bacon Salad...

Strawberry, Feta and Bacon Salad

The other day my Aunt Ellen sent me photos of some beautiful strawberry tarts she had made. Just seeing pictures of them was enough to get my taste buds going. Sadly the distance between Kent and Toronto is too great and I was denied a taste. She mentioned having an abundance of leftover strawberries and was unsure as to what to do with them. Immediate thoughts turned to smoothies, ice cream and jam – but surely there are other ways to use strawberries? A quick search uncovered this recipe for Strawberry and Arugala Salad.

I happened to have some spare strawberries so thought I’d give this salad a try myself. I wasn’t able to get a hold of prosciutto so used smoked, back bacon from the local butchers. For the salad leaves I opted for baby spinach, lamb’s lettuce and red chard with slivers of beetroot. It was amazing and definitely my kind of salad. The combination of sweet, juicy strawberries with salty bacon and creamy feta is to die for. This is the perfect summertime dish.

Here is the original recipe with my changes in paranthesis.

Strawberry And Arugula Salad With Crispy Prosciutto

Ingredients

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons honey (I used Canadian maple syrup)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/3 cup sliced red onion (I used shallots)

Olive oil cooking spray (I don’t use cooking spray)

4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces) (I used 4 slices of smoked back bacon)

6 cups baby arugula (about 5 ounces) (I used about half this amount of salad)

2 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled (I used feta)

Directions

Whisk together first 5 ingredients (through to the black pepper) in a large serving bowl.

Add berries and red onion; let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly coat a seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat over moderately high heat.

Add prosciutto in one layer, and cook, turning, about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate to cool; crumble and reserve.

(What I did for the above step was to cook the back bacon, removing it from the heat once it was cooked through. I then trimmed the rind off the side in one long strip, putting it back into the pan, on a high heat, to help crisp it up – it curls up nicely too! I sliced the back bacon into bite-sized pieces and returned in to the pan for a further 5 minutes once the rind had crisped up slightly.)

Place the baby arugula in a large serving bowl with the cheese; add the strawberries, red onion, and balsamic dressing, and toss gently until just coated. (I added the bacon pieces at this stage and tossed everything together. I reserved the curly rind for a garnish at the end.)

Divide the salad among 4 serving plates, and top evenly with the cooked prosciutto.

(This made enough salad for my husband and I to have a lovely dinner with NO leftovers!)

Enjoy!

Imbolc: The Maiden Returns....

The beginning of February, in the Northern Hemisphere, is a time to celebrate the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc. We are just beginning to feel the first stirrings of Spring. The days are lengthening, there are signs of growth in the earth and the birds seem to sing more loudly and cheerfully. Brigid the Goddess of Spring has returned and has brought with her the sun, whose rays are warming the earth, bringing it back to life after the cold dark days of winter.

Food wise Imbolc is linked with milk, specifically ewes milk as it’s around this time of year that they begin lactating. For a special Imbolc supper you could have a cheese plate with a hearty salad and some crusty bread on the side. Any type of cheese will do, it doesn’t have to be sheep’s cheese if that isn’t to your liking. Just make sure that it’s natural cheese, nothing coloured or artificial.

As this time of year is about celebrating the return of fertility to the Earth, make time to connect with nature. Go for walks and get out in your garden. It may be too early to start sowing seeds outdoors but you can certainly plant bulbs; crocus, daffodils and tulips are a beautiful addition to any garden. If you don’t have access to a garden, consider buying a house plant. Just make sure that if you share your home with an animal companion the plants aren’t harmful or toxic to them.

Another way to celebrate is to create an altar for your home or garden. I love altars because they give me a special place where I can focus and meditate on my intentions for the upcoming days, weeks or months. They also keep me mindful about the earth, help strengthen my connection to her seasons and remind me of my own unique place in the world.

There really are no hard and fast rules when creating an altar. Have fun and be creative. For Imbolc I tend to use colours that remind me of the lengthening days. I also like to include food which I leave out for the Fairies and birds afterwards. Apples are always a favourite and I make sure I only buy organic ones. I also buy something for my garden and this year I bought some grape hyacinths which I can’t wait to plant.

Over the coming weeks, find ways to honour the earth and reconnect with nature. Whatever you choose to do enjoy yourself, have fun and remember that Spring is on her way!

For my Indoor Imbolc Altar I used;

• A bright yellow scarf that belonged to my grandmother (she always made me happy).
• A Goddess figurine my sister made for me many years ago (thanks sis!).
• A white candle.
• 3 lemon and rose Turkish delights (my grandmother loved them but they also seem to be a particular favourite of the Fairies)
• A glass of organic milk with honey, cinnamon and nutmeg (once again for the Fairies)
• My newly purchased Grape Hyacinths.

Imbolc Altar

Garden Offerings

Nachos With Homemade Guacamole....

Saturday night is nacho night. I love Tex Mex food and nachos are always top of my list. I especially love them with sour cream and homemade guacamole.

I mash 3 large avocados in a bowl. I do like my guacamole chunky so I don’t mash them too much. If you prefer a smoother mix you can always purée the avocados in a blender.

I add lemon juice which stops the avocados turning brown. It also adds a nice tang to the dish. Usually 2-3 Tablespoons is enough but tasting and seasoning as you go along is important.

I also add salt and pepper and 1-2 cloves of minced garlic to taste. If you like a bit of extra spice you can add some chilli flakes.

Guacamole is great with nachos but I also love it on toasted bagels too!

Puffed Cauliflower Cheese....

This is an absolutely amazing cauliflower cheese recipe! It works well as a main course but it also makes a great side dish. The real treat with this dish is the whipped egg whites which create a beautiful puffy texture and the bread crumbs on top which give it some added crunch.

While this might be slightly more labour intensive then other cauliflower cheese recipes it is absolutely worth it.

Tonight I made some minor adjustments to the recipe. The cauliflower I had was quite small so I also included a few boiled new potatoes in the mix. The result was a big bowl of comfort.

Give this recipe a try – you won’t be disappointed!

Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich....

Growing up I remember my mum making the best grilled cheese sandwiches. I would have them when I came home from school for lunch, usually with some tomato soup or ketchup on the side and The Flintstones on the T.V.  Although my television tastes have changed, this magical combination of fried bread, melted cheese and tomato is still top of the list of foods I would want if I was stranded on a desert island.

Sure there are all kinds of ways to jazz it up but for me the best way is still;

• 2 slices of plain white bread buttered on the outside.
• Some cheddar cheese to put in between (of course!).
• A hot frying pan in which to grill the sandwich until it turns a rich golden colour on both sides.

The tomato soup and ketchup are optional but they are great for dipping the sandwiches into.

I consider myself a pro when it comes to making this for lunch but I am the first to admit that my mum still makes the best ones. I guess it’s just one of those meals that will always taste better when mum makes it!