Sheldren's 5 Spice Powder

Living in Northern Ontario can be a challenge to obtain speciality spices. However, as you can see by my spice drawer, that is not a problem.

I love the smell of 5 spice powder but sometimes an Asian dish can have too much or I find the blend too strong for my palate. This is a nice mild blend.

In a mortar and pestle grind up:

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon anise seeds

2 teaspoons of whole peppercorns:black, green, pink and white

Grinding takes some effort but your reward will be the fantastic smell!!

There will be some bits that wont grind well. Use a small sieve to separate the hard bits from the ground.

Mix into the sifted spices:

2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon

Store in an airtight container. Suggested uses: stir-frys and Asian soups. Start off with ¼ teaspoon and add more as desired.

Enjoy!

Salmon Filets With Chili Lime Rub

I often make a small slit in my limes or lemons and put them in the microwave for 30 seconds. I get more juice out of them and they are easier to squeeze.

In a small dish mix well:

¼ teaspoon of chili powder

¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper

Place filets in a small baking dish that has been oiled with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Squeeze 1/2 of a lime over the filets.

Sprinkle spice mixture over the fish.

Grate some rind of lime over the fish.

Let the spice sit on the fish for about 15 minutes

Bake at 350 degrees in a pre-heated oven for about 12-15 minutes or until filets are firm and flake easily.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Pears and Figs

I prefer the Calimyrna figs. A bit more expensive but the taste is worth it!

Cut out the thicker parts of the ribs in the Swiss chard .Wash and wrap in a kitchen towel to remove the excess moisture.

In a large non-stick frying pan, add:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Chop up:

3 large figs (remove the stem before cutting up)

¼ sweet onion
½ firm pear

Add: Swiss Chard

It may look like a lot in the pan but it reduces in size by about ½ .

Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Feng Shui Salad

In the winter it can be a challenge to balance what is in season and the rising price of produce in the grocery store. I like to vary this salad each time. Never a dull salad here!


Line a small plate or shallow bowl with a small amount of bite-sized greens( In this one, I used baby spinach)
On this arrange:

slivers of pear, sweet onion, and red pepper

1 tablespoon of grated feta cheese
1 tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds
A few raspberries

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon of Olive oil

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 Tablespoon of water
1 Tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of Chipotle spice(optional)
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt

pepper

Mix well and drizzle over salad just before serving.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken and Couscous Soup

I buy my bay leaves fresh. Then I take my large cookbooks and press the leaves in between the pages to dry them out. That way I know how fresh they are. Sometimes the ones in the store are very brittle.

In a large soup pot add:

2 chicken breasts (I like boneless,skinless)

5 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon of crushed garlic
12 c water

Boil and then reduce heat to simmer. In about an hour, take out the chicken breasts and cool them on a dinner plate or platter

To the broth ,add:

8 c. Frozen vegetables (I used California mix)

2 sweet onions,chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped( don't be afraid to use up the green leafy bits too)
1-28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped spinach
1 small turnip diced.

Add :the cooled chopped chicken, (don't forget the juice on the plate)

1 tablespoon of dried Italian Spice
Pepper to taste
Chicken broth powder to taste.( Some of you might like more or less salt,adjust your chicken broth accordingly)
1cup of Israeli Couscous( large pearls)

Look at the difference in size. The Israeli Couscous is on the right, the tri-colour couscous is on the left. And here are some of my Bay leaves!

Stir occasionally as it cooks to prevent the couscous from sticking to the bottom.

Again,cook on low heat to get all the flavours to develop. Remove Bay leaves before serving.

Enjoy!

Sheldren's Easy Beef Soup

An great way to use up the left-over roast

Let's get started:

Dice up about 6 oz. of cooked beef roast ( I had prime rib left over) and the bones.

Add :
3-4 bay leaves
2 tsp. crushed garlic




1 -28 oz. Can of diced tomatoes plus 1 can of water( use the tomato can)
Simmer on the back burner for 1 hour.


Add :
1 large diced white onion
2 ribs of celery, diced
4 c. Frozen mixed veggies(I used California mix)
1-14oz. Can of Heinz Chipotle Style Beans
½ tsp mild smoked Spanish paprika (Victorian Epicure brand is my favourite)
Salt & pepper to taste.

Let simmer on low for about 2 more hours.
In my opinion, the secret to any good soup or stew is the simmer time.
When the flavor is developed, the soup is done. Remove the bones and bay leaves when soup is done.

Serve with crusty bread, or biscuits.

Enjoy!