Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Pineapple

Summer is coming and you may want a new appetizer for your first BBQ of the season. I have to give my husband credit for this recipe. Some of our readers know by know that he loves to BBQ and while on holidays in April he filled our shopping carts with a few ingredients and surprised me with these tasty appetizers. 

Ingredients: (I'd suggest 3-4 per person)

• 1 fresh pineapple
• uncooked large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 piece bacon per number of shrimp
• raspberry chipotle sauce (available in specialty shops and some grocery stores)
• toothpicks

Ingredients for shrimp marinade: (this would be enough to marinade approximately 12 shrimp)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or a bit more if you like heat)

Method:

1. Cut rind off pineapple. Cut down centre making two halves. Cut out core and discard. Slice pineapple into 1/2" slices. Cut each slice into 2-3 chunks. Set aside.
2. Pre cook bacon until half cooked.
3. Clean and rinse shrimp. 
4. Stir cayenne into olive oil and add clean shrimp. Cover and allow to marinade in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 
5. Once bacon is half cooked and cool enough to handle, lay half a strip of bacon down and lay a piece of pineapple and one marinaded shrimp on top. Wrap bacon around shrimp and pineapple and secure with tooth picks. 
6. Place wrapped bundles onto preheated grill at 350º. A little BBQ tip here. Make sure your grill is raised a wee bit and you cook over indirect heat so they don't burn and cook slowly. Slower cooking is better. 
7. During the last 5-10 minutes glaze with the raspberry chipotle sauce.
8. They are done once the bacon is cooked. This should take a total of about 30-45 minutes. This may seem like a long time, but you will have to adjust according to your BBQ and how hot it gets. We cook over a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker so it's very easy to regulate the heat and food does not dry out. These will turn out really nice on any BBQ.....just watch 'em. 
9. Serve hot off the grill. You may want to have extra sauce on the side for dipping.

NOTE: I found Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce in a  specialty shop, but if you can't find it you could easily just use some raspberry jam and add a bit of chipotle sauce to it until you get the flavour you like. I tried this and pureed it in my mini food processor. It was quite tasty. Apricot jam mixed with some red pepper jelly makes a nice sauce as well. 

Japanese Chicken Salad

The sun is promising to shine for the May Day long weekend just around the corner, so you may be needing some extra salads on hand.  This salad is chock full of nutritious ingredients.  It can be made ahead of time and it's big enough to take to any potluck. It's an all time favorite in our home and promises you a crisp texture with a crunchy bite.

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped chinese cabbage
• 6 cups chopped bok choy
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1 package oriental noodles
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds.

Salad Dressing

• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 3 teaspoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2-4 tablespoons soya sauce 
• Seasoning from noodle mix. 

Method

1. In a large bowl toss first five ingredients.  You can prepare this ahead of time.
2. Combine  dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Just prior to serving, add toasted nuts and noodles. (this avoids soggy noodles)
4. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. 

Tip:  I usually roast large amounts of almonds and sesame seeds so that they are always available.

 I roast them at 350 degrees for up to 10 minutes stirring frequently so they do not burn. Bag them and put them in the freezer or refrigerator.

English Muffins

These english muffins are a great breakfast food, delicious toasted and spread with jam, or use to make an egg mcmuffin..tasty either way!

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat
• 4 1/4 cups white flour, I use unbleached
• Cornmeal

1. Heat milk, water, butter and honey till butter is melted and the mixture is warm.
2. Add salt, yeast, whole wheat flour and 2 cups of white flour.
3. Mix until combined.
4. Add the rest of the flour, 1 cup at a time, using as much as needed and knead approx 3 to 5 minutes. The dough will be slightly sticky.
5. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes, while you prepare the baking sheets.
6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough approx 1/2" thick.
8. Using a 2" round biscuit cutter, cut circles and gently place 10 on each pan, not touching each other. Sprinkle each muffin with cornmeal. I used up the leftover scraps of dough to make a loaf of bread.
9. Let rise until doubled in bulk.
10. Heat griddle to 300º, lightly spray with oil and place muffins gently on the griddle. You can use a cast iron frying pan on the stove on medium low to low heat.
11. Cook each side for 15 minutes or until done. Check for doneness by splitting a muffin apart with a fork. I baked the loaf in the oven at 375º for 30 minutes.
12. Yields: 20 english muffins and 1 loaf of bread.

Tropical Blueberry Smoothie

Smoothies are both nutritious and fun to make for young and old(er) alike.

When the grands come to visit I love that I can give them something that feels like a treat while it pumps them full of antioxidants and vitamins.  

I pour them each a glassful and then pour whatever is left into my own glass to give me a bit of extra energy for the rest of the day.  

The varieties are endless...

what is your favorite smoothie flavour?

• liquid of your choice  (milk, juice, almond milk or greek yogurt)
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 pineapple spear
• 2 large strawberries
• 1 small banana 
• 4  ice cubes 
• a bit of agave syrup (just a tiny bit if necessary to sweeten)

1. Add 1/2 cup liquid to your blender jar first and then the fruit through the hole in the lid while it is running.  
2. Add ice cubes last and then a bit of extra liquid to make the right consistency.
3. Blend until creamy smooth and enjoy!

Feta Crusted Salmon

We had such a wonderful trip for the book launch in early May. One of the best things for me was that for 8 days that my husband and I were on vacation I didn't have to cook and we graced the table of many a fine cook. My long time childhood friend Irmgard from Abbotsford made this delectable meal for us that included,  Salmon served with Rice Pilaf, Roasted Asparagus, Veggies and dip and Ice Cream with a Orange/Lemon Rhubarb Sauce. The meal was heavenly. Today I am going to share the recipe for the Salmon. Something I think everyone who likes the flavors of salmon with feta will surely enjoy. Thank you Irm for your friendship, your wonderful hospitality, and of course sharing this recipe.

• 1 (2 pound) salmon fillet
• ½ cup – or more – crumbled feta cheese (definitely more)
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. light cream cheese spread 
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Fresh ground pepper
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. dried minced onion 
• 1 tsp. granulated garlic powder
• 1/3 cup panko or regular bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix together everything except the crumbs.
3. Lay salmon on foil and spread feta mixture evenly over salmon. Sprinkle with crumbs.
4. Bake until it flakes easily with a fork, 35 – 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Tip: If you have a much larger salmon fillet, double or triple this recipe. Don't be shy with the measure of the feta and put in lots, as that is the feature flavor of the topping.

Bread for the Journey

“Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20:12

As a young girl, I recall Mother's Day being celebrated at church with a message honoring moms and a special program by the kids with songs and poems. What stands out in my memory are the flowers people wore to remember their mom. If you had a mom still living you wore a red or pink carnation, while those whose mom had passed away wore a white carnation. I always felt sad for those who wore white.

A German song that I also remember from my childhood is one that comes to mind when I think of the privilege of still having a mom. The lyrics do not translate as poetic as they sound in German, but simply put, they bid you, if you still have a mom, to thank God for her and bring her the most beautiful bouquet today.

On this day, we all have one thing in common . . . we all have a mother and we all have memories associated with that. Maybe today is the day to take that bouquet for whatever reason is in your heart. It may be to give thanks or to say I love you. It may be a visit to the graveyard or it may be to seek forgiveness or to forgive. 

Thank the Lord today for the one who gave you the gift of life.

Wishing a blessed Mother's Day to all mothers!

Saturday in Marg's Kitchen

It's Mother's Day weekend.
And what better way than to honor my own beloved Mother.
My Mother, loved her kitchen, her husband, family,
and her Northern Reflections Wardrobe.
I loved it when she came over to help me bake...
We had fun...we had laughter, we had a mess.
Can we ever honor our Mother's enough when we think about the
daily gifts of time and energy?
There is only one way to make a return and that is to turn our attention
to loving and nurturing the next generation, our children, and our grandchildren.
She's been gone now for 13 years, and I still cherish the memories.

I will never forget the time my mom came home from town with brand new cookie sheets.
They were shiny, no rust, easy to clean, and a little bit more costly.
She treasured them and gave strict instructions to her daughters how to care for them.
Well, here I am in the same situation....my pans are rusty,
things are constantly sticking...and I am needing to scrape the buns off the pans.
Something needs to change because it frustrates me.
Yes, I agree, there is parchment paper...and it works like a charm.
Even a bit of oil and grease works, sometimes.

Over the past years, I have found what I call the 'Mercedes' of all bake ware.
I am slowly investing in new pieces and requesting them as gifts.
Generally, I've had to carefully pry the muffins out of the pan,
hoping not to squish them or have them falling apart.
Not anymore.
And what I love most....is that the muffins are crusty all around, not just the tops.

My granola slides off with ease...notice how clean the pan is.
They are all evenly baked all around.
I love my new pans.

You might be thinking that you need some new pans.
You can quickly order some just in time for Mother's Day!
Make it simple for your family...order your own.
They are USA PAN, non stick coating, fluted surface for even baking
and highly recommended for industrial bake ware.
 You may want to check this out and can order items on Amazon.

Using quality products makes my Saturday in the kitchen pleasurable.

Wishing you all a celebrative Mother's Day weekend.