I am working from home today with a sick boy and have a huge craving for bacon.  I thought I would kick start your weekend with some pork fat goodness.  You agree?

One of my top 25 foods of all time – BACON.  It came to me as I was eating the breakfast all last week at Normandy Farm.  Of course I scanned the whole buffet before I started to fill my plate, but I always gravitated towards the crispy bacon

Eating some breakfast and thinking about what to write, I thought that I would share with you 7 ways to cook with bacon that have been featured on zesty.

So here goes….

1. Bacon on Pizza

Whether it is traditional pizza using some leftovers or a kicked up portabella pizza – bacon is a great addition.

2. Chutney

I feature two chutney’s ( Apple Bacon Chutney and Pear Bacon Chutney ) so far and both were out of this world yummy.  I attribute that to the bacon and to the slow cooking.

3.  Bacon and Eggs with a Twist

One of my all time sunday morning favorites “Bacon and Eggs”.  Try these fun little twists on a classic – Bacon and Eggs in a Bowl or a 2 minute Bacon Broccoli Scrambled Egg.

4.  Bacon Wrapped Fruit

Once introduced to this lovely creation – I fell in love with Bacon wrapped Pineapple.  Such a simple yet crowd pleasing treat.

5.  Bacon in a Salad

I really do love adding bacon to many salads.  I think i like the salty flavor it adds as well as the crunch. The one listed here is not your traditional salad, but this was very tasty with both the crunch walnuts and the firmness of the asparagus.

6.  Bacon with Potatoes

Oh yeah – you cannot forget this incredible combination.  Try kicking it up a notch at your next gathering with sweet potato skins with Bacon.  These babies are amazing.

7.  Bacon Mac and Cheese

Well well well… this is a must try if you love mac and cheese.  The bacon really takes this over the roof and will make you very very happy.

So there you have it!  A fun look at bacon and all its glory.  Feel free to share this with your friends using the toolbar on the bottom.  Have yourself a great Fridayand I will see you back on October…. Can you believe that?

Take care

zesty

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Happy Friday!  Welcome to the land of comfort food today.  Do you ever just look outside and it is cold, rainy and all you want to do is stay in your pajamas ( underwear) and eat comfort food?  What is comfort food to you?  For me it is usually something warm and that requires a fork or spoon.

This dish below which is pan fried potatoes with bacon mixed throughout is something I love to eat.  Whether by itself, beside two eggs, sausages and toast, or sitting beside some homemade meatloaf – I LOVE this dish.

Ingredients

• 4-6 Potatoes, diced
• 4 slices of bacon
• 1/2 Cup onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• Handful of chopped chives
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large pan of boiling water, drop the potatoes in and blanch for 5-7 minutes; drain
2. Using another large pan over medium heat, start to cook off the bacon.  Cook until almost crispy and then remove from heat.  Do not clean the entire pan but remove some of the grease if there seems to be too much.
3. Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until it becomes translucent.
4. Add the drained potatoes and the butter and begin to saute them over low heat.  The potatoes will begin to brown from the bacon fat and butter.  Let them cook until they are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
5. Break the bacon up and add back in to the potatoes, stirring often
6. Toss in the chives at the end
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When frying the bacon, I save some of the fat to cook the potatoes in and I do not clean the pan before I add the blanched potatoes.  This allows the potatoes to pick up all the bacon flavor and make this dish one to remember.

Alright, the weekend is almost upon us.  Big weekend at the zesty’s.  As I type this post, the garden is being tilled, tomorrow is some tree planting, and I am doing some door and window prep for the new shed that is starting on Monday.  No rest for the weary, I just hope the sun stays out and keeps me happy.  I will talk to you on Monday. Have a super weekend!

Take care

zesty

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Middle of the week…. Whoooo Hooooo!  And believe it or not it is not raining here.  The amount of rain we have had here in the past 4 weeks is nuts.  I feel I have to buy a baler so I can get the grass cut.  I was out last night in between rain drops and took a walk around the house.  The grass/weeds were so tall they almost made me cry.  You know I am pretty tough so I held the tears back and forged ahead.

As we move onto the food, I thought I would share one more savory apple dish to continue on from my apple and rice dish from Monday.  This dish today is a cross between scalloped potatoes and a chicken potato casserole.  The only big difference is I add some apple slices to compliment the chicken.  The sweetness of the apple goes well with the chicken and because it is braised in cream sauce – it is SO good!

Ingredients

• 4-6 pieces of chicken ( legs, wings, thighs or breast )
• 2 Medium apples, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
• Cilantro for garnish
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Mustard
• 1 Tbsp. Brown sugar
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp.flour
• 1 Tsp. salt
• 1/4 Tsp. pepper
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 small onion, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. For the chicken, in a preheated pan begin to sear chicken on all sides and once golden brown, set aside.
3. In a bowl combine garlic,nutmeg, mustard and brown sugar and mix together to make a paste.
4. Smear the paste over the chicken and set aside.
5. For the potatoes, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk, 1/2 cup at a time.
6. Heat to boiling. Boil and stir 1 minute.
7. Arrange potatoes and apples in greased 3 quart casserole in 3 layers, topping each layer with part of the chopped onions and 1/3 of the sauce. Add the chicken pieces through out the casserole dish as well.
8. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, broken into little pieces.
9. Cover and bake until potatoes are tender, about 60-70 minutes.
10. Let stand 5 to 10 minute before serving.
11. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese to the sauce and mix to melt. Sprinkle bread crumbs on the top if the potato mixture before baking and bake as above. Easy au gratin potatoes!

So there you have it.  Comfort food at it’s simplest form but if you try this… I am sure you will be happy!  Nothing fancy, just serve in a big heaping plate and squat down on the couch and enjoy.

No squatting on the couch for me tonight.  I have been invited to attend the One Year Gala for the G! Magazine tonight.  How exciting, I know.  I will have to dust off the dress clothes and get a hair cut…

I will fill you in on how it went on Friday.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Canada Thanksgiving!

Ever have a lot of leftover vegetables from the night before and you are unsure what to do with them?  Happens from time to time and I usually create a vegetable hash, veggie cakes or a vegetable puree but today I wanted to share something slightly different.  Although this concoction is similar to a hash with the addition of a very special ingredient.  Eggs.  I love eggs and definitely could eat them everyday.

This recipe is super easy and really has no boundaries.  A quick way to use leftover food from a previous meal and also an excellent way to kick start your day with energy.  Add whatever else you may have on hand in this such as bacon, sausage, parsley or peppers – you name it.  No boundary breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• Leftover smashed potatoes
• Leftover grilled carrots
• Leftover grilled corn
• 4 Eggs
• Tomatoes
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Preheat saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add oil and potatoes and begin cooking through. Toss in carrots and corn and continue to saute.  Once heated through, create a couple of holes in the pan for your eggs



3. Crack two eggs in each hole you create and let cook sunny side up.



4. Cook until eggs are complete, season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with whole wheat toast and some fresh tomato slices.



6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: A little sauce goes really well with this dish.  Sometimes I mix together ketchup, hot sauce and some barbecue sauce and serve on the side to dip into.  You can pour it on top if you really love it.

I am on the road this week to Virginia however I will be continuing to catch up on the consulting side and posting on my normal days this week.  I hope you have a great start to your week and I will touch base with you on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Help The Students Event: Day 1

Welcome to the kick off of Help the Students event.  For the next month you will be seeing recipes that are student friendly.  Recipes that use simple, easy to find ingredients.  Recipes that are straight forward and easy to prepare.  You will also find tips, tricks, shopping ideas, economical ideas and special guest posts from fantastic food bloggers.

I thought I would kick off day one with a simple homemade oven fries recipe.  This guys are so versatile and great at anytime of the day.  Yes you read it right!  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner – these are a hit!  My Dad used to tell me growing up that fries in brown paper bags are the best.

I have had them a few times at restaurants and I do agree with him.  A fun novelty that you can for sure create at home.

Ingredients

• 3-4 Baking Potatoes (sliced)
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tsp. Garlic powder
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper
2. Slice potatoes and then rinse well and pat dry with paper towel.
3. In a large bowl add potatoes, olive oil, salt, garlic, black pepper and mix well
4. Pour out on a cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes turning occasionally until golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and serve on plate or in a brown paper bag.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Ensure the potatoes are very dry before starting the baking process.  If any amount of liquid is present, the potatoes will steam and not become crispy.  Once they come out of the oven and screaming hot… hit them with a little bit of salt.

Freestyle Variation: Add some heat if you are in the mood by tossing with a little cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce.  A nice finishing touch is to add Parmesan cheese with about 5 minutes to go in the cooking process.

I hope you enjoyed Day 1 of Help The Student event.  Feel free to send along your recipe or tips if you would like to be featured this month.  Students all over the world will benefit from your experiences.  Have a super Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  Mine was very nice and relaxing.  The birthday celebration was very good.  I had 3 bowls of ice cream over the weekend complimented with great food as per usual.  The birthday presents were very well thought out as you will see below.

Before we get to the birthday present pics I wanted to share with you the details on the Potato Crusted Halibut that John Pritchard and I cooked as part of my visit to his kitchen.  When I think back of this dish I have to hold myself back from drooling at the thought of the crunchy fish outside complimented by the sweet fragrant tomato jam.  The smells in the kitchen while this was happening was nothing short of amazing.  I still remember the photographer saying “WOW this smells really good guys,  it is around supper time and this is not helping me.”

Take a detailed look at the recipe.  There are a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps to make it happen but the steps are not complex and the ingredients are common for the most part.

Potato Crusted Halibut

Ingredients

• (4) 6 oz portions of halibut fillet (off the skin)
• 4 med russet potatoes, peeled
• 2 eggs
• Hint of cream
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Salt & Pepper
• Oil for pan frying

Method

1. Grate potato and cover with a little water….drain and pat dry on a towel.
2. Pat dry the halibut, season with Salt & Pepper.



3. Dust fillets with flour and dip into the eggs (beaten with the cream).
4. Let any excess egg drip off.
5. Take ¼ of the grated potato and cover all sides of the fillet and gently apply pressure to ensure that the potato sticks.



6. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
7. Season with Salt & Pepper and chopped thyme.
8. In a med hot pan, add enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan (cast iron works well).



9. Add fish and cook until just becoming golden,turn fish over and then place pan in a 385f oven for approx. 10-12 minutes.

Sauteed Cabbage

Ingredients

• ½ fresh green cabbage
• 2 med shallots sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic chopped finely
• 4 slices of bacon
• fresh chopped thyme, tarragon and parsley
• 1/8 Cup sugar
• ¼ Cup white wine or champagne vinegar
• 1/4 Cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Slice bacon thinly, add to sauté pan and cook until just taking colour.





2. Add thinly sliced cabbage, shallots and garlic and saute until softened and fragrant.



3. Add remaining ingredients and increase heat to high, stiring frequently until most of the liquid had been evaporated.
4. Check seasoning and add butter;stir and serve.
5. ENJOY!

Tomato Jam

Ingredients

• 2/3 Pt cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 shallots finely shopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tsp. chopped fresh ginger
• 5 cardamom pods
• 3 whole cloves
• A pinch cinnamon
• ½ Tsp. garam masala
• ¼ Cup sherry vinegar
• ¼ c light brown sugar
• Salt & Pepper

Method

1. Add sugar and vinegar in a small sauce pan over med heat.



2. Let sugar caramelize slightly (not too dark…stop before sugar smokes),add garlic,shallots and spices and let cook over med heat for a couple of minutes
3. Then add the tomatoes and cook until softened and a jam-like consistency is achieved





4. Season with Salt & Pepper…you can also adjust the sweet and sour balance with more sugar and/or vinegar.
5. ENJOY!

Zesty’s Birthday Presents

This year’s presents are exactly what I needed.  I have been wanting a nice pan with handles that I can sear on the cook top and then pop in the oven to complete the cooking and now I have one.  Whoooo Hooooo thanks Mrs. Zesty.

The kids made me a couple of paintings as well as junior built me a stairway car with lego.  I also got a pastry cutter, chop knife and scoop, a cheese grater and a very cool cookbook.

Oh I also got some cash!  Alright I have to do some work.  Have a super Monday and we will talk again on Wednesday. What is your favorite Birthday present ever? Tell me in the comments.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

It is all about potatoes and all about the Potato festival happening next month in September.  I was approached and asked to do a piece with John Pritchard on the infamous PEI ingredient “Potatoes”.  I was more than thrilled and of course said YES.  This will be featured in the August addition of the G! so needless to say I was pumped for a couple of reasons.

Wednesday evening I went over to John’s kitchen and we worked (mostly John as I took pictures) on a couple of dishes inspired by potatoes. Over the two hours we spent together, I likely asked John 3000 questions as I am very intrigued as you know with the career of cooking and well I just love talking “FOOD“.

As we were prepping the dishes before the photographer showed up it was very casual and organized.  Once the camera-man showed up and was ready to shoot the final product, John went into full fledged chef mode.  You could tell he was back in his element and was moving at mach speed to dress the plates and complete the dishes.

Glorious Food

Check out these shots….. Are you drooling yet?  The recipes and full details will be released soon.

Here is a potato crusted halibut, served a top a warm brussel sprout slaw and a tomato jam.

Below is a seared shrimp and scallop dish served on a bed of fresh sauteed corn and fresh herbs, a little bit of bacon and drizzled with a reduction of a maple syrup and potato reduction.

I ate this dish and was a very happy camper.  Thanks John!

The Kitchen Set-Up

Here are a few shots of John’s cool industrial kitchen set-up.

Of course I took pictures all along of the food and the dishes as they came together.  The recipes will be featured in the G! as well as on zesty once John completes the writing of the recipes.  I will definitely be sharing them with you. They both involved fresh local ingredients either from his garden or the local markets.  It was great to see a “PRO” in action.

Here are some shots from the garden

A little bit about John

John has been ‘chefing’ professionally since 1986, to raves in Canada and abroad. John’s passion for fine cooking truly runs the gamut, from traditional ethnic to contemporary, haute cuisine to bistro. After working with some of Canada’s finest chefs, John moved to Bermuda to expand his horizons, directing the kitchens of the country’s best restaurants, most notably at the exclusive five star Elbow Beach Resort. John has also been the star of a TV show called  Red, Hot & Ready.  It is John’s wit, intelligence and occasionally shocking candor that keeps you coming back for seconds!

Since April of this year, John has embarked on a slightly different twist on his career.  It of course still involves food – full service catering.  John is offering a full service catering experience that includes, weddings, in house parties, corporate/ office gigs, other events and even cooking classes.  In recent news, John Pritchard Cuisine won top prize at the 2010 Savour Food and Wine festival and is also playing a big part at the upcoming potato festival in September.

I had a great time on Wednesday and I learned a lot as well.  I want to take this opportunity to thank John for letting me come into his kitchen as well as thanking the G! for hooking me up with such a fun event. Have a great Friday and a super weekend.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Let’s kick this Monday off with a “lounge in front of the TV on a Saturday night comfort food dinner plate“.  That is exactly what we did on Saturday night.  It was a busy day over all with a birthday party,  house work and a trip to the stock car races only to be canceled due to rain.  So when we finally got the kids to bed we made a little snack for the couch.  This really is my kind of food.  Simple and easy yet tasty and wholesome.

It all started with some fresh rolls from the bakery and a thought of a tuna melt and fries.  Then it slightly adapted roasted potato wedges and my version of zesty sliders.

Ingredients

• 2 cans of Tuna ( drained)
• 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 Tsp. Thyme
• 1 Cup shredded cheese
• 2 handful baby potatoes ( halved )
• 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Tsp. Chili powder
• 1 Tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Celery salt
• 1 Tsp. Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper
2. Halve and slice potatoes and then rinse well and pat dry with paper towel.
3. In a large bowl add potatoes, olive oil, celery salt, garlic, black pepper and chili powder and mix well
4. Pour out on a cookie sheet and bake 20-25 minutes turning occasionally until golden brown





5. For the tuna, open and drain cans and dump tuna in a bowl and mix with mayo, thyme.
6. Split open the rolls, top with the tuna mixture, sprinkle with cheese and bake until cheese melts.



7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For a nice crunch in your tuna, add chopped up dill pickles or celery.  It adds a great dimension of texture and flavor.  I couldn’t because Mrs. zesty is not a fan at all.

Alright, a new week begins.  I have a funny feeling this week is going to fly by as it is a short week with Canada day celebrations taking place on Thursday and me taking Friday off.  What is your favorite type of slider? They seem to be all the rage now.  For me, I am leaning towards a nice juicy lamb slider will a cool topping of yogurt and mint.  Have a fantastic Monday and keep smiling.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Happy Wednesday!  Let me first off say thank you for all the comments on my latest BLOG Makeover Giveaway.  It really is fun to give back to the blogging community and help friendly people out.  I am really impressed with the excitement level and I cannot wait to announce the winner next week.  So many people have tweeted about it and mentioned it on their blogs… so great.

On to the Food

Who loves vegetables?  Who loves simple, easy to make stews that require no really thought and monitoring at the stove?  Who like to eat?  I am hopeful you answered yes to at least two of those questions.  Neither here nor there – I have come up with a recipe that even kind of impressed Mrs. Zesty ( who is not a huge vegetable lover ) which to me means WHOOO HOOOO.

I have been really into lentils as of late and I wanted to come up with an easy way to put these babies to good use.  I had also found a couple of cans of tomatoes on sale.  Loving the sales and I will even use a coupon every now and again if I have them.  Want to see a cool site about cost saving ideas, coupons galore and wicked recipes?  If so check out 5 Dollar Dinners – Erin’s site is jam packed with cool information.

So with the tomatoes and the lentils I had built up an urge for a nice warming stew packed with flavor.  How do you pack it with flavor?  Low and slow and a few key spices.

Ingredients

• 2 15 Oz Cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 Clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 Cups water
• 1 Cup pearl barley
• 2 Cups lentils
• 2 Large carrots ( cubed)
• 8 baby Potatoes ( quartered )
• 1 Turnip ( cubed)
• 1 Cup frozen peas
• 1 Cup frozen corn
• 1 Tsp. Celery salt
• 2 Tsp. Chili powder
• 1/2 Tsp. Red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat large sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add olive oil, turnip and carrots and begin to brown for about 5-7 minutes



3. Toss in garlic, tomatoes, celery salt, chili powder and red pepper flakes;  let simmer for 5 minutes



4. Add lentils and water; let cook on low for 15 minutes
5. Add barley and cook for 10 more minutes; then toss in potatoes and let simmer for another 20 minutes
6. Remove the lid and check for consistency.  If you think it needs more water – feel free to add some.  if you find it is too runny keep simmering with the lid off for 15 minutes.



7. Once the consistency is right, add peas and corn and stri through for 3 minutes.
8. Serve it up with a nice piece of beer bread if you have an.
9. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: By sauteing the root vegetables before simmering the stew you are packing the base of the stew with flavor right out of the gate.  For a more traditional base you may use carrots, celery and onion but I didn’t have any celery and Mrs. Zesty is not a fan of onions at all.

This was a really fun post to write and an even funner stew to make.  I would love to hear your favorite stew ideas if you have any.  Feel free to post your all time fav stew ingredients in the comment section.

Around the Blogsphere

• I guess we better keep voting for me at Goodbite.com and my Campbell’s debut.  I can only assume I am not winning the contest so VOTE now!
• An unbelievable pancake over at Healthy Tipping Point.
• Like Omelets?  try this one from Jaden

I hope you have a great Wednesday and don’t forget to enter the makeover giveaway if you have not done so already.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty

Hey there and happy Monday!  I feel I have a little bit of hop in my hands on the keyboard tonight.  I am writing this post and watching the Grammy’s at the same time in preparation for tomorrow.  My calendar tomorrow is jam packed with work stuff as well as a meeting with the folks at OpenSky regarding product sourcing.

As an aside, you will never guess what I had for breakfast Saturday morning!  Another classic rendition of Super Star Toast.  You can never get tired of this.

On Saturday evening I was wandering around the kitchen and pantry trying to figure out what I can make for supper.  I was in a weird mood and totally unsure what to prepare.  We had just finished shoveling for about an hour and we were starving.  I remembered that I had bought some fingerling potatoes a week ago and had yet to crack them open.

Just then the light bulb went off…. some roasted potatoes topped with red pepper flakes, chives and some Parmesan cheese.  What a choice!

Ingredients

• 8 Fingerling Potatoes ( cut in 4)
• 1 Tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Dash of Garlic powder
• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp. Chives ( dried or fresh)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees



2. Slice potatoes and rinse ( hand dry)



3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grab a large bowl.
4. Toss the potatoes in a large bowl and coat with all the ingredients ( preserving half the cheese and chives for the end )



5. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown
6. Top with leftover cheese and chives
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Ensuring the potatoes are dry before starting will ensure they get nice and crispy.  I also like to give them a quick turn in the oven about half way through so they get brown on all sides.

These potatoes were amazing!  The red pepper heat warmed us up from being outside and the Parmesan cheese added a great flavor.  I have also been on a huge sea salt kick as of late. Do you use sea salt when you cook?

I am going to watch a little bit more of the Grammy’s, do a sudoku puzzle and call it a night.  Have a great Monday.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty