Posted by Billie-Jean | Jul 11th, 2010

Simple Spaghetti-My comfort food

A very, very simple spaghetti sauce 2 cans of crushed tomato a teaspoon of sugar a teaspoon of fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon of salt 3-5 cloves of garlic a small yellow onion olive oil Directions Chop the yellow onion into small pieces and mince the garlic. In a large pot coat the bottom with olive oil. Turn heat to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant (careful...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Jul 11th, 2010

Southern California Food Adventures

On July 1st the Graham family took up the daunting task of driving from Vancouver, BC to San Diego for a 9 day tour of Southern California.  There were tears, laughter, adventure, fun and most importantly to me, food.  We decided to bring a cooler and eat from that until we got to some real eats in San Francisco and down to San Diego.  I must say that it will be a long time before I eat a ham sandwich again. ...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Jun 23rd, 2010

Mussels on the BBQ with Lime-yum.

I have made many types of mussels over the years, and all of them are good.  This recipe is truly delightful and perfect for a summer bbq.    I will also share  some cool info on mussels.  So, the recipe I made last night was Mussels on the BBQ with Lime. How to Purchase Mussels are traditionally marketed fresh in the shell. The shells are usually closed tightly but they may open slightly when left ...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Jun 8th, 2010

A Fabulous Method For Cooking Meatballs

Meatballs: Makes about 34 meatballs .660 kg  ground lean beef (roughly, does not have to be exact, just about those combinations) .510 kg ground pork 2 large eggs 1/2 cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano 1  tablespoons chopped parsley 1 clove of minced garlic-roasted or not…your choice. Salt and pepper to taste-don’t be too shy on the salt. 1 cup breadcrumbs (use day old Italian bread, grated in the...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Jun 7th, 2010

Rustic Red Potato Salad

I was searching for a more rustic potato salad recipe with lots of yummy layers of flavor with each bite.  I have made red potato salad before using sour cream as the main base but I stumbled upon this recipe and was very happy with the results.  It is adapted from Paula Deen’s recipe and I have made a few minor changes to it that I thought was better suited to the flavors I like.  Try this, it is easy and...

Posted by Billie-Jean | May 22nd, 2010

Carmelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pizza

Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil for frying onions 2 cups thinly sliced onions (approximately 3 pounds) 3 garlic cloves 1 bay leaf salt & pepper 2 Tbs. oil for dribbling on top of pizza (optional) Goat Cheese Directions: Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil and add the onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Cover the dough with the onion...

Posted by Billie-Jean | May 22nd, 2010

ahhhh….I need to cook something.

With Sean being gone for all this time, all the  household duties have fallen on poor me.  Dinners have been quick and easy.  I had a great turkey leg recipe to share but I went to take pics and I left the camera on, so no pics.  They look so good fresh out of the oven that I have to wait until I cook them again.  There have been some fun events though that remind me of my neediness, like forgetting garbage...

Posted by Billie-Jean | May 10th, 2010

An Asian Twist on Pizza

I have been experimenting with Pizza.  The other day I was thinking about our yummy Christmas Eve Peking duck dinner with friends.  We had duck 3 ways and it was all so good.  A friend of mine taught me how to do some shopping at the Asian markets and since that time I have been back to buy BBQ soy chicken, bok-choy, pork dumplings, asian crepes etc.  I have only thought of duck in this one dish we had wrapped...

Posted by Billie-Jean | May 5th, 2010

Classic Indian Spices

If you are in the mood to begin a journey into Indian cooking, here are some basic spices that you can fill your pantry with that will cover your spice needs. Find a great spice store and have these spices ready: Cardamoms-green and brown, Saffron, Cassia and Cinnamon, Chilli powder, Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Poppy Seeds, Tumeric, Garam Masala, Cloves, and Creamed coconut, star anise-just always...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Apr 27th, 2010

Meatball Sandwich

It is important not to complicate a meatball sub.  I say this with absolutely no authority as a meatball sub connoisseur but as a lover of this classic delectable sandwich.  I have often referred to them lovingly as “meaty ball subs”.  I am always looking for a great meatball sub and find that they are a rare commodity where I live.  I decided to make what I consider to be the tastiest meatball sub...