mediterranean pasta salad.

It's back. The pit in my stomach has returned. Even after a few years of being out of school, I still get butterflies this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE fall. The colours of the leaves, the hoodies returning to the racks in all the stores, sleeping with the windows open...but there's just something about this time of year that is so bittersweet. It starts like clockwork. The marineland commercials slowly start to fade from TV and they're replaced by ads for the EX. That small transition from one jingle to the next and the pit begins to form. Summer is ending, no more lazy days at the beach (not that I even had any), time to dig out the sweaters (even though the weather will remain relatively warm for the next month or so) and time to go back to school (not happening). I'm beginning to think this pit may have more to do with the media and less to do with fact.
This is my attempt to hold on to summer for just a little bit longer. Summer barbecues WILL continue and you'll all need a new salad recipe to bring to your shin-dig this long weekend, so here it is. This is one of those recipes that has been passed down so many times, I have NO idea where it originally came from. It's a staple at our house whenever potlucks are concerned...it's easy, it's relatively quick, it makes a good size portion (and is easy to double), and it keeps well in the fridge for at least a week (not that it ever lasts that long). Oh...and it's REALLY good...enjoy!


Mediteranean Pasta Salad

- (2 1/2) cups of uncooked pasta, penne, fusilli, etc.
- (1) small green pepper, cut into strips
- (1) small red pepper, cut into strips
- (1) cup of cherry or grape tomotoes, halved or quartered
- (1) cup of crumbled feta cheese
- (1/2) cup of sliced black olives (kalamata olives work well too)
- (1/2) cup of minced red onion
- (1/2) cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Vinegrette

- (1/3) cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- (1/4) cup of balsamic vinegar
- (1) large clove of garlic, minced
- (2) tsp of dried basil, or (2) tbsp fresh basil
- (1/2) tsp salt
- (1/4) tsp dried oregano, or approximately (1) tsp fresh oregano

Cook the pasta until just al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from continuing to cook and getting too mushy.

 
Put the cooked pasta into a large bowl. Slice the peppers and tomatoes and add to the pasta.

Add in the crumbled feta, the chopped parsley, the olives and the red onions. Stir gently to mix up all of the ingredients.

Prepare the vinegrette by whisking together all of the ingredients.

Pour all of the vinegrette over the pasta salad and stir, making sure that everything gets covered. Refridgerate for at least a couple hours or overnight before serving.  It's best if you can let it sit overnight as it will give the flavours a chance to soak into the pasta. 

 

maple brined salmon.

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm NOT a huge fan of fish. I should clarify...I'm not a huge fan of SOME types of fish. I could eat shellfish any night of the week; a nice lobster, some mussels, even scallops! But Salmon...it's always rubbed me the wrong way. It looks pretty, and I know it's supposed to be really good for you, but it's just so "fishy" tasting. I've tried it baked, broiled, fried, covered in sauce, barbecued on a cedar plank, smothered in dill...and it's always the same...too fishy! 
Joe and I keep saying that we'd like to try to eat more fish. I'm not sure we'll ever make it to the recommended two servings a week, but starting with one seems doable. I was browsing through my cookbook collection the other day, trying to decide which chef would have the BEST recipe for salmon. If I'm going to give this type of fish one last shot, I have to do it justice and prepare it the best way possible. I saw my "Oprah" cookbook sitting there and thought...if it's good enough for Oprah, well...you know the rest! I ran across a recipe for Maple-Brined Salmon, and while my initial reaction was "ewww", the fact that it said "one of the most satisfying" right underneath the title kind of swayed my opinion. That and the fact that I had a big can of maple syrup in my fridge :)
I must say that after trying out this recipe, I may just be a salmon convert. Soaking the fish in the maple brine really cut the fishy taste and rendered it tender, moist and so flavourful. The sugars from the maple syrup caramelized in the pan, so don't worry if you get a few dark spots from frying...they taste the best!  One thing I learned in the process was that with fish, the fresher is always the better. There are numerous different grades and types of salmon out there with a huge range in price. Wild salmon is typically considered the best, however, I cooked up a nice fresh piece of Atlantic salmon and it was terrific. Fresh fish should not smell "fishy", so if a piece of fish smells like a fish...I'd toss it back :)

Maple Brined Salmon

- (2-4) 5 to 6 ounce salmon fillets
- (2) cups of water
- (1/2) cup of pure maple syrup
- (1/8) cup of salt
- (1) tsp. whole black peppercorns
- (1) bay leaf
- (2) tbsp. canola oil or extra virgin olive oil


In a small saucepan, bring water, maple syrup, salt, peppercorns and bay leaf to a boil for 30 seconds. 

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. At this point you can either add your salmon fillets right into your pot of brine and put the pot directly into the fridge, or you can transfer the brine into a large resealable plastic bag, add the fillets and place the bag in the fridge. Refrigerate, turning the salmon occasionally, for 1 to 2 hours.

Remove the salmon fillets from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with a pinch of salt. In a large, non-stick pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of canola oil and heat. If you're cooking up more than 2 fillets, you'll most likely have to cook the fish in two batches, so add the other tbsp of oil for the second round. Add the salmon fillets to the skillet, skin side up, and cook until opaque throughout (approximately 4 to 5 minutes on each side).

 Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!!

super burgers.

While I generally like to blog about the food when I'm posting a new recipe, this time I must blog about the company. My cousin Ashley has been a big fan of my cooking from a very young age. My biggest fan if I dare say. Ash used to come to our house every morning to catch the bus before school, and I believe she may have the keenest sense of smell known to mankind. Ash would be sitting watching TV in the basement as we all got ready for school, and I swear the instant the Pilsbury cinnamon buns were popped in the oven, Ash would appear.
She has always been a lover of good food, and I think I often use it to my advantage. It will be Monday night, the Bachelor is about to start (don't judge), and I'll message Ash to come watch it with me (because it's never as fun to watch alone). In typical fashion, Ash will give me some excuse about being tired from a hard day at work. While I could try to entice her with the best seat in the house, or just the sheer pleasure of my company, I know that food really is the way into Ash's heart. A quick mention of the chocolate chip cookies or banana bread that's in the oven and Ash is surprisingly not so tired anymore.
While the mention of my homemade hamburgers didn't quite have the same impact as say a brownie would, Ash was still down for the sampling. These burgers are a spin on a recipe from Anna Olsen. The combination of both the ground beef and pork together keep these burgers so juicy. I love to mix it up with burgers by using different cheese and toppings. If you're feeling adventurous, top the burger with some blue cheese, Oka or brie, and with the toppings, the sky is the limit. If you're more like my cousin Ash, cheddar and ketchup work just fine too :) Love you Ash!!

Super Burgers
(Makes ~10 -12 burgers)

- (1) lb. of lean ground beef
- (1) lb. of ground pork
- (1/2) cup of breadcrumbs (preferably seasoned)
- (1) large egg
- (1/2) cup of minced onion
- (1) clove of garlic, minced
- (1) tbsp chopped fresh oregano, or (1) tsp dried oregano
- (2) tbsps finely chopped sundried tomato
- (1) tbsp salt
- Cheese of your choice

Add ground beef and pork into a bowl and mix together using your hands.

Add in the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix with your hands until everything is fully incorporated. A couple things to note. First off, my onions could have been minced a little more :). Secondly, if you have access to fresh herbs, they definitely are the best, however; if not, dried herbs work just fine. I used half fresh oregano (which actually ended up being thai oregano) in mine, and half fresh basil and it tasted great! Don't be afraid to try out whatever fresh herbs you have at home...within reason :).

Once the ingredients are all combined, form into a big ball or rectangle and divide into equal portions depending on how many burgers you'd like. I ended up making 10 burgers and they were a decent size, so if you prefer smaller burgers, divide the meat into 12 portions.

Now, form the portions into burger patties. I would suggest making them a tad thinner than mine as there is relatively little fat in these burgers so they don't shrink in size.

Barbeque burgers for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Add cheese near the end and allow to melt.

Top burger with whatever toppings you like and enjoy! My personal favourites are bacon, avocado, and tzatziki!