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February 25, 2011

A Bowl of Warmth - Chili and Cornbread


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It has been way too cold the last while here (-32 C on my drive home last night!) and so I felt like a bowl of one of my favourite wintertime comfort foods-chili. And you can't have chili without cornbread, so one thing led to another...which led to a delicious supper!

I love this chili because it isn't too heavy on the meat and beans, so it is filling without being too heavy. And I spiced it up this time with some habenero chili sauce the in-laws brought back from vacation.


1 lb extra lean ground beef, browned

Then add and saute:
1 chopped green pepper
1/2 onion, finely chopped
5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed















Once softened add:

Large can of diced tomatoes
1 can mixed beans
1/2 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
1 1/2 Tbl chili powder
Salt to taste
Habenero chili sauce to taste


For the cornbread, I took one of my favourite cornbread recipes and switched a few things up to make it my own. I love this cornbread because you add corn kernels, which gives it a delicious texture.

1/3 cup unsalted butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper. Drizzle kernels with olive oil in a saute pan. Cook until corn has softened and some of the kernels have turned light golden brown. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. stir in cornmeal. Add butter, cut in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add honey, milk, eggs, and corn kernels. stir to combine.
Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 18-20 minutes (until edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
Best served warm, same day.

Bob's Red Mill products are great! And their cornmeal has a great flavour and texture!

February 21, 2011

Get Me to the Greek -Yogurt That Is!


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So, by now you might have tried making your own homemade yogurt. I hope you and your family have enjoyed it!

You probably noticed that your yogurt can have a tendency to separate, and the whey will float on top. That's because your yogurt doesn't have any additives to keep this from happening. Just stir it back into the yogurt - OR - strain it off and make some deliciously thick and creamy Greek yogurt!

I know this looks nasty-but it is perfectly normal!

Greek yogurt also takes some of that "sour" flavour out of your homemade yogurt. It is also better for cooking (tzatziki, yogurt-based curries, etc.), as it won't "separate out" the way regular yogurt will. It also makes a much creamier frozen yogurt.

To make your Greek yogurt, place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Line that sieve with coffee filters. Pour regular yogurt into the sieve.

All set up to strain the yogurt!

Pop the bowl in the yogurt for 3 hours or overnight, and the next day, the whey will have drained through to the bowl, and you will be left with Greek yogurt.

If you are in a rush, pour your yogurt into a clean, white tea towel, and squeeze out the excess whey before placing the tea towel into the sieve for an hour or two. Keep in mind-this is messier than the coffee filters!


Now for all you calorie counters out there, remember that your Greek yogurt is a concentrated version of your regular yogurt! But I find find Greek yogurt to be more filling, so it's a decent trade-off. 

Enjoy your homemade Greek yogurt!