Think of it as Guidelines

The recipes of Chef Michael Smith are some of my favourite. Many of the dishes contain everyday items that you can find at any local store, and are very easy to follow.


Here is a brief video of Michael Smith and his take on cooking without a recipe.









Chicken Stew Review


This recipe used chicken thighs, which I appreciated as they are less expensive than the breast. I find that I frequently have chicken thighs sitting in the freezer and no idea what to do with them, so this was perfect. Also the ingredients were so few that you don't have to go running to the store with a list. Really all you needed was chicken and mushrooms (obviously), onions, olive oil, chicken stock, and wine.


Minimal work was required for preparations, and the most time consuming part was braising the chicken thighs (done on medium - low heat). Once the chicken was cooked the mushrooms and onions were sautéed and the stock and wine added it was as easy as covering the pot a letting it cook for an hour.


At first glance this dish appears to be overly simple, but once the stew was cooked all the flavours combined in perfect balance. Michael Smith's stew has this rich and rustic taste to it that brings about a nostalgic feel of Sunday dinners with the family.


I would highly recommend this chicken stew to anyone. To sum up the dish in one word - delicious!


For the entire recipe, or others like it, check out Chef Michael Smith's website.

I will add my own bit of advice.  When taking the lid off, be careful the steam is extremely hot. Ensure that you open the lid away from yourself or at least have oven mitts on. I learned the hard way that scalding your hand is not a pleasant experience.

One Pot, Seven Ingredients & All You Can Eat!

Have you ever made a trip to the grocery store, looked at the shelves and have your mind go blank? Ever feel overwhelmed with trying to think of what to cook?  The simple answer is Chili – simple yet satisfying!  Chili might be the one dish that anyone can make.  With that in mind I would like to share my recipe for the best ever chilli.



Lori’s Best Ever Chili

Ingredients

·         1 ½ pounds of ground beef

·         1 can tomato soup

·         ½ cup water

·         ¼ cup chilli powder

·         1 large onion

·         1 can chilli style kidney beans

·         1 can diced tomatoes

Cook ground beef on low, then pour off the fat.

Directions

Now here comes the hard part....
Throw everything else in the pot!! Cover and cook!

I suggest cooking for at least 45 minutes, but the great thing about chilli it can sit and simmer for as long as you like. The longer you let the chilli cook the more intense the flavour will get.

Variations

Chili is such a versatile dish that you can almost add or subtract any ingredient depending on your taste and personal preference.

·         Add peppers (red, green or yellow)

·         Add hot sauce and pepper flakes if you like it spicy

·         Add mushrooms, corn or zucchini for a heartier chilli

·         Use ground bison or turkey for a different taste

·         For vegetarian chili substitute meat with black, white or pinto beans
·         Top with shredded cheese and green onions

But your chili experience doesn’t have to end there.  Some other creative ways to use up leftover chili include: have it on a toasted bun for a sloppy joe, add it to noodles, put it on a hot dog to get a chili dog, or have it as a quesadilla with cheese and sour cream.  Still you could always just reheat it and have another bowl of chili because we all know that chili always tastes better the next day.

So be creative, have fun and always enjoy!

Food - Student Style

I would like to challenge the common belief that students survive on quick, easy, and cheap food.  Peanut butter and jam sandwiches, instant noodles, and frozen pizza all come to mind as accepted meal solutions, or the good old grocery store of mum and dad.  Now I am not saying there is anything wrong with peanut butter and jam. But there are so many other choices out there - more delicious than the questionable items found at your local convience store. Cooking on a student's budget can be done, and you can have real meals.  Did you ever think that homemade chicken stew, beef stroganoff, and apple cheesecake were options?


Sometimes seems easier just to order pizza or boil macaroni, but who doesn't love a home cooked meal?  A handy trick is to make extra when you do cook and afterwards you have leftovers! Save the tins from Chinese food and you have homemade TV dinners - just remember don't put them in the microwave!


For those who are afraid to make it up as you go here a few places to look for a bit of inspiration:

• Stores like Chapters and the Wee Book Inn often have a wide variety of cookbooks that are incredibly cheap (think $10 or less). 
• If the idea of a book makes you nervous you can browse through the Kraft Canada site.  Kraft has a number of recipes that are very easy and most call for ingredients that can be found at your local Safeway or Sobeys.
• When you build up a bit of confidence with newly discovered talent in the kitchen, check out  Food Network Canada for more ideas.  Personally I like Michael Smith's recipes as they substitute ingredients well.  Plus they don't call for some of those odd things, like quinoa, that could be spinach flavoured grain for all you know.