Cheesy Beef Potpie

I admit it, I love Rachael Ray. Well at least I love her recipes...her personality at times I find a bit too self-deprecating even for my taste. This recipe is an adaptation of her Beef and Cheddar Potpie with healthier ingredients. I like this because it you can make it and then freeze it for up to 4 months. Just cover it with plastic wrap and freeze. Then to reheat discard the plastic wrap, cover the potpie with foil and bake at 375 for 1 hour; uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Here come da recipe:

4 servings (umm more like 6 servings)
Prep Time: 40 min
Bake Time: 35 min


6 tablespoons margarine (low cal), chilled
1 small onion, chopped (pretty fine, nobody like a big chunk of onion)
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 28 -oz can diced tomatoes; drained
1 cup low sodium beef broth
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups shredded cheese (RR recommended sharp cheddar, I used Pizza blend)
1/2 cup skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8-by-12 inch baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons margarine over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and beef broth and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 20 minutes. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, blend in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the cheese until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir quickly with a fork to form a dry, shaggy dough. Gather the dough together and knead lightly in the bowl. Transfer to a floured work surface and roll or pat into a large, 1/2-inch-thick round. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 biscuits (as you can see, I got a few more). Gather the scraps of dough, form into a new round and cut out more biscuits. Continue until all the dough has been used up.

3. Place the biscuits on top of the beef mixture as close together as possible and bake until lightly browned, about 35 minutes.

Eye Weekly Poll

I hope that you will go and vote in the Eye Weekly Reader's Poll for the best bars and restaurants.

Polls like these can help smaller restaurants gain exposure and maybe even give you an idea of a new place to try.

Hit the Link!

Lasagne The Easy Way

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that in winter's cold we crave comfort food.

Lasagne is one of the world's ultimate comfort foods. It's got meat, cheese and delicious delicious carbs. Again I have turned to Kraft for the recipe but I decided to take to make it a bit healthier (are you noticing a theme)using some lighter ingredients and whole wheat noodles.

This recipe has noodles cooked right in the sauce, and after doing it this way it would take a very convincing person to convince me to go back to cooking the noodles separately. So much easier. If you want to make it even easier go buy yourself one of those disposable 8x12 roaster/lasagne pans.

Tuck in!

Lasagne

Prep: 20 min
Total: 1 hour 50 min
Servings: 12 (1 slice each)

1 lb (450 g)extra lean ground beef
2 1/2 cups part skim mozzarella shredded cheese (divided)
2 cups light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup light Parmesan grated cheese (divided)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (I used half the amount but dried)
1 Omega Three egg, lightly beaten
1 jar (700ml) calorie reduced pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups water
12 whole wheat lasagne noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and egg until well blended; set aside.

Drain meat; return to skillet. Stir in pasta sauce. Pour water into empty sauce jar; cover and shake well. Add to skillet; stir until well blended.

Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagne noodles, one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat layers two more times. Top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups of mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased foil.

Bake 1 hour. Remove foil; continue baking 15 min. or until heated through. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.

Prohibition/Booze: What's in a Name?

Much like the rest of Queen East I was intrigued in watching the signage change leading up to Prohibition's soft opening. I thought it was a PR stunt at first, but it was then reported that the name change was actually due to an order by the AGCO.

The story goes that the licensing officer “found that the name implied promoting the immoderate consumption of liquor.”

Unfortunately, the name is one of the only interesting things I can say about this self-described gastropub. While the drinks are delicious and plentiful, the food did not entirely live up to the restaurant's hype.

We started with the Calamari ($8.95), which had good texture and flavour. The spicy dip added punch – a great bar snack.

The next dish was the Chicken ($12.95). While the presentation was great and the chicken was quite tender, the sides left something to be desired. The kitchen had switched out the listed green beans for asparagus (without notifying me). The other side of mashed potatoes arrived at a temperature much colder than the chicken and asparagus. Pouring the side of gravy over them warmed them a bit.

We moved on to a more whimsical dish, the Grilled Cheese ($8.95 plus $1.50 extra for a Caesar Salad). The sandwich was described as having apple smoked cheddar, but it essentially tasted just like regular cheddar cheese. The salad gets points for using real bacon, not bacon bits, but it was coated in too much parmesan and dressing to the point of being soggy.

I have been to Prohibition a few times, and each time they seem to be out of something – be it cheese, onion rings, or, at points, entire appetizer dishes (which to me says some items are coming in pre-fabricated).

The wine and beer selection is impressive, something one would expect at a place originally named Booze. I wouldn't give Prohibition a complete miss, but come for a drink (or two) and stick to the lighter fare. But for the love of God do no get the antipasto plate totally over priced and not even worthy of a photo.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I recently had my friend Kinnon over for dinner and I wanted to make something that would allow me to actually visit with her instead of rushing around in the kitchen.

So I thought why not break out the Slow Cooker

I decided to take a Kraft Canada Pulled Pork recipe and make it slightly healthier. It is also incredibly economical, coming out to about $2.00 a head for the sandwiches. Since it serves 12 it would be great for a crowd.

Here's the recipe, try it for yourself!

Slow Cooker Orange-BBQ Pulled Sandwiches

Prep: 10 min Total: 8 hours and 10 min

1 cup Kraft Calorie Wise BarBQ Sauce
1/4 cup Kraft Pure Orange Marmalade (I used PC 50% more fruit brand)
1 boneless pork shoulder (3lb/1.35kg)
1/2 cup low fat PC mayonnaise
12 sandwich rolls split, toasted (I used a multi-grain variety)

Mix barbecue sauce and marmalade. Place meat in slow cooker; top with barbecue sauce mixture. Cover with lid.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (or on High for 4 to 6 hours). Remove meat from slow cooker; cut into small pieces or shred with fork (I did this in a big roasting pan). Return meat to slow cooker; stir until meat is evenly coated with the barbecue sauce mixture.

Spread dressing onto the sides of the rolls. Fill rolls evenly with meat mixture.

Makes 12 servings or 1 sandwich each.

If you don't use all the pulled pork in the sandwiches you can freeze it. You could also use it in other ways. I made pulled pork quesadillas!

Osgoode Hall Cafeteria

When it was recommended that I check out the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria, I braced myself for what I thought would be reminiscent of cafeterias from my past. I pictured food that only a lunch lady could love, full of fun loving trans fats.

Thankfully the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria is nothing of the sort. When I speak of the cafeteria I am not talking of that other little known gem the Osgoode Hall Restaurant this truly is a cafeteria meant for more day-to-day dining than a special occasion lunch. The Executive Chef Adam Foley oversees the food for both, accounting for good quality at cafeteria pricing.

The only hurdle to overcome is actually finding the cafeteria. You enter through the door labeled Law Society of Upper Canada accessed via the laneway on the east side of the building (between Osgoode Hall and Nathan Phillips Square).

Once inside you turn right at the security desk and proceed down the stairwell to the cafeteria, simply follow the signs and you’ll get there. There are no security checkpoints along the way.

The cafeteria itself is bright and basic, with plenty of seating and a few added armchairs for comfort. The large screen TV blares CP24 so that you can keep current while you eat.

The cafeteria serves both breakfast (8:30 am-10:30 am) and Lunch (12:00pm-2:00pm) from Monday to Friday. There are good deals and quality food to found at both services.

On the day I dine for lunch I select the Hot Value Meal ($7.00), which includes the protein main, starch/vegetable side, soup or salad and a drink. Today’s special is Chicken with Wild Mushroom Sauce, Penne Pomodoro and Blond Onion Soup.

The food is simple but executed wonderfully. You truly are getting bang for your buck at this restaurant. Indeed, I get 2 chicken breasts in my order. There is some inexplicable cheese on the chicken, which could have been omitted, but otherwise the chicken is incredibly moist and the sauce is seasoned perfectly.

The penne also serves as the vegetarian hot meal option; the sauce is light with chunks of real tomato, so it doesn’t overload the fairly creamy sauce of the chicken.

The hot specials change daily, as do the soup and salad offerings (Sandwiches $4.00, Salads $2.50). If you are in the mood for a sandwich they have all the regular options (made fresh), which can be ordered a la carte or as part of a combo.

Breakfast offerings include hot specials in addition to muffins, bagels etc. They also happen to make my favourite fruit salad ($2.50), containing more strawberries that you can shake a stick at.

If you are looking for a healthy and fresh alternative to the fast food cuisine in the area I encourage you to check out the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria.

The first post, so important. So crucial.

This blog will talk about all things food, restaurants, recipes, cookbooks, you name it.

It was mainly (though not entirely) started after I had a falling out with blogTO about my photos for the restaurant reviews I was posting.

That and I had some issue with the content they were producing. But I digress, if you want the whole story just let me know in the mean time...on with the show!