An Ode to Ontario, Family and Friends with Peameal Bacon on a Bun with Corn Relish

Peameal Bacon on a Bun

When I travel I always enjoy visiting the local farmers markets. They are a window into the heart and soul of every region and community worldwide. Granville Market in Vancouver for the best wild salmon burger, Pike Place Market in Seattle for prizewinning clam chowder, ByWard Market in Ottawa for Beaver Tails, and St. Lawrence Market in Toronto (and pretty much every fall fair, farmers market and small town in Ontario) for Peameal Bacon on a Bun!!!

On a recent trip to Ontario I was guided around Toronto on a foodie tour of the some of the most famous areas in the city. I want to thank Peter of Kalofagas and Paula of Dragons Kitchen who braved the heat and humidity on one of the hottest days on record (reaching 50C with the humidex), who ushered me around in an air conditioned car to share as much of the city as possible in a full day of sightseeing and delicious eats, even if my waterproof mascara was melting and our energy was zapped from the heat. Both are such gracious hosts and I am so happy they have found each other!

The St. Lawrence Market was our first stop and if I remember correctly is one of the best places to go for peameal bacon sandwiches. We opted for Pasteis de Nata and Turkish Lahmacun and Pide on the outskirts of Greektown this time around.  I was born and spent the first 19 years of my life in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, where I ate peameal bacon weekly, if not daily. Mom would fry thin slices with some tomatoes and crumpets/pikelets at least once a week. It was THE breakfast staple along with a rib-sticking bowl of porridge and potato scones.

As with so many foods that we grew up with, the importance of this one goes way beyond the actual bacon itself and is one of those comfort foods we talk about so often. Peameal for me symbolizes breakfast around the table with the entire family, summer at the cottage in Ontario, and all that goes with it, no school, new friends, and so on. I remember having Peameal Bacon Sandwiches at the fall fair, the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, the St. Jacobs Farmers Market, or at the beach at Wasaga. They would take a large hunk, anywhere from 2 to 3 pounds, and slice it not too thin and not too thick. They would then grill it over medium heat so it stays just ever so pink in the center and the cornmeal coating and external fat would grill up nice and crispy. It would be served on a soft Kaiser roll slathered with mayonnaise, and topped with iceberg lettuce and slices of summer sun-ripened tomatoes. Oh, and a few thin slices of Canadian cheddar would be acceptable too. Sheer heaven and such a wonderful foodie memory related to my childhood!!!!

 

Pasteis de Nata** Toronto Skyline **Peter and Paula at St. Lawrence Market

Roof Top Gardens Royal York **"Green Eggplant" the Beaches with Mary and Lynn **Kensington Market

Lahmacun at Mr. Pide ** Desserts at the Cheese Boutique ** Bobbette and Belle Bakery

 Real Canadian back bacon, also known as peameal bacon, is a form of meat unknown anywhere outside the country. Ask anyone in Canada to describe "true" Canadian bacon (at least those in Eastern Canada), and they will tell you “peameal bacon.” Peameal bacon is an Ontario specific speciality, and is only sporadically available elsewhere across the country. When I moved West peameal bacon was unheard of and was unavailable until one day I was delighted to find it at Costco. We will convert these Westerners yet to the true Canadian Bacon!!!! Seriously, all you have to do is talk to a couple Canadians from Ontario and you start to realize that peameal bacon sandwiches, while pretty much unknown elsewhere, are about the equivalent there of pastrami in Manhattan or cheese steaks in Philadelphia. The only Canadian food that outranks it in my books is Poutine!!!A peameal bacon sandwich is straightforward. Just a stack of thickly cut peameal bacon on a Kaiser bun, and perhaps a topping or two.. 

Armens Restaurant Southampton ** West Montrose ** Sunset Southampton

Poutine from chip truck Caledonia ** Downtown Galt ** Mi Casa et tu Casa Restaurant Cambridge

 

St. Jacob's Farmers Market and Mennonites

Peameal Bacon is made from pork loins weighing 12-14 Lb. They are trimmed of all the fat and the bones are removed. It is a very lean, meaty cut of bacon, with less fat compared to other cuts so therefore better for you so that you can consume it on a more regular basis. The term peameal comes from the ground yellow peas with which the bacon was originally coated around the 1920’s. This ensured better curing and shelf life and avoided bacterial problems. Over the years this tradition was changed to cornmeal, due to the availability of corn. Usually it is sliced and fried for breakfast but it is also excellent baked whole. The cornmeal makes a crisp exterior and the meat, although quite lean, is particularly juicy, because of the curing process. You have to search a little harder to find bacon that has that real old fashioned taste. Usually it means heading out to a country market in "Mennonite Country" in the direction of Kitchener and St. Jacobs, going to the St Lawrence Farmers Market in Toronto on a Saturday morning or befriending a specialty butcher who has contact with a local pig farmer and a good smoke house. I picked some up when I was at the farmers market in St. Jacobs and brought it back home to my kitchen in British Columbia.  I had my fill of monarch butterflies, chip trucks, brick houses, waving cornfields and pioneer fences...and of course peameal bacon!

My niece in Mount Hope gave me a copy of the Summer issue of Food and Drink from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and what caught my eye to pay homage to Ontario and all the wonderful friends, family and food I crammed into one short week, was their version of a peameal bacon sandwich. It is topped with a delicious corn relish and instead of making the bourbon mustard suggested, I used the Kozlicks Mustard I purchased at the St. Lawrence Market.

You will need two to four slices of peameal bacon per sandwich depending on how thickly they are cut. When buying mine at the butcher I prefer a thin cut, so just use more.  To make your own ‘Best Peameal Bacon on a Bun’ you will need a good bun, slices of lightly smoked cooked peameal bacon and then it is open for your own interpretation from there. Additions of your choice such as Dijon mustard, caramelized onions or perhaps a slice of Ontario Cheddar are all possibilities. Shaving the cheese allows it to melt slightly when it hits the hot bacon and roll. Once you're handed your sandwich, the biggest decision is what kind of mustard to choose, and if you'll have another.

**Peameal Bacon on a Bun with Corn Relish**
from Food and Drink LCBO

Corn Relish

1 cup (250 mL) cooked corn
1 cup (250 mL) seeded and chopped tomato
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped yellow pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped sweet onions
1 tablespoon (15 mL) chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) brown sugar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bacon

1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil
8 - 15 slices peameal bacon
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Korlicks mustard

Garnishes

4 kaiser rolls or other soft white buns, warmed
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) shaved jalapeno Gouda or Cheddar or other cheese of choice
4 crisp lettuce leaves

1. Combine  tomatoes, peppers, onions and jalapeno peppers in a food processor and process until chunky (or chop together by hand). Add cooked corn. Stir in sugar, cider vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add vegetable oil and bacon to pan and cook for 1 minute or until lightly browned. Brush with mustard and turn bacon slices over. Cook 1 - 2 minutes longer or until underside is browned and bacon is cooked through.

3. Spread each bun with mustard. Top with peameal bacon, cheese and Corn Relish. Finish with lettuce. Cut in half before serving. Serve with Spicy Coleslaw and an Okanagan Pale Ale.

Serves 4

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://goodfoodcorner.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

The Secret to an Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Oka and Chipotle Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I was going to post this photo for Wordless Wednesday since I think it speaks for itself, but when am I ever wordless:D Instead I will make a recipe out of a non-recipe.

What is your favourite comfort food? For me it would be a toss up between my homemade macaroni and cheese from the Beechers recipe or my quest for the ooey, gooey ribbons of delectable melted cheese of the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. The latter I would make most often since it is the satisfying, back-up meal that anyone can throw together with zero time and a practically empty refrigerator. In my humble opinion the grilled cheese sandwich is the epitome of comfort foods and simplicity in cooking. It's astounding to see what can be done with the basic staples of bread and cheese. This post is perfectly timed to coincide with National Grilled Cheese Month but then again I am willing to celebrate cheese anytime!!!

 Crisp and crunchy on the outside, gooey and warm on the inside I don't think there is anything more satisfying than a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich!. The key lies in the quality of the ingredients. Never has this held so true if you want to go beyond processed cheese slices and stale bread. A good grilled cheese sandwich has three very important components... bread... cheese...and butter.

The bread is the Holy Grail for the success of your sandwich. White bread has the best butter-soaking abilities of any bread I have tested, although you can substitute it for a healthier alternatives if you feel inclined. Whatever you choose it must be of the best quality that you can find. The same goes for butter; nothing beats the taste of good-quality buttery toast, but if you’re trying to keep a healthier diet, buttery spreads can often rival in taste.

The next component is the cheese. Most often I use a good quality Canadian Cheddar cheese but for an outstanding substitute why not try a Canadian Oka. This is the perfect melting cheese and will create the ooey, gooey goodness that we demand from a grilled cheese sandwich.

If any cheese is native to Canada, it’s Oka. Oka  is a type of Port Salut cheese, first made in Brittany, France by the Trappist monks. To supplement their income and make the monastary self sustaining they started producing cheese in Canada. History finds that monks created some of the best cheese and wines. They are backed up by years of experience to perfect their technique! A semi-soft cow's milk cheese that's creamy, nutty and fruity was made by the monks in Oka, Quebec a small village situated on the north shore of the Lake of the Two Mountains, just southwest of Montréal. Oka is traditionally covered with an orange rind that’s washed in brine and aged on cypress wood planks. In 1974, Agropur, Canada’s largest cheese cooperative bought the rights to produce Oka from the monks. Their cheese is made just down the street from the original Trappist Monk's monastery.

You haven't lived until you've added this cheese to your cheese fondue for a silky texture or tried it in a grilled cheese sandwich. The Beechers Macaroni and Cheese has spoiled me for life and no other recipe will grace my home kitchen. The secret to their dynamite "mac" is a small amount of chipotle pepper in the sauce. Why not sprinkle a little of this secret ingredient on your grilled cheese sandwich made with nutty Oka cheese for an added taste dimension. Add a garlic dill pickle on the side and you have a match made in heaven.

One year ago today: Salmon, Asparagus and Watercress Salad
Two Years Ago: Pasta anto te from David Rocco
Three Years Ago Today: Canlis House Signature Salad
Four Years Ago Today: My Favourite Falafel

**My Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich**

Good quality bread
Butter
Oka cheese slices
Sprinkle of chipotle pepper
Dill pickles

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1. Butter both sides of slices of bread; add a slice of your favourite cheese. I like to sprinkle the cheese with a small amount of chipotle pepper. Top with a second slice of bread.

2. On a medium heat let the pan heat up for about 15 seconds then glide the sandwich into the pan.

3. Next, cover the pan with a lid. Doing this helps evenly distribute the heat to the sandwich for optimum melting. Grilling the first side of your grilled cheese should only take about six minutes, but keep an eye on it depending on the heat of your stove top. No one wants a burned grilled cheese sandwich!

4. When the underside of the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melting out the sides, turn over the sandwich and brown the other side over medium heat.  The second side grills much faster than the first, 1 – 2 minutes. So stand guard! Once the second side is crisp and golden, remove it from the pan, slice your sandwich and serve with some garlic dill pickles. The combination can't be beat!!!

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://goodfoodcorner.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Asparagus Pesto

 

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Asparagus Pesto

Have I told you that I love asparagus lately? It seems that the arrival of Spring means the arrival of asparagus and searching for many ways to use it. Perhaps this urgency, besides the fact that asparagus is one of my favourite vegetables, is because one of our patients used to bring us over 20 pounds of garden fresh asparagus from his farm every Spring. Good thing I love this vegetable!! The urgency was to create as many dishes as possible before it all went very wrong.

This year I decided on turning to my other favourite...pesto. I don't know about you but I am just in love with pesto. Spinach pesto, traditional basil pesto, garlic scape pesto,  red pepper pesto...if it can be thrown in the food processor or pummeled in a mortor and pestle it will show up as pesto on my table. So why not asparagus pesto!!!

With asparagus season upon us it’s time to take out some of my favorite recipes using my favorite vegetable. The following twist on classic Italian pesto is one of my favorite asparagus recipes. It can be used in any way traditional basil pesto can be used. I love this tossed with hot pasta or as a topping for bruschetta and grilled chicken or salmon. I also like to serve this as a dip with toasted pita triangles. Yesterday I stuffed it into some chicken breasts with some fresh rocotta and breaded it and mixed it with ricotta and stuffed it into pasta shells and threw them in the freezer.

There is no real recipe here but in case you are wondering how to make the grilled cheese I buttered both sides of a home-style loaf (in this case flax seed bread), added a layer of asparagus pesto and added thinly sliced Oka cheese on top. Then I sandwiched the 2 pieces of bread together and sprinkled the outside of the sandwich with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Cook your sandwich until the outsides are browned or use a panini press. Enjoy!


** Asparagus Pesto**

Asparagus Pesto

1 lb fresh asparagus
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 large handful spinach
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest or 1 chili pepper
2 cloves garlic, mashed
½ cup olive oil
Salt to taste

******************
Wash and peel bottoms of the asparagus. Cut each spear into 4 pieces. Bring a pan of water to a boil**. Blanch the asparagus for one minute in the boiling water and drain. Drop the asparagus into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep the asparagus bright green. Remove from the ice water and drain well on paper towels.

When the asparagus is dry place into a bowl of a food processor along with the spinach, cheese, walnuts, parsley, lemon zest (ir chili pepper) and garlic. Pulse until a rough paste has formed. Continue to process adding the olive oil slowly until the pesto is the desired consistency. A few drops of water can be added if it is too thick. Do not use an acid based liquid like lemon juice or wine vinegar or the green color of the pesto may darken unless added right before serving.

Remove from the food processor and place in a small bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate till serving time.

**To steam asparagus: Bring 2 inches water to boil in a large saucepan holding a steamer basket. Place trimmed asparagus on basket and bring water to a rolling boil. Cover pan and steam 8 to 10 minutes until tender.


 Makes about 2 ½ cups of pesto. Plenty to create more dishes or to freeze.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://goodfoodcorner.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.

Nicoise Salad and Bulgur Pita Rolls

 

Nicoise Salad and Bulgur Pita Rolls

Niçoise salad  (niˈswaz), sometimes referred to as Salade Niçoise or insalata nizzarda, is a type of salad popular throughout the world.  Salade niçoise hails from the Côte d'Azur region of France, and is named after the city of Nice. It is a combination of tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, eggs and canned tuna packed in oil.  It is typically topped with anchovies and Dijon vinaigrette.

If you're ever fortunate enough to go to Nice, you are bound to walk by many sidewalk cafés, brasseries, bistros and the like. As ubiquitous are the chalkboards that guard the entrances to these eateries, calling out the specials of the day. On almost all of them, you will find salade niçoise. When I was in Nice many years ago I was 18 years old and less likely to be seeking out a Nicoise salad than the local night clubs and beaches. How my perspective would change today!




As the days grow longer and commitments find me further from home I tend to move towards quick, healthy and delicious meals. Sandwiches will always fit well into this category. This sandwich from Canadian Chef Michael Smith is not the well-loved traditional tuna salad of my childhood with mayonnaise and sweet pickles, but, a twist loosely based on the classic Nicoise salad.  Instead of potatoes he adds bulgur wheat. To me this is a Middle East meets France kind of dish reminiscent of taboulleh and made with pita bread instead of French bread. To me this means extraordinary!!!

I personally love this sandwich, because it is easy to make and perfectly captures the flavours of the Mediterranean. It may even replace the traditional tuna salad in my books and provides you with a healthier alternative.

**Nicoise Salad and Bulgur Pita Rolls**
based on a recipe from Chef Michael Smith
Print me.....

1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad

16 ounces green beans, tops trimmed
1 can tuna
1 small jar capers, drained
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cucumber, sliced into half moons
1 cup bulgur
Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 whole wheat pitas
******************

Steam beans in a stovetop steamer or microwave for 2 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender. Meanwhile pour 2 cups of lightly salted boiling water over the bulgar and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest for 20-30 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the bulgur softens.

Toss the green beans, tuna, capers, red onion, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley and cucumber into a large bowl. Add the bulgur and dressing and toss well. Serve in a large festive bowl or roll into pitas.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://goodfoodcorner.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.

Lightened up Tuna Panini

L'il Burnt Toast comes to lunch fairly often. Last week I invited her for what turned out to be "tuna day", where almost everything gracing the table seemed to contain tuna. There is my Tuna, White Bean Salad with Herb-Caper Pesto taking up the rear.

Many people feel that it is healthier to eat tuna packed in water instead of tuna packed in oil, yet it is generally agreed that tuna packed in oil has a better flavor and texture. However, it has been shown that tuna packed in oil mixed with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise is actually lower in fat than tuna packed in spring water and mixed with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Starting with tuna packed in oil allows people to use less mayonnaise to achieve the desired consistency and taste, thereby cutting down on fat and calories and providing a better tasting salad. Another fat-reducing option is rinsing tuna packed in oil with a small stream of water in a strainer to remove excess oil as I did here. This tuna salad uses balsamic vinegar for added flavour and no mayonnaise at all. Perfect for picnics and beach barbecues too!!!

North Americans eat canned tuna more than any other type of fish, but, it doesn't compare to the wonderfully firm, dense and meaty flavor and texture of fresh tuna. Both canned and fresh tuna are available throughout the year. December is the time to get fresh Hawaiian tuna. Tuna is found in the warm water areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea.

Even if it gets a bad "rap" I do love a homey tuna casserole once in a while and a lightened up version of a tuna salad can always be found on my table during the week!!!


** Lightened-Up Tuna Panini**

Printable Version

Two 6-ounce cans chunk tuna
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ciabatta rolls, split
Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, for spreading
Eight 1/4-inch-thick slices of Swiss or cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
Sixteen 1/8-inch-thick lengthwise slices of kosher dill pickles (optional)

*****************
In a medium bowl, mix the tuna with the onion, olive oil, vinegar, basil and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.Heat a panini press or griddle. Spread the cut sides of the rolls with mustard and mayonnaise and top each roll half with a slice of cheese. Spread the tuna salad on the bottoms and cover with the pickles.

Close the sandwiches and brush the outsides of the rolls lightly with olive oil.Add the sandwiches to the press and cook over moderate heat until the cheese is melted, about 6 minutes.

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Serves 4

2 Gals Cooking Light...and the Winner is.............

It has been a fun week with 2 Gals cooking a week of light and healthy dishes from the pages of Cooking Light magazine. Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch and I have been fans of the magazine for years with over 70 delicious and healthy recipes in each issue. As mentioned all this week Shelby was given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers! These Cooking Light Subscriptions were generously offered to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who commented for your chance to win and followed us through this week of Cooking Light!!! Also a BIG HUG to Aaron for sponsoring us!! Stay tuned for some more adventures in the future as we continue to eat healthy and extremely tasty dishes.

Day 1 saw Shelby and I devouring Grilled Tomato & Brie Sandwiches here and here. We both prepared this sandwich more than once, it was that good with the melted brie!!

Day 2 I chose to make Heirloom Tomato & Herb Pappardelle. This is the perfect way to enjoy those sun-ripened and juicy summer tomatoes.

Day 3 Shelby prepared Strawberry Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. It is definitely something I need to try!! Shelby said, " Strawberries aren't quite in season here yet, but we are able to buy them in the stores at a fairly reasonable price still - not to mention they are high in nutritional content and low in calories!

Day 4 I opted for something sweet Oatmeal Cookie Peach Cobbler . L'il Burnt Toast and I enjoyed this with some vanilla yogurt ice cream warm from the oven. You could substitute any seasonal fruit for the peaches. I strongly feel that rhubarb would be a perfect combination for the cookie topping!!

Day 5 Shelby shared Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken with her family and friends. She says, "The glaze was slightly sweet and the chicken was so tender and juicy. I took leftovers to work in a salad and it was delicious!" This was an excellent choice!!

The highlight of Day 6 was Fire-Seared Antipasto PlatterFire Seared Antipasto Platter jumped off the pages of Cooking Light as the perfect summer appetizer to highlight seasonal vegetables from your local markets.

Day 7 Shelby opted for the Gingered Blueberry Shortcake . Shelby says, "The photo looked so appealing in the magazine that I decided I would have to make it"

We have drawn the names of the 3 winners who will receive a Cooking Light Subscription for 1 year which were generously offered to you by Aaron of Magazine Direct. And the winners are:

Delectable Dining

Coleen's Recipes

Linda of Oklahoma Peach Fuzz and For Goodness Sake(Linda authors two blogs!)

Thanks to all who participated and entered! Winners please email Shelby at grumpyshoneybunch at yahoo dot com with your full name and mailing address so that she can pass this on to Aaron at Magsdirect.com!

Two Gals Cooking Light Giveaway and Grilled Tomato & Brie Sandwiches

What brings two gals from opposite sides of the continent together, one from upper New York State and the other from British Columbia, Canada? Their passion for food and creating innovative and delicious dishes for their family, co-workers and friends.

Shelby (aka HoneyB) from The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch is an avid blogger and writer. Her love for her family shines through in every post besides the fact that I wish her dishes could just leap off of the pages. She makes delicious dishes for Grumpy's palate as well as fabulous desserts for co-workers and friends. Shelby and I both have a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty.

With our love for Cooking Light magazine Shelby and I decided to collaborate for one week and kickstart our summer by sharing some recipes with you from this months issue of Cooking Light. Check out her post here. Shelby and I will be alternating days so please return here at MTBT tomorrow for the second entry to our week of Cooking Light. The great thing about eating light is that you can still love your food and not give up any of the flavour... just focus on loving food that’s good for you. People like us who really adore food and flavour have a much better chance of eating well, and healthily, and enjoying every minute of it!!!

Eating light and healthy is a key component to better health.

The most important piece of advise would be to not skip breakfast!!! People who eat breakfast usually feel less hungry throughout the day. It might sound odd, but a good way to 'eat light' is to 'start heavy' in the morning with a healthy breakfast, such as oats, that will give you a slow release of energy throughout the morning. If you don't like porridge, then try Swiss-style muesli thrown onto some yogurt with walnuts and fruit or whiz together some oats, pitted medjool dates, yogurt, apple juice and honey into a smoothie. Eat complex carbohydrates whenever possible such as whole grain cereals, rice, pasta, bread, beans, nuts and some types of fruit. Complex carbohydrates are low in fat, fast-burning, and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Eat carbs for lunch and protein for dinner. If you have your main carbohydrates in the middle of the day, then your body has plenty of time to digest them in the afternoon. So lunch can be pasta with tuna and capers, a sandwich or a baked potato, and dinner can be something lighter, such as grilled fish or a big bowl of soup. Your body will be able to digest it more easily and not feel weighed down.

The first couple days may be difficult if this is a life-style change, but once you've done it over and over again, it will become second nature and you will have an easier time. Don't give up!!! There's no such thing as cheating. It is not always possible to eat healthy and light everyday. Think of those days that you eat something else as wandering and not cheating. Wandering is not wrong or bad. I want to wander all around the world and experience new foods!!!!!

Some exciting news. Shelby and I have been given the opportunity to give away a years subscription to Cooking Light magazine to THREE lucky readers...count them... THREE.... so be sure to visit all this week . We had already decided to do a CL week and Aaron came up with this offer. It was meant to be!!! Just leave one comment on our Cooking Light posts for the next week at The Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch or right here at More Than Burnt Toast and 3 winners will be chosen by random draw on Saturday June 13, 2009. These Cooking Light Subscriptions have been generously offered to our readers by Aaron of Magazine Direct. Thank you Aaron!!!!! If you already have a subscription share their magazine with your family or friends. Follow us through this weeks journey as we laugh and cook our way through this months issue of Cooking Light Magazine.

To kickstart our week of Two Gal's Cooking Light we are both preparing Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches from the June 2009 issue. These sandwiches make the most of juicy, flavorful summer tomatoes. Serve with grapes or carrot sticks. Be sure to visit More Than Burnt Toast tomorrow for more healthy and delicious recipes from Cooking Light with Heirloom Tomato and Herb Pappardelle .

** Grilled Tomato and Brie Sandwiches**

8 (1-ounce) slices 100% whole-grain bread (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
2 teaspoons country-style Dijon mustard
4 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups packaged baby arugula and spinach greens (such as Dole)
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato
Cooking spray

**************************
Prepare grill to high heat.

Brush one side of each bread slice with oil; rub cut sides of garlic over oil.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on each of 4 bread slices, oil side down. Top each bread slice with 1 ounce cheese, 1/3 cup greens, and 2 tomato slices. Top each with remaining 4 bread slices, oil side up.

Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly toasted and cheese melts.

Serves 4

BB Croque Monsieur

April is the month of April Fool's Day and the devout celebrate Easter, but, did you know that it was also National Grilled Cheese Month? I don't know who dubbed April with this honour (even after an intensive Google search) but it is a good month to celebrate. I would suggest that the month belongs to Kraft:D

Once again it is time for the Barefoot Bloggers to join forces and make some delicious recipes from Ina Garten and her league of cookbooks. She is one of my favourites. It is always a "win win situation" because her recipes are always consistent. I haven't come across a recipe yet that hasn't turned out and been a crowd pleaser. So to celebrate National Cheese Month Kathy of All Food Considered has chosen Croque Monsieur which can be found in Barefoot in Paris on page 48 . Croque Monsieur is a glorified version of a grilled cheese sandwich...or is it a glorified version of French toast? I am late in posting with work and getting ready for a holiday...but here it is finally:D

A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese sandwich that is typically made with emmental or gruyere cheeses. The Croque Monsieur, or “Crispy Mister,” appeared on Parisian café menus in 1910. The original Croque Monsieur was simply a hot ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich, fried in butter. Some believe it was accidentally created when French workers left their lunch pails by a hot radiator and came back later to discover the cheese in their sandwiches had melted. It originated in France as a fast-food snack that patrons found at cafés and bars. More elaborate versions come coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce for an even more glorified grilled cheese sandwich.

Found all over France today, the Croque Monsieur (casually referred to as a Croque) has as many recipes and variations as it has cooks. The crunchy sandwich is served as an appetizer, snack, or casual meal. Versions of the sandwich with substitutions or additional ingredients are given names modelled on the original croque-monsieur, for example:

Croque Madame - with a fried or poached egg on top.
Croque Provençal - with tomato, raclette cheese and herbed mayonnaise.
Croque auvergnat - with bleu d'Auvergne cheese.
Croque norvégien - with smoked salmon instead of ham.
Croque Hawaii - with a slice of pineapple.
Croque Bolognese - with Bolognese sauce.
Black croque monsieur. - toasted squid ink bread with buffalo mozzarella.
Croque Tartiflette - with Reblechon cheese, sliced potatoes and a creamy bechamel sauce.

All of these versions sound delicious to me!!

Before I move on to the recipe I would like to thank a couple of people for honoring More Than Burnt Toast with awards this week. First of all a bug thank you to Sam of My Carolina Kitchen . Along with the Friendship Award comes this message: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated." I have only recently discovered Sam's blog and I love to visit and read about her culinary trips to France.

Secondly I would like to thank Giz of the mother/daughter team of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and the co-founder of BloggerAid - Changing the Face of Famine for bestowing upon me the Sisterhood award. She knows the true value of friendship and sticking to your core values with truth, integrity and a generosity of spirit. She is one classy lady and deserved this award. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A big thank you to Kathy for reintroducing us to this French classic. This is an especially delicious version, but you can always add your own special twist. On to the recipe........

The Barefoot Bloggers have now made 91,946 Friday night dinners for Jeffrey!!!

**Croque Monsieur**

2 T unsalted butter
3 T all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

*********
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes.

Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Chicken Gyros

In keeping with my barbecue loving ways and my longing for sunny climates I decided to bring those Greek flavours into my home as I do at least once a week.

Gyro is probably the most often mispronounced food name. Even its biggest fans sometimes don't get the pronunciation exact. Is it a "jee-rohs," "jai-rohs," "gee-rohs?" The correct Greek pronunciation is “yee-rohs, ” at least in my best explanation. Or is it a Donair?

Almost every culture has its own version of 'fast food', and in Greece I am giving that honour to the gyro sandwich. Have I eaten enough gyros or donairs in my life to become an expert...well not really, but here is what I do know.

Here in Canada a gyro is quite often made with meat cut off of a big cylinder of well-seasoned lamb or beef. This meat is cooked on a slowly rotating vertical spit or gyro, implying the circular spinning motion of a gyroscope. A gyro sandwich consists of various rotisseried meats, all or none of tomatoes, lettuce and onions, along with a yogurt-based tzatziki sauce. These ingredients are placed on a grilled pita bread and served as a wrap sandwich. The type of pita bread may also vary, from the pocket style to a round flatbread. I am salivating already!!!!

A Turkish Doner Kebab or Gyro is slices of marinated lamb, mutton, beef, veal, or chicken which are stacked on a vertical spit and roasted at a vertical grill. It is served as a type of sandwich stuffed into Turkish bread, rolled into flat bread, or laid on top of diced flat bread with a sauce. This type of sandwich has been known, and sold on the streets, by the people of Greece, the Middle East, and Turkey for hundreds of years. In Greece I found they usually add french fries and sometimes mustard inside their gyro as well for a "full meal deal". If you're lucky you can get this type of donair here in Canada too!!! Greek historians believe that the dish originated during Alexander The Great’s time, when his soldiers used their long knives to skewer meat and kept turning the meat over fires.

My version is made with marinated chicken breasts, so we do get all the flavours reminiscent of a true gyro without having to try and replicate the meat. This is something I make often all year round... and talk about fast!!

Before I move on to the recipe I have a few orders of business. I have been the recipient of a couple of awards this week.


The first is the "You're a Sweet" bestowed upon me by my good friend and blogging sister Ivy of Kopiaste. Thank you so much Sis, I think you're the sweetest too with one of the biggest of hearts out there!!!

With the help of Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen , the three of us have been working hard to pull together the BloggerAid Cookbook.









The second is from Gloria of Cookbook Cuisine and Foods and Flavors of San Antonio. Her cookbook is coming out this month so check it out. She has been a major influence on the cookbook project as well!!!

I am giving both of these awards to my friends out there...you know who you are...who have supported me and brought a little sunshine into my life each and every day.

So, without further adieu ..on to the recipe because I have to type up a few resumes for friends and get on with my next project.......

**Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce and Feta**

2 T garlic, minced
2 T fresh thyme, minced or 1 T Greek oregano, crushed
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T cracked black pepper
zest and juice from one lemon
pinch of salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Tzatziki sauce (recipe follows)
4 large pita bread rounds
1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, halved and sliced
1/2 cup kalamata olives
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

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Place boneless chicken breasts in a shallow glass container. Season with thyme or oregano, pepper, garlic, oil, lemon (juice and zest), salt and olive oil. Distribute the seasonings evenly over the chicken breast by rubbing well. Allow to marinade in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Clean the grill well with a grill brush. Once the grill is clean rub with an oiled paper towel. Heat the grill on high for 5 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.

Place pita rounds on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes, until warm, turning frequently to avoid burning. Stuff pita pockets with chicken, toppings and tzatziki to serve.

**Tzatziki Sauce**

2 medium size cucumbers
400g strained yogurt
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. wine vinegar
a little salt
fresh chopped fennel fronds or dill
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Peel cucumbers and grate each one length-wise with course grater. Salt, allow to drain and press out excess liquid from grated cucumbers. Peel garlic cloves, remove sprout if it exists and crush them. Mix cucumber, garlic, vinegar and salt. Fold the yogurt and the olive oil into the mixture.

Chicken Wellington for Love & Valentine's Day

The very talented mother/daughter duo of Equal Opportunity Kitchen are planning a wedding. Yes Psychgrad and R are getting married!! Congratulations are definitely in order. Do we remember the days? What a better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than rejoicing in the love of a young couple.

As we all know there is a lot of planning involved in the big day!!! To get some ideas from all of you talented bloggers Psychgrad is holding another rendition of their very popular Tried, Tested and True event Tried, Tested and True - Wedding Edition.

What would you serve to impress a group of approximately 20-30 people? Since I am an overachiever this is my second dish I am sending their way to help out virtually. Before it was Turkey Pinwheels. If only we could all be there to help with the cooking and preparation, perhaps with a glass of wine in hand, to allow the guest of honour to enjoy herself to the max!!!! I think that a morning being treated at the spa is in order...nails, hair, facials, massage........especially the latter!!!!

This is such a simple recipe....and yet again it can be made well in advance. You can change the ingredients however you like. It is really more like a very delicious baked sandwich that is eaten at room temperature.

Be sure to check out the 7 (or more) things I LOVE below in honour of love and weddings and Valentines Day!!

Happy Valentines Day....7 Things That I Love

in no particular order

Blogging events and all the fantastic bloggers who make me smile every day and challenge me to want to achieve culinary greatness!!

Cooking schools worldwide where you connect and become part of an instant family of guests, amazing cooks and chefs and share a common passion. Hiking, making friends with local artisans, dancing, lazing away hours over excellent local wines and good conversation...I could say so much more....cooking vacations are the way to go!!!!!

Hiking and pole-walking to breathtaking vistas like this one here in the valley. A chance to dream....

Travelling to far off and interesting places.

Local wineries and fine wine go hand in hand.....

Good food and conversation with good friends....

My Family, and all my extended family..................

My daughter.............

Pansies, daffodils, hydrangea, muscari.............

I could go on for ever.....

On to the recipe.......

**Chicken Wellington**

1 package puff pastry thawed

1 T (15 mL) melted butter

2 oz (60 g) fresh spinach

4 oz (120 g) sliced Swiss cheese

4 oz(120 g) sliced ham

8 oz (225 g) sliced chicken breast

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Preheat oven to 400 F(200 C).

Roll out puff pastry into a 10 x 10 inch sheet. If you live where you can buy sheets...lucky you!!!!) Layer with spinach leaving 1/2-inch (1 cm) border on all sides of pastry sheet except for the side closest to you. Layer chicken then ham,then Swiss cheese in the same manner always leaving 1/-inch (1 cm) border except on the side closest to you.

Roll the ingredients inside the pastry like a jelly roll until you reach the end. Bring the puff pastry around to meet in the middle like a package. Pinch these two pen ends shut; turn over so that seem is on the bottom. Cut diagonal slices along top of pastry every 2-inches (5 cm).

Place the roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400F (200 C) for 15 - 30 minutes (depending on how thick you have made your roll) or until pastry turns golden brown. Slice diagonally and serve.

My Kitchen My World - Cuba

We have received another few centimeters of snow, the roads to Vancouver through the mountains have only just reopened and we are experiencing "the inversion factor" with no sunshine for days. Is it any wonder that I am dreaming of warm ocean breezes, sun dappled beaches and a long cool drink by the pool? Today I am being whisked away to Cuba with another week of travel with My Kitchen My World . This illustrious group of bloggers is now moderated by the lovely Lauren of I'll Eat You. The group chooses a country every Sunday and we put our best foot forward in an effort to prepare a dish that represents that country.

Today we escape to CUBA!!!!!

Bring on the mojitos!!!!! Cuba is the land of rum, cigars and communism. The best thing about travelling to Cuba for me is that it remains an uncluttered and "real" paradise. You will find no McDonalds commercialism here and you can still buy souvenirs for under $10. Cuba has survived more than 40 years of US sanctions intended to topple the government of Fidel Castro. It also defied predictions that it would not survive the collapse of its one-time supporter, the Soviet Union. It's people are survivors and the country offers its own brand of flavour and beauty.

Cuba is a spectacular country, with beautiful and very warm loving people. Most tourists will go to the all inclusive resort areas such as Varadero, Jardines del Rey (Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo) or Holguin. My best advice to you as always is to travel around the country, stay in a Casa Particular, where you will be a guest in a Cuban family's home. Have dinner in the Paladares, small private restaurants, and talk to the Cuban people, mingle with the locals and see how they live. Brush up on your Spanish!!!!

Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves.

So what do I personally think of when Cuba comes to mind (besides bringing home my allotment of cigars and hitching a ride in a 1950's car with smoke pouring out the back end)?

The Cubano!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoyed this description. " A Cuban Sandwich, sometimes called a cubano, is a Latin variation on a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. This undeniably delicious sandwich is grilled and made with ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard and Cuban bread. The essential ingredient is the roasted pork. When assembled, the sandwich is lightly toasted in a sandwich press called a plancha, which is only somewhat similar to a panini press but without grooved surfaces. A traditional Cuban sandwich is never made with a panini grill. The plancha both heats and compresses the sandwich, which remains in the press until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melted. It is usually cut into diagonal halves before serving."

Nothing will whisk me away to Cuba and snorkeling in untouched quays like a Cuban sandwich and a long tall mojito!!!! Serve both with some yam fritters to get the full effect of your virtual holiday.

**Cuban Sandwiches**

4 hoagie rolls (oreferably Cuban rolls if you can find them)
2 T yellow mustard
1/4 pound baked ham, thinly sliced
1/4 pound roast pork, thinly sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
10 thin dill pickle slices, approximately 2 whole pickles
1 T unsalted butter, room temperature

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Slice the bread horizontally in half, leaving 1 edge intact. Lay the bread open and spread each side with the mustard. Divide the ingredients evenly among the slices of roll. Start with the ham followed by the pork, cheese, and dill pickles. Bring the tops and bottoms together.

Heat your panini maker or sandwich press. Butter each side of the press. Place the sandwiches inside, press down and grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is flat and browned, approximately 10 minutes. If you don't have a sandwich press, you can heat 6 fireplace bricks wrapped in foil, in a 500 degrees F oven for 1 hour and then press the sandwich between them for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

**Yam Fritters**

1/2 kilogram malanga or yam

1 egg

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vinegar

Oil enough for deep frying

**************
Grate the malanga or yam and blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Take the batter by tablespoonfuls and deep fry in hot oil.

Not so Classic Clubhouse with Avocado Spread

Sometimes lunch or a light supper requires getting back to the basics. Every diner or hotel restaurant I have ever visited has a Club Sandwich, or, what we call a Clubhouse on the menu. The traditional club ingredients are turkey or chicken, bacon, lettuce, and tomato served on toasted bread. You know the one...served with fries and a pickle.

Nothing takes me back to my childhood like a Clubhouse Sandwich and fries. I remember all too well heading to Woolworth's for a Clubhouse, fries and a float!!! Every kid from Ontario will remember this classic. There are no fries here...but maybe you could serve some nice yam fries with or without blue cheese dip, and of course a pickle!!! When I moved to Western Canada years ago the Clubhouse seemed to be replaced by the Beef Dip, and you could only get a Western Sandwich in the Eastern provinces. Since then I have had many versions of the Clubhouse all across Canada and the United States. I wonder if you can get a Clubhouse in Australia, or Britain, or Spain, or Greece.....only you know.

I remember reading somewhere that this is one of James Beards favourite sandwiches so I am going to push this sandwich into the gourmand category in his honour. To make this classic, Beard instructed people, " to spread crisp toast (white bread only please!) with homemade mayonnaise, top it with freshly cooked, sliced chicken breast, bacon, peeled, ripe tomatoes, and iceberg lettuce." A triple-decker sandwich is what we normally see in most restaurants, but, Beard considered, "the third slice of toast a "horror" and suggested in American Cookery that the responsible party be condemned "to eat three-deckers three times a day the rest of his/her life."

Where did the name Clubhouse come from? Various sources say the sandwich was created in the kitchens of private men's clubs or perhaps in the club cars of American passenger trains, or even at the Saratoga Club (a turn-of-the-century casino in upstate New York). Whatever its origins, this sandwich was well established by 1941 when America's Cookbook gave a detailed recipe with six variations specifying that, "the lettuce extend beyond the toast's edge and that the sandwich be served while the toast is toasty."

This is my version of a Clubhouse with an avocado and goat cheese spread for a twist, roasted chicken, hothouse tomatoes, cheese of choice and crispy bacon slices served with 8-grain toast....sorry Mr. Beard but I don't usually do white bread!

Do we really need a recipe for a Clubhouse Sandwich? Probably not...but I did find an actual recipe on the Food Network. If you have never made a Clubhouse before then follow the instructions... if you have then by all means wing it. A sandwich is an individual thing.

**Classic Club Sandwich with Avocado Spread**

12 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
8 romaine lettuce leaves
16 slices vine-ripened tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 slices crispy cooked bacon
16 ounces thinly sliced roasted chicken or turkey
Avocado spread (recipe follows)
16 frill picks or wooden toothpicks

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On a clean work surface, arrange 3 bread slices in a row. Spread 1 tablespoon of avocado spread over 1 side of each bread slice.

Place lettuce on top of the first bread slice, top with 2 tomato slices, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place 2 slices bacon over the tomatoes (broken to fit neatly if necessary) and top with 1/8 of the turkey or chicken (without letting any hang over the sides). Season the turkey with salt and pepper, to taste.

Repeat with the second bread slice. Carefully place the second layered bread slice on top of the first layered bread, turkey side-up. Cover with the third bread slice, avocado spread side-down.

Pin the sandwich's layers together by piercing them with 4 frill picks or wooden toothpicks through the top bread slice, in 4 places in a diamond-like pattern, all the way to the bottom bread slice.

Repeat the entire process with the remaining ingredients to form 3 more sandwiches. Using a serrated knife cut each sandwich, diagonally, into 4 triangular pieces (each piece should be secured in the center with a pick or toothpick).

**Avocado Spread**

1 ripe avocado
1 oz goat cheese
¼ tsp chopped chives or spring onion
1 -½ T chopped cilantro
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 T fresh squeezed lime juice
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Combine avocado with goat cheese and mix until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust salt to taste. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature to let flavors blend.