Potato and Parsnip Gratin

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Our Growing Paynes

Every St. Patrick’s Day I like to do a special Irish meal as a nod to my ancestry. There is so much to the Irish cuisine with the variety available. I have never had corned beef, well that’s Irish American, not Irish and I don’t cook with cabbage really as I don’t like it. I would always be horrified when people couldn’t wait for the boiled corned beef and cabbage. But to each their own. I found a recipe on the BBC for a Potato and Parsnip Gratin. Of course I played around with it!

While beef, corned or otherwise, isn’t an Irish tradition, bacon or ham is. I hoped to do a pork loin on the grill but I couldn’t find one so I settled for pork chops to grill. I marinated the pork in olive oil with lemon, thyme and garlic. I am not a fan of time changes but at least it is now light enough to see the grill! I am so ready for the sun to come back up north.

Technique for Potato and Parsnip Gratin

This is an easy and delicious dish to throw together. It goes faster if you have a mandolin to slice the veg. I couldn’t find mine, not sure where we put it after we moved. I’ve no doubt it was right in front of me but couldn’t see the wood for the trees!

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Prep all the ingredients before layering. As I was only doing three ramekins, I only needed one medium sized potato. The best thing about this recipe is that it is easy to scale up or down depending on how many people you need to feed. To keep this recipe low FODMAP friendly, I used scallions/spring onions but use whatever onions you would like.

Start layering with the potatoes, then the parsnips. Add a bit of cream, scallion/spring onion, thyme and season with sea salt and ground pepper. Grate the jarlsberg over the ingredients. I added more after taking the photo and I wanted all that cheesy goodness.

Keep repeating the layers until you are at the top of the ramekin. Finish with a layer of potato before grating the cheese to cover the potato. Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and cover with tin foil. Place into the oven. Bake for about an hour. At that point pierce the potatoes with a knife. If soft, remove the tin foil to brown the cheese. Serve with the sliced pork and garden peas.

We love doing roasted potatoes and parsnips, potato and parsnip mash, and this will be something we make more often. It’s easy and has lots of flavour. An elegant comfort food.

Potato and Parsnip Gratin

A lovely Irish dish with cream and cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Irish

Keyword Potato and Parsnip Gratin

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 3

Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

1 medium sized potato, thinly sliced
1 scallion/spring onion, chopped
1/2 large parsnip, thinly sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2-1 cup heavy cream 4-8oz
1 cup freshly grated jarlsberg
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C
Thinly slice the potato and parsnip. Grate the jarlsberg and remove the thyme leaves from the stems.
In the ramekins, layer the potatoes in the bottom and add the parsnips, scallions/green and thyme. Pour a bit of cream over the layer and season with some sea salt and pepper. Grate the jarlsberg cheese over until it covers the layer. Repeat this until it is near the top. Finish with a layer of potato and cover with the cheese.
Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet and cover with tin foil. Bake for about an hour. Test with a knife to make sure the potatoes are soft. Bake uncovered until the cheese is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Southwest Quinoa Wrap

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Our Growing Paynes

One upside to the high heat of summer is this is the time where our veg gardens start really giving up their bounty. This year our 8 tomato plants are acting like we planted 30 plants. On the other hand, our leeks have decided this year is not their year. Thankfully, our local co-op has all the seasonal fresh produce. Plenty to make a Southwest Quinoa Wrap.

This is a vegetarian dish that has loads of protein but it is very easy to add meat or seafood to this dish. This is also low FODMAP if you stick with the portions allowed for the ingredients. For example, I have corn and black beans in this dish. Corn if kept under 38g is good and black beans need to be under 40g. This dish has enough ingredients that this isn’t an issue.

I’m also trying to find meals that are healthy but filling enough for a teenage boy. The way he eats, he should be at least 7 foot tall by now!

Technique for Southwest Quinoa Wrap

Prep all the ingredients while the quinoa is cooking. The quinoa takes about 20 minutes to cook but the rest cooks quickly.

In a skillet, heat up the olive oil and begin to cook the scallions, leeks, corn and black beans.

Add the chili powder, cumin, lime juice and cilantro/coriander leaves. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix in the cooked quinoa.

Start layering the fresh ingredients on the quinoa wrap. I included some mung beans that we needed to use up. That’s the great thing about this dish, there isn’t any wrong veg to use.

Add the cooked mixture and top with shredded cheese and sour cream. Salsa would be a nice addition but it’s not always low FODMAP.

This was a delicious and filling meal. Though to be honest my son had more before he went to bed. At least he’s not eating junk!

Southwest Quinoa Wrap

A delicious vegetarian dish that fits with the low FODMAP diet

Course Main Course

Cuisine Southwest

Keyword Southwest Quinoa Wrap

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

8 Quinoa Wraps
1 cup cooked quinoa 185g
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped leeks 89g
1/2 cup chopped scallions/spring onions (the green part) 50g
1 cup frozen corn 164g
1 cup black beans, drained 260g
1-2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
lettuce
cucumber, sliced
tomato, sliced
carrot, sliced
mung beans
dollop of sour cream
shredded cheese

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to the package's instructions. Takes about 20 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Cook the scallions, leeks, corn and black beans for a few minutes on medium heat. Add the chili powder, cumin, sea salt, pepper, lime juice and cilantro/coriander leaves. Cook for a few more minutes.
Add the lettuce, tomato, cucumber and carrot to the centre of the quinoa wrap.
Add in the cooked quinoa to the skillet and mix well.
Spoon the heated veg mixture over the centre of the wrap. Add the sour cream and shredded cheese. You can also top with salsa. Fold the wrap and cut into two. Serve the dish.

Seared Duck with Cherry Sauce

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Our Growing Paynes

A big component to my joy of traveling is being able to try new food and get inspiration for new dishes at home. My husband and I aren’t big shoppers, we’d rather budget for experiences. I prefer having a memory of a lovely meal in some far off locale than fill the house with stuff. Though stuff seems to multiply anyway, not sure what happens there! A couple of decades ago I was in Scotland on the west coast. I had a meal that I remember til this day because not only was it delicious but the simple flavours just came together to be amazing. It was Seared Duck with Cherry Sauce.

Prior to this I’d never had duck. I don’t think it was something, at the time, readily available in the States. I was also not a fan of cherries as it was difficult to get really fresh cherries and the flavour that gets stuck in your mind is the awful chemical cherry flavour of ice creams or medicine. Seriously, who taste tests those? But this was a revelation.

Technique for Seared Duck with Cherry Sauce

The key to this, as is for most dishes, is fresh ingredients. I love being able to pop into my garden for the fresh herbs and veg.

Coarsely chop the cherries and finely chop the garlic. I really wish I had a cherry depitter but it’s not big deal to cut away the cherry from the pit, just slows it down a bit. Start cooking the cherry in a small pan with a bit of water.

Prep the duck by scoring the duck fat without cutting into the meat. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Place into a skillet face down to start with. Keep the heat just under medium so the fat renders down as much as possible while giving you that really nice sear. Every few minutes flip the duck so it cooks evenly without burning either side.

Add the garlic, thyme and lemon juice to the cherries. Let that simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the butter, sea salt and pepper. Stir well.

I do like a crispy duck. Cook the duck to at least medium. Allow to rest for several minutes before slicing.

Slice the duck and place over a bed of greens. Spoon over the sauce. We also roasted potatoes in duck fat. That is next level good.

Seared Duck with Cherry Sauce

Seared Duck with cherries, garlic and thyme

Course Main Course

Keyword Seared Duck with Cherry Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 duck breast
1 1/2 cups cherries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup water 2-3oz
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Cooking the Seared Duck

Score the duck fat without cutting into the meat. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
In a skillet, put the duck face down. Keep the heat just below medium so the fat renders out without burning the duck. Flip the duck every few minutes so it cooks evenly. Cook until it is at least medium in the centre. Let it rest for several minutes before slicing.

Cooking the Cherry Sauce

Sautè the cherries in the water for a few minutes.
Add the garlic, thyme and lemon juice. Simmer for a few minutes to cook the garlic.
Add the butter and stir well. Reduce the liquid by about a third.

Serving the dish

Slice the duck and arrange it over a bed of greens.
Spoon the sauce over the duck.
Serve with potatoes roasted in duck fat.

Mushroom and Feta over Salad

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Our Growing Paynes

I do seem to be on a mushroom kick, not just the vegetarian kick. Growing up, the only mushroom I was really exposed to was the button mushroom. Not to knock it, because that type is fine, but there really is such a variety to choose from. Different “meatiness” and flavours which can make dishes exciting. We were at the library a few weeks ago and my husband found a cookery book by Yotam Ottolenghi called Ottolenghi Simple. I love his approach to food. His recipe featuring mushroom and feta caught my eye so here is my version. It’s not too different from his though I adjusted the amounts of the ingredients a little here and there. I also added garlic because I love it paired with mushrooms and thyme.

When making this dish, try to find as many different varieties of mushrooms as you can. It should celebrate them. I was unlucky as when I went there wasn’t any variety! So strange as I can usually find about 5 types.

Technique for Mushroom and Feta

I think I found the smallest shiitake in the world!

Prep the ingredients prior to starting to cook, including the bulger wheat, as it does not take long to cook. The original recipe calls for adding salt and pepper to the bulger before soaking but I decided not to do that. I’m a huge lover of salt but I knew there would be plenty of that flavour from the feta and I seasoned the mushrooms as they cooked.

In a skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the onions for several minutes until they soften and begin to caramelise. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin seeds. Stir and keep an eye on the seeds. You don’t want them to burn but you do want them to brown. Remove the onion and seeds, set aside.

If need be, add a bit more olive oil and then sauté the mushrooms. Once they begin to brown add the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes then add another 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seed and the thyme. Again cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the balsamic vinegar and stir. This will reduce and absorb quite quickly. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the onions, and let warm through, about a minute. Spoon over mixed lettuce and garnish with more fresh dill. Serve immediately.

We really enjoyed this dish and I’m going to add this as a choice for the food bowls we do for lunch. Hopefully I’ll have better choice with the mushrooms.

Mushroom and Feta

Mushrooms flavoured with thyme and dill, accompanied by feta over lettuce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Mushroom and Feta

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 2

Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

1/3 cup bulger wheat
boiling water, enough to cover the bulger wheat
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely sliced red onion
1 tsp cumin seed
1-1 1/2 cups sliced mixed mushrooms
3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh chopped dill
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups mixed lettuce

Instructions

Place the bulger wheat into a bowl and cover with boiling water until the water is an inch over the wheat. The bulger wheat will expand by quite a bit. Keep covered by a tea towel until all the water is absorbed.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet and add the onion. Cook until it starts to soften and caramelise. Should take about 7 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seed. Cook, careful not to burn, until they are nicely browned. This will only take a couple of minutes. Remove the mixture from the skillet and set aside.
If needed, add a bit more olive oil. Heat on high and add the mushrooms. Because the olive oil has a low smoke point, keep an eye on it and lower to medium-high if it starts to catch. When the mushrooms start to brown, add the garlic. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the thyme and the rest of the cumin seeds. Stir well and again cook for a few minutes.
Add the balsamic vinegar while stirring. This will reduce and absorb quickly. Add all the other ingredients including the onion mixture. Allow it to warm through.
To serve, divide the lettuce between 2 plates, top with the mushroom mixture and garnish with fresh dill.

Mushroom Leek Pie

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Our Growing Paynes

I’ve been on a bit of a vegetarian kick lately when I’ve been looking for new recipes. I came across a Mushroom Leek Pie with a creamy gravy, though Attachment Mummy’s recipe was vegan. I’ve no problem, obviously, with vegan dishes but I’m not a fan of dairy substitutes so I decided to go just with vegetarian for this dish. And since the hill towns in our area saw snow this week, comfort food is all the range round here!

We did manage to start to get some plants in that won’t do well in frost. I may have been tempting fate but we’ll see. We’re going to have a bed for edible flowers and then a bed for cut flowers. Any suggestions for what to plant would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully, if all goes well this summer there will be some recipes inspired by the edible flower bed.

Technique for Mushroom Leek Pie

Chop up all the ingredients. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the garlic and mushrooms.

Depending on how much butter the mushrooms soak up, you may need to add more butter when it comes time to make the roux. They can be quite the sponges!

When the mushrooms start to brown add the oregano and leeks. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add the flour and mustard.

I like my gravies in pies to be thick so I added the 1/3 cup of flour. If you don’t like it overly thick go with a 1/4 cup. The mixture will get thick and a bit stiff. Stir while cooking for a few minutes then add the white wine. Season with sea salt and pepper. Add the milk and bring to a boil while stirring. You don’t want a roiling boil and keep an eye as it can boil over quickly if you aren’t paying attention. Add the parmesan cheese.

Taste and adjust the flavours as needed. You want to make sure the mustard and oregano come through the milk. Make up the pastry and roll out thinly. Spoon the mushroom and leek mixture into ramekins. Cover with the pastry. Use a knife to pierce the top and brush milk all over.

Bake at 400F/200C until the pastry is flaky and golden brown.

Serve immediately. If you save some of this for another day, go with the 1/4 cup flour as it does get even thicker as leftovers.

Mushroom Leek Pie

A creamy pie with a lovely flaky crust.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Mushroom Leek Pie

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

Pastry

1/2 cup all purpose flour 70g
1/4 cup butter
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp cold water

Mushroom Leek Filling

4 tbsp butter
3-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4-8 mushrooms (depending on size), sliced
1 cup chopped leek
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp stone ground mustard
1/2 cup dry white wine 4oz
2 cups milk 16oz
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Pastry

Using a pastry fork or fingers, blend the butter, salt and flour until the mixture resembles small breadcrumbs.
Add the water bit by bit to the mixture, using your fingers to incorporate the water into the pastry. You may need more than 2 tbsp but add water until the dough comes together.
Roll out thinly and using a cookie cutter, cut to the size you need.

Mushroom Leek Filling

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Sauté the garlic and mushrooms until the mushrooms start to brown. Add the leeks and oregano. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the flour and mustard. Stir while it cooks for a few minutes so the flour is cooked thoroughly.
Add the white wine then season with sea salt and pepper. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Don't have it a rapid boil or it will boil over. To finish add the parmesan cheese.

Constructing the pie

Fill four ramekins with the filling. Top with the cut pastry. Use a knife to put slits in the pastry and then brush the pastry with milk.
Bake at 400F/200C until the pastry is golden and flaky.

Tabouli Salad and Resolutions

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Our Growing Paynes

We’ve forgotten what the sun looks like in our area. Mother Nature has taken the April Showers bit very seriously, enough to continue into May. Really hope there will be a plethora of flowers soon! Even though the weather calls for a lot of comfort food, sometimes bright light food lets me pretend it’s a lovely spring. Tabouli Salad fits the bill with the fresh ingredients and flavour.

I’m not one for resolutions. We all know how long they can last, we’re lucky if it’s the end of January. But after several years of working on my mental health, injuries, etc, it was time to work on the physical stuff and lose the weight I gained from meds I was on. A big key was doing food bowls with various healthy choices to mix and match so I wouldn’t get bored. Tabouli salad is a great addition to this.

For this version I went heavy on the bulger wheat as some of the ingredients are quite strong and if I was going to be in a small cubicle with clients I couldn’t have dragon breath. I mean, dragons are cool if you are in Games of Thrones but not when you want clients to come back. The recipe will reflect the usual balance rather than what is shown in the photos.

Technique for Tabouli Salad

The bulger wheat needs to be prepped first. You can either boil the wheat for 12-15 minutes or add boiling water to the wheat, cover and let steam for 45 minutes. I tried both ways and they work but the steaming gives it a better texture.

Add the wheat to a bowl and add boiling water until it’s about 1/2in/1.5cm above the wheat. Cover with a tea towel and let steam for about 45 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

While the wheat is steaming prep the fresh ingredients. I used parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, mint and scallions. You can add other ingredients such as celery or garlic. For the tomatoes discard the seed pulp. Chop all the ingredients into small bits. Mix the dressing and toss the ingredients and set aside until the wheat is ready.

Rinse the bulger wheat with cold water and drain. Toss with the other ingredients. It’s ready to serve but when not serving keep it covered and chilled in the fridge.

I enjoyed it with a soft boiled egg and smoked salad. Brain food!

Tabouli Salad

A fresh flavourful salad is a great choice for dinner or food bowls.

Course Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword Tabouli Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 8

Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

Bulger Wheat

1 cup bulger wheat, coarse
Boiling water, enough to cover wheat

Salad Ingredients

1 cup chopped parsley
3 roma tomatoes
1 cup chopped cucumber
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Bulger Wheat

Boil water. Pour over the wheat until it’s covered by about 1/2in/1.5cm. Cover with a tea towel and let stand for 45 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Rinse with cold water and drain.

Fresh Ingredients and Dressing

Mix the fresh ingredients and dressing together. Set aside until the wheat is cooked and drained. Toss everything together. It is ready to serve. Store in the fridge covered.

Basil Wine Sauce Over Grilled Salmon

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Our Growing Paynes

It’s been a very interesting week getting the new business off the ground. Aside from opening up the Etsy shop I also did a local art show called Art in the Park. It was a great experience as I was able to get advice from fellow artists and everyone was so positive. In addition to getting a few sales I also got great positive feedback which lets me know I’m not tilting at windmills.

I also upgraded this site to the business level and spent quality time with the “happiness engineers” to get a shop set up on my blog. It took several hours as I seem to have a knack to ask for stuff that require special coding. I still have a few more things to do but it’s all a go now!

Earlier this summer, when we were in Swanage, we took my in-laws out to dinner to thank them for putting us up and putting up with us. We tried an Italian restaurant in town which wasn’t too bad. The highlight of the meal was for my daughter and I as we ordered poached salmon with an amazing basil sauce. She and I raved about it. Once all the summer adventures were over I knew I needed to make this again as a treat.

I will admit, using fresh basil in it’s prime is best. Our basil in the garden is a bit past it’s prime but the flavour was still there.

Making the Basil Wine Sauce

Prep the salmon first. Season with sea salt and pepper. Slice a lemon to grill the salmon on.

Grilling over lemons gives it a great flavour.

Pick a bunch, about three handfuls. Wash and blend with a third a cup of dry white wine.

In a saucepan melt 3-4 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped, along with the basil and wine. Sauté on low to medium heat. The goal is to have a hint of the white wine come through with the basil being the highlight. If need be, add more butter to get the right balance. Sometimes the wine can be a bit harsh.

While this is cooking, grill up the salmon. I also grilled chicken for my husband and son. Do up a fresh salad and top with the salmon and the basil wine sauce.

I was hoping this meal was the swan song of the summer but the summer just won’t quit! My daughter enjoyed this and was happy I can recreate the dish for us. I think the best trips down memory lane are food related.

Grilled Salmon with Basil Wine Sauce

A delicious sauce of basil and wine drizzled over grilled salmon.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2 people

Author Our Growing Paynes

Ingredients

Salmon

1/2 lb wild sockeye salmon
1 lemon
pinch sea salt
pinch freshly ground pepper

Sauce

1 1/2 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup dry white wine
3-4 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Instructions

Season the salmon with the sea salt and pepper. Slice the lemon about 1/4"/.6cm thick. Heat up the grill and grill the salmon on the lemon slices.
Blend the basil and wine together. Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the basil and garlic and sautè. Add more butter if needed to keep a balance of flavour with the wine.
Make a salad, top with the salmon and basil wine sauce.

Easy Homemade Granola

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Our Growing Paynes

We’ve all done it, keep meaning to make something homemade to save money but never getting around to it. Then thinking about it all over again as you scoop the expensive stuff into a bag at the shop. My husband enjoys having granola on his yoghurt in the mornings. For at least a year I’ve been meaning to give it a try but something always distracted me.

The other week https://frugalhausfrau.com posted about making granola. She made it look so easy and delicious I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer! And quite frankly, with two teenagers in the house, any way I can save on the food bill is a good thing.

My husband loves raisins/sultanas and currants so I thought I would keep it simple with the addition of almonds.

Preheat the oven to 300F/150C.

In a bowl add a cup of oats, a handful of almonds (chopped), a pinch of salt, a tablespoon or so of brown sugar, half a teaspoon each of cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Mix well.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add this and a teaspoon of vanilla to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste to see if you need to adjust the seasoning.

Spread out evenly on parchment paper over a baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes. This is a wide range because you don’t want to bring out a burnt taste to the granola and every oven is different. Stir the granola twice during the baking. Once it’s a light golden colour it should be done.

Once it’s baked, let it cool before adding the raisins/sultanas and currants. I added a healthy handful of each. If you find the raisins are on the sweet side you can back off on the sugar to keep it balanced.

I enjoyed it over yoghurt but this is great as an on the go snack or over ice cream. As we ended up with nearly 3 cups of mixed granola store it in an airtight container. This is so easy and the variations are endless, there isn’t any reason to buy it anymore!

Brussel Sprout Sliders

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Our Growing Paynes

A quick post today as we’re getting ready to hit the road for university tours. It seems so surreal that our daughter is old enough to be thinking about university but it’s here! She’s ready for the next chapter and excited about it. I look forward to see where her journey takes her.

This past weekend I made a dinner for my husband as a thank you for holding down the fort during tax season. It’s a lot of extra work for him for which I am grateful he takes on.

One thing he loves is Brussel sprouts so that definitely had to be on the menu. Just for him mind as I can’t stand the stuff! I came across an idea on Pinterest for vegetarian Brussel sprout sliders with tofu, I think plus there were asian flavours. I thought it would be a fun idea with streaky bacon and french flavours.

In a small bowl add two parts olive oil to one part champagne vinegar. Finely chop 2 small cloves of garlic and add a healthy dollop of brown mustard. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Mix well and coat the sprouts. Reserve the remaining mixture.

Roast in the oven at 350F/175C. Cut 3 rashers of streaky bacon into squares. Cook them up in a skillet, slowly rendering them.

When the bacon has been cooked remove from the skillet and set aside. Drain the bacon fat until you have a couple of tablespoons left in the pan. Add to the skillet thinly sliced onion. I was only making 4 sliders so I did a half a cup. Cook slowly to soften and caramelise.

When they are halfway cooked add the remaining mustard mixture to the onions. Continue to caramelise.

Once all the ingredients have been cooked assemble into sliders.

My husband really enjoyed these so I’ll be making these again. Just a small way to show my gratitude.

French Onion Quiche and the Walls Come Tumbling Down Again…

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Our Growing Paynes

They say wisdom comes with age. When it comes to house projects, my husband and I finally got wisdom! We’re redoing our bathroom and bedroom and instead of slogging our way through the demo we saved up and got our contractor to do it. What a difference. I can breath, we’re not exhausted and not filthy.

Our puppies, on the other hand, are less than impressed with the cacophony going on. I wish I could make them understand what’s going on but I can’t. So all I can do is give them loads of cuddles. Fingers crossed this project goes quickly.

Because we were facing a potential few hours of laying insulation (way too much fun, I know!) I made dinner during the day so we wouldn’t starve afterwards. Turns out, it was a quick job, thank goodness. As we also got several inches of snow to clear it was nice to have dinner ready.

I was inspired by a pin I saw for a French onion tart with bacon and I thought it would be fun to use my French Onion Soup in a quiche. This is easy to put together but just don’t rush it.

To begin cut up about seven rashers of streaky bacon and slowly render them on medium heat. Cook until about 2/3s done.

While the bacon is cooking slice a half an onion thinly. Finely chop two cloves of garlic and coarsely chop a couple of mushrooms.

Remove the bacon and set aside. Pour out the bacon fat until you only have about two tablespoons of fat left in the pan. Add the onions and cook slowly. Once they begin to soften add the garlic and mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes. Add a cup of veg bouillon, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and two tablespoons of brandy. Stir in a healthy dollop of stone ground mustard.

Bring this to a medium simmer to reduce the broth. Meanwhile prepare the pastry using half the recipe I used in the pie. Grate half a cup of Jarlsberg and half a cup of smoked Gouda. In a bowl beat three eggs together then had a half cup of cream and 3/4 cup of milk.

Once the broth is nearly reduced add back in the bacon. Continue until the broth is nearly gone. Spread it into the bottom of the pastry.

Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture then pour the egg and milk into the dish.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425F/220C then bake for about 30 minutes at 300F/150C. Remove once the quiche is set and golden.

Either serve it right away or save and heat up later.

Quick question, I’ve suddenly gotten a lot of followers from outlook mail accounts. While I’m grateful for followers I’m concerned there maybe something else going on.