G! Gets Zesty: Comfort & Joy

Ease into the busy holiday season with a little help from Zestycook

Christmas parties, family functions, holiday shopping, Christmas concerts…the holiday season can be pretty hectic, overwhelming and down right exhausting! In just a few short weeks, your social calendar will be so full you won’t have time to throw your own festive shindig. So, why not start early and avoid the hype? Not a bad idea, is it? Let me walk you through some simple tips to ease the pain that will make it a fun, stress-free event.

Zesty Pre-Party Planning Tips

Create a cooking plan: Start compiling a list of what you want to cook for your event in the order you want to serve it and write it down. Let this be your bible that will dictate your every move in preparation for the party.

Make a list, check it twice: Prior to hitting the grocery store, go through your cooking plan and break it down into categories of what you’ll need: food items, party prep supplies, perishables and non-perishables, etc. Organize accordingly and buy only what you need (presents don’t pay for themselves, you know!)

Cook ahead of time: Do whatever you can the day before or the day of the party to alleviate any timing concerns you might be having about making sure everything is prepared on time.

Keep cool: Stay calm! Rely on your cooking plan and newfound organization skills to help you execute this party in a low stress environment. Remember, parties are meant to be fun.

Keep the presentation simple: Let the food take centre stage. By using simple flowers or fresh herbs in a variety of ways you can make the serving dishes and plates very appealing.

 

Comfort

Irish Soda Bread

 

 

 

Served warm, this number will make your guests smile, fill the room with the comforting scent of fresh homemade bread and make a great appetizer when paired with a variety of cheeses, homemade spreads, or some herbed butter.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons of granulated white sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons of old fashioned rolled oats (optional)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk (or soured milk you can make yourself using vinegar and regular milk)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375 °F (190 °C) and place the rack in the centre of the oven. Line a baking sheet or cast iron skillet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, oats, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add most of the buttermilk.
3. Using yours hands, or a wooden spoon, mix (adding more buttermilk if necessary) until the dough is soft and moist.
4. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a 7-inch (18 cm) round that is about 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick.
5. Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch deep “X” across the top of the bread.
6. Bake for about 40 – 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.

 

Joy

Baklava

 

 

OK, let’s not kid ourselves here – this dessert is off the hook! It won’t make your waist smaller but it will make your smile a little larger and bring a little joy to your guests.

 

 

 

Ingredients
Phyllo pastry
1 cup of butter
4 cups (1 lb) of nuts (I used chopped pecans, walnuts and almonds)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of water
1 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Method
1. Mix the nuts with the cinnamon.
2. Lay two sheets of phyllo on the bottom of a buttered 9×13 pan – you may have to cut the phyllo in half to make it fit. Spread butter (I used melted) on the two sheets of phyllo and then top with two more. Repeat phyllo and butter until you have 6-8 sheets on the bottom.
3. Sprinkle the nut mixture on the phyllo then cover with two more sheets and spread butter. Repeat until you run out of nuts.
4. Top with 6-8 sheets of phyllo (again 2 sheets then butter repeat).
5. Cut into diamonds (or squares) before baking it.
6. Bake at 350 °F (177 °C) for 45 – 50 minutes until golden.
7. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup; boil the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the honey and vanilla and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Pour it on the pastry as soon as it comes at out of the oven.

Zesty Tip: Let it cool a bit before you try and eat it (This is literally the hardest part. You don’t want to cover this either as it will lose it’s crunch.)

For more recipes and tips on how to keep it simple in the kitchen, visit www.zestycook.com.

Ease into the busy holiday season with a little help from Zestycook Christmas parties, family functions, holiday shopping, Christmas concerts…the holiday season can be pretty hectic, overwhelming and down right exhausting! In just a few short weeks, your social calendar will be so full you won’t have time to throw your own festive shindig. So, [...]

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G! Gets Zesty: Game Time Grub

Nothing says ‘Are you ready for some football?’ quite like DIY pub grub

By Zestycook (aka Cory Gallant)

 
It’s Sunday afternoon and the countdown is on until kickoff. The big question isn’t who’s going to win, it’s what are you going to eat? Entertain like a pro with pub fare that’ll have your neighbours running to your sectional for prime seating.

Here’s your winning game day lineup.

Beef Nachos (First Quarter)

 

We all have our own ideas as to what makes the perfect nacho. It could be the toppings, texture, flavour or the amount of cheese attached to the nacho chip itself. For me, it’s all about treating each nacho with love and attention.

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and ordered a heaping pile of nachos, only to be sorely disappointed when they land on your table because the topping-to-chip ratio is all off? Nothing bugs me more than neglected nachos. I like to top each nacho chip individually (yeah, it may take a little longer, but it’s well worth the effort). That way every nacho is dressed and made just the way you want it. This also makes it easy to customize the nachos based on taste.

These beef nachos are absolutely delicious – don’t count on having any leftovers for the second quarter!

Zesty tips on building the perfect nacho: There are three imperative ingredients to consider when creating the perfect plate of nachos and those are chips, cheese, and toppings.  Choose large chips with a big surface area, not too salty that the other flavours are overpowered. Pick a cheese that can melt evenly and not produce a large amount of grease ( avoid store bought, pre-shredded cheese).  As for the toppings, it’s free reign. I like fresh tomatoes, green onion, guacamole, jalapeno peppers, and a little sour cream.  Try these and you won’t be disappointed.

 

Onion Rings (Second Quarter)

Simple things in life make me happy. Take a few onions, slice them thick, season with salt and pepper and dredge them in a little buttermilk. Toss them in some panko breadcrumbs and roast them in your oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Talk about a killer snack your peeps will be fighting for! The crunch and flavour of these golden rings are guaranteed to be a hit. I like to dip mine in ketchup, but feel free to dip these in whatever your heart desires.

 

Cheese Quesadillas (Third Quarter)

 

Half-time may be over, but that means it’s time for a little more cheese!  Add some Mexican flare to your man cave eats with cheese quesadillas, topped with some homemade salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Crunchy on the outside, ooey gooey cheese on the inside – what’s not to love?  I love ‘em and they’re definitely a crowd pleaser for picky eaters.

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Chicken Wings with a Spicy Glaze (Fourth Quarter)

Ever just crave a chicken wing that’s not greasy but is still crispy on the outside? Now don’t get me wrong, I love a nice, deep-fried chicken wing but at home I always go for a baked chicken wing in the oven and finish it off with a glaze. The process is really simple and you can use whatever you like as the glaze.  For this batch, I went with a spicy glaze cause I was craving something hot; not “burn your lips” hot but a nice balance of sweet and heat.

Make sure to stock up on wings as you’ll find yourself quickly eating as many of these bad boys as you can get your hands on and going through tons of paper towel (Thank god for the Select – A – Size). Best served with an ice cold beer or you can always go with a nice glass of water to offset any tingling lips.

Ingredients

chicken wings (tips removed)
salt
pepper
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
splash of vinegar
1/2 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Season chicken wings with salt and pepper.  Place them in the oven and cook for 40 to 50 minutes.
2. In a separate saucepan, set heat to medium and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Once everything is combined thoroughly, bring to a boil.
3. Remove wings from the oven and place in a large bowl.
4. Add the sauce over the wings and toss to coat.
5. Serve with some fresh veggies and your favourite drink.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When making the sauce, if you find it’s a little too thin, bring to a boil and add a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water together to thicken the sauce. You want the sauce to be thick enough to both coat the wings and stick to your ribs.

Ok, so the game is over and your team lost, but does it really matter?  All I can think of is wonder how I’m going to button my pants in the morning for work after eating so much.

For pub grub recipes and more, check out zestycook.com.

Take care,

Zesty

Football not your sport? Who cares! Zestycook’s pub grub menu works with any sport – hockey, basketball, soccer – a sports fan’s gotta eat, right? Just make sure to wear your stretchy pants.  

Nothing says ‘Are you ready for some football?’ quite like DIY pub grub By Zestycook (aka Cory Gallant)   It’s Sunday afternoon and the countdown is on until kickoff. The big question isn’t who’s going to win, it’s what are you going to eat? Entertain like a pro with pub fare that’ll have your neighbours [...]

Read more »

G! Gets Zesty: Think Outside “The Box”

Next time you get a hankering for macaroni and cheese, kick things up a notch with Zesty’s rich and creamy take on this classic comfort food

By Zestycook (aka Cory Gallant)

We all love our comfort foods. Whether it’s fresh homemade stew, chili, grilled cheese sandwiches, warm biscuits or lemon meringue pie, we find ourselves reaching for those ‘go-to’ foods that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside when we’re in the mood for something filling and satisfying. Comfort foods take us back to a place, a memory or a feeling that’s safe; they give us a sense of emotional well-being when we dig into them. As the nights get cooler and we find ourselves pulling on our long, fleecy pajama pants, we can’t help but want to nourish ourselves with a familiar, tasty dish.

For me, nothing screams comfort food more than a big, heaping bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese. I like mine creamy, cheesy and with a few additions that take ordinary mac and cheese to a whole new level. The creamy texture of the homemade cheese sauce, the saltiness of the bacon, and the burst of ripened tomatoes really add a nice balance of sweet and salty to this dish. The addition of the crispy, golden brown bread crumbs sprinkled on top gives the dish a nice crunch before hitting the creamy, cheesy gooeyness. Overall, the combination is nothing short of spectacular.

Of course, this dish is going to take longer to put together than your regular boxed mac and cheese but the results will speak for themselves. And don’t even try to make a “healthy” version; this is comfort food, people! Real butter and real cheese makes this real good! Go ahead and treat yourself – we can all use a little comfort from time to time, so preheat the oven and get started on this restyled classic I know you’ll love.

 

Zestycook’s Bacon Topped Macaroni and Cheese

Béchamel Sauce (this will serve as the base for the cheese sauce)

Ingredients
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
1/2 small onion, peeled
2 1/4 cups of milk
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of thyme
salt
pepper
nutmeg

Method
1. Use cloves as tacks to adhere bay leaves to onion.
2. Place onion in a heavy saucepan with milk.
3. Bring to low simmer over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate, heavy pan, combine flour and butter and stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. This cooks the starchy taste out of the flour.
5. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Remove onion from hot milk.
7. Return cooled flour to medium heat and slowly add in hot milk, whisking to remove lumps .
8. Bring to high simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring for 20 minutes.
9. Add salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg to taste. If there are lumps in the sauce that whisking will not smooth out, strain sauce through a fine strainer.
10. Add 3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Set aside until macaroni is cooked and ready.
11. Makes 2 cups of sauce.

Bacon Topped Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
350 g macaroni, cooked and prepared
2 cups cheese sauce
8 slices of bacon (cooked and crumbled)
2-3 tomatoes diced, seeded
1/2 cup freshly made buttered breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Butter a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
3. Put the cooked macaroni into the casserole dish, pour the cheese sauce over top and stir gently.
4. Toss in the tomatoes and half the crumbled bacon and gently mix together.
5. Sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top and spread the crumbs on top of the bacon.
6. Bake uncovered until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling (about 30 minutes – oven times vary).
7. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Enjoy!

Zesty Tip: Melt a little butter to stir in your breadcrumbs before topping the macaroni and cheese.  This will help in the browning process as well as the flavour.

The next time you think of comfort food, look no further to the foods you loved growing up and make them the way you want – there is no right or wrong way to restyle your favourite dishes! Cook what you love and love what you eat.

For more comfort food ideas, check out www.zestycook.com.

Take care,

Zesty

Next time you get a hankering for macaroni and cheese, kick things up a notch with Zesty’s rich and creamy take on this classic comfort food By Zestycook (aka Cory Gallant) We all love our comfort foods. Whether it’s fresh homemade stew, chili, grilled cheese sandwiches, warm biscuits or lemon meringue pie, we find ourselves [...]

Read more »

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