The Happy Domestic

I'm posting this recipe because my mom unexpectedly mentioned how much she had loved this salad one time when she was over... I can't even remember when I served it to her, that's how long ago it was, and I'm shocked that she remembered it. Anyway, mom says she's been waiting and waiting for me to blog it, so here goes. Please note that "Asian" in the title refers to the dressing and style, not to the cabbage. Asian Cabbage Salad 1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded 1 pkg ramen noodles with Oriental or Chicken seasoning* 1 small handful of sesame seeds 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp soya sauce 2 tbsp white vinegar 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar approx. 1/4 c vegetable oil Prepare cabbage in a large salad bowl and set aside. In a heavy bottomed pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Break up ramen noodles into small pieces and add to pan, along with sesame seeds. Heat together while stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until noodles and sesame se...

Get out of your meat and potatoes rut with this delicious Thai stew. Despite the name, this does not contain curry - Thai curries are actually based around a chili spice paste. It is not too hot, about equivalent to mild chicken wings at Kelsey's. It is also bursting with sweet, sour, and salty flavours! What's not to love? Thai Red Curry 1/2 pkg Asian Home Gourmet "Thai Red Curry" spice paste 5 tbsp sunflower oil 1/2 can coconut milk 4 medium raw potatoes, diced 1 medium yellow or red bell pepper, diced 1 1/2 cups zucchini, diced 1 pkg button mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1/2 can diced tomatoes 3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, with juice 4 tbsp fish sauce 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, washed a handful of chopped cilantro Heat oil to medium-high in a large and deep skillet. Add spice paste and stir well. Add half of the coconut milk, followed by potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini and mushrooms, and stir well. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoe...

This is a very quick and easy dinner, about 15 minutes from shelf to table. It's also very kid-friendly. Even if you don't know how to boil an egg, you can manage this one! Pasta Con Salsa Fresca 1/2 pkg (or 450 g) rotini pasta 3 medium-large tomatoes, washed & cored 1 large green pepper 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed 3 tbsp red wine (or balsamic) vinegar 1/2 cup shredded cheese (marble cheddar or fresh parmesan) salt to taste Boil pasta according to directions. In a food processor or large blender, combine remaining ingredients. Chop until sauce is desired texture. Drain pasta and toss with fresh sauce, serve immediately. Serves 4.

These may be a bit too hot for some people's liking, so feel free to adjust down the amount of chili flakes, or omit completely. Also let me warn you, from experience, not to use cucumbers that are too old or already getting soft, as they tend to develop a slightly bitter aftertaste. Freshest is bestest! Spicy Garlic Dills 6 - 8 baby cucumbers (average 5" long) 4 cups (1 litre) cold water 1/2 cup white vinegar 3 tbsp salt 2 large cloves of garlic, lightly crushed 1/2 tsp curry powder 1 tbsp dried dill weed 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes Wash cucumbers thoroughly and slice lengthwise into wedges (4 to 6 wedges each). Fill a large jar or Tupperware container with water, vinegar, salt and spices, and stir well. (Adjust to taste, should be rather briny.) Fill with cucumbers, making sure all wedges are able to soak in pickling liquid. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before eating, or follow normal canning directions to preserve for later use.

This is not my recipe. I found it on Allrecipes.com , and it worked so well for me - and turned out no matter how many substitutions I made - that I adopted it as my permanent bread recipe.  I've substituted various oils for butter when I was out of it (just don't use anything a strong flavour, like olive oil). I've even used corn syrup instead of honey. (I imagine molasses would work too, maybe with dark rye flour and a little caraway to make a nice pumpernickel loaf!) I sometimes forget the salt, which doesn't affect the rising or texture of the loaf, just makes it a bit sweeter than my liking.You do need at least half of the flour to be all purpose or bread flour though, for the gluten to make it rise nicely. Notice that I don't use bread flour myself - all purpose requires a little more kneading, but is cheaper and more convenient for me. So, here goes: Bread From Scratch 3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 1 tbsp active dry yeast (quick rising)...

Here's one recipe anyone can try - but shouldn't. You won't like it. Trust me. Baked Lobster 1 adult, lightly dressed 2 youngsters, lightly dressed 1 large bottle of 55 SPF sunscreen Liberally slather sunscreen on the 2 youngsters. That's it. Sounds like a no-brainer, eh? Or maybe I missed something... Anyway, we still had lots of fun at Riverview Park & Zoo today. :)

My latest craze is Japanese food, particularly sushi. Before I go any further, let's get one thing straight. SUSHI IS NOT RAW FISH. Neither is it hazardous to your health. In fact, among world cuisines, it is one of the most healthful, low-fat, nutrition-packed foods you can find. Sushi, a popular snack food in Japan and a popular restaurant food in the West, is actually a wide array of bite-sized delights based around a vinegared and seasoned sticky rice (commonly called "sushi rice"). These delectable morsels may range from elaborately stuffed and garnished cones of sushi rice, veggies and other fillings wrapped in nori (edible sheets of seaweed), to simple cubes of sushi rice topped with exquisitely delicate and supremely fresh squares of, yes, raw fish (called "sashimi"). The greatest enjoyment I found in sushi was the meticulous and artistic presentation of every piece of food. To the Japanese, eating and drinking are sacred rituals, and this is evident in ...

This dish is a popular one both with my own family and with extended family. It originally came from my mother-in-law, but of course has been adapted to my own uses. Some occasions have necessitated creating gluten-free substitutions, so I am including this information at the end of the recipe. Chicken Divan-in-a-Pan 6 chicken breasts 1-2 heads of broccoli, chopped into small florets 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (10 oz each)* 1 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip if preferred) 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp curry powder (or more to taste) 1 cup grated cheddar 6 cups cooked rice (regular parboiled or Uncle Ben's brown rice) Preheat oven to 350°. Brown and pan fry chicken and set aside to cool. In same pan, add oil and saute broccoli just until tender. Cube chicken and combine with broccoli. In a large mixing bowl, combine condensed soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry powder, and whisk together until smooth. Adjust curry to taste. Add chicken and broccoli and mix u...

A Campbell's soup can recipe provided the inspiration for this recipe, which I frequently prepared in university with whatever leftovers I had on hand. I often used leftover chicken nuggets and breakfast sausages or hotdog weiners for the meat, and whatever leftover or frozen veggies I had on hand, with equally delicious results. Easy Jambalaya 2 cans Campbell's condensed Vegetable Broth with Onions 1 cup minute rice 1 cup frozen peas 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 boneless chicken breast halves, cubed 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 cup cooked sausage, diced 1 whole tomato, chopped (or 1/2 can diced tomatoes) hot pepper sauce & black pepper (to taste) Cook rice in condensed broth instead of water. Stir in peas, and set aside. Heat oil at medium-high in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook through. Add celery and cook for 2 mins. Drain fat. Reduce heat to low and stir in sausage, tomato, rice mixture, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Heat through. Serves 4.

Chili is one of my favourite comfort-foods to make, mainly because it's so forgiving and leftover friendly. My own chili is hardly ever made the same way twice - I usually use beef, beans, veggies, a tomato ingredient, and whatever spices and seasonings I feel like at the time. My most recent chili, however, got a 10/10 from my hubby and was highly praised by our friends and their toddler as well, so by request I actually wrote down the ingredients. Hope you like it. Daddy's Favourite Chili 1.5 - 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, crushed 1 red pepper 1/2 bunch celery, chopped 1 can diced tomatoes (with juice) 1 can beans in tomato sauce 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed 1/4 cup Diana Sauce (Original) 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce 2 dashes Tabasco sauce 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 3 tbsp. flour Scramble-fry ground beef until no longer pink. (Do NOT drain.) Add onions, garlic, pepper & celery, and...

As mentioned in my previous post, this recipe is loosely based on a Blueberry Grunt featured in Inspired (by Compliments) , which I picked up in Sobeys. My version, however, has way more flavour, and is packed with nutritiousness (is that a word??). For the sake of the uninitiated, "Grunt" is a more biscuity variety of fruit cobbler, traditionally steamed, but in this case baked. Apple-Berry Grunt 1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced 1 pint blueberries 2 large apples, peeled, cored and diced 1/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp cold butter 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a square 8" baking dish. In this dish, combine berries, first amount of sugar, and lemon juice. Pack down well. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, second amount of sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture forms crumbs. Gently mix in milk to make a sticky dough. Drop dough in 6 portions onto pr...

Lately I have been more conscious of the fact that my eldest daughter eats more bread and starchy foods than anything else. Sure, she likes fruit, mainly banana, loves dairy products (like her mom), and is starting to tolerate a bit of meat, but she really needs more vitamins and minerals. I am not a big fan of supplements, because I don't believe the body makes very good use of them, and besides they are expensive. I do give her peas, green beans and carrots regularly, but leafy greens are not something she will swallow... knowingly. I read about green smoothies on a few different food blogs that I follow, and was intrigued. The concept is simple: purée greens with flavourful fruit and other yummy ingredients, and you get a very drinkable version of all your nutrients. And unlike juice, it has lots of fibre too! Sounds healthy, but trust me, it doesn't taste like health food. Now my husband and I and my daughter have a smoothie every morning (actually, she often has two becaus...

You may think that drinking spinach sounds pretty gross, but you absolutely will not taste spinach - I promise! These smoothies are a cool shade of green that looks appealing to kids, and they taste like Yogen Fruz (fruit flavoured frozen yogourt) in milkshake form. Green Smoothies 1 banana, peeled and broken into chunks 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, packed 1 seedless orange, peeled and divided into quarters 1/2 cup plain yogourt 1 scoop vanilla flavoured whey protein powder (optional) 3/4 cup water Put all ingredients in blender (in this order to facilitate smooth blending). Blend on highest speed for 30 seconds. Drink and enjoy! Serves 2.

Okay, I'm almost embarassed to put this under "Recipes" because there's nothing to it, but I realize that most people like to have detailed guidelines for food preparation. So, here goes. Home-made Yogourt Milk (for the sake of showing proportion, 1 L) Plain yogourt (for the same reason, 1/4 cup) Pour milk into a container that has a lid. Add yogourt and stir well until smooth - a whisk works best for me. Put the lid on, stick it in your oven with the oven light on and close the door. Don't accidentally turn on your oven with the yogourt inside! Notes on ingredients: You can use any kind of milk (or cream, or combination) for this, different fat contents will result in a more or less creamy yogourt. If you are using unpasteurized milk, however, you will need to scald it first to kill any bacteria. For your first batch you should buy plain yogourt that has active bacterial culture listed in the ingredients - this is true for almost all plain yogourt. Yogourt that...

Okay, if you're not vegetarian you might be turned off by the title right about now, but trust me - this is a dish my meat loving husband liked a lot. I thought about calling it "I Can't Believe It's Not Meatloaf," but that would be inaccurate. This recipe is not trying to be meat, it's obviously not meat, but serve this with mashed potatoes and a veggie and no one will miss the meat. The recipe came about as an inventive way to use up items in my pantry that weren't being used, in response to another blogger's recent challenge to spend less on groceries by using up what we already have. The fact that it was not only edible but delicious was largely a fluke. Vegetarian Meatloaf 1/2 cup pot barley 1 can beans in tomato sauce 2/3 cup large flake oats 1/4 cup grated parmesan 1 egg 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp onion salt (or onion powder + salt) 1/4 cup ketchup Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan and set aside. Fill a small pot halfway with salt...

My mother-in-law made these for both breakfast and dinner when my husband was growing up and she called them, inexplicably, "Dutch Pancakes". As far as I can tell, they are actually crêpes, and of French origin, but nonetheless are still one of the most requested meals in her household. Very simple to make, and yielding enough for a crowd, these delicious crêpes do take a bit of time to cook if you only have one or two pans, so I recommend giving yourself plenty of time. The good news is, they taste even better when they have been refrigerated. "Dutch Pancakes" 4 c. unbleached or never-bleached light flour 8 eggs 4 c. milk 2 c. water 1/2 tsp. salt butter as needed In a large mixing bowl, beat flour and eggs with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, adding milk slowly to thin. Add salt and mix in water at low speed just until completely combined. Preheat a non-stick skillet between medium and medium-high heat (size doesn't matter, but if you can use multi...

Sometimes it's worth experimenting a bit in the kitchen. Not when you're throwing a fancy party or inviting the boss for dinner, mind you. But when it's just family, be adventuresome and try something new - just make sure you have a Plan B in case it doesn't work out. This way any failure is just a learning experience, and you can have some fun with it. And who knows, you may hit on a real success! For me, that's the story of this recipe - I wanted to try a new technique, improvised a bit with flavours I like, and voila! My husband rated this a 9/10, and only because it didn't seem right to give simple chicken a perfect 10 (which he reserves for more expensive meals). Even better, this meal costs next to nothing to make. Herbed Lemon Chicken 3 chicken legs (back attached) 1/2 tsp. each dried thyme, basil and rosemary leaves a pinch of salt & pepper 1/4 c. lemon juice 1 c. chicken broth (from bouillon cube) 1 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. cornstarch Preheat oven to 350°...

I snitched the basic recipe for these from Janet & Greta Podleski's Crazy Plates cookbook, and modified it to suit my own tastes. You don't have to tell everyone that the secret ingredient is baby-food prunes! If you like moist and delicious desserts but need to cut down on your fat, I recommend you buy Crazy Plates . Moist & Chewy Low-Fat Brownies 1/2 c. all purpose flour 1 pkg. (3.5 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 2/3 c. sugar 3 tbsp. butter, softened 1 egg + 1 egg white 1/2 jar (about 1/4 c.) baby food prunes 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/3 c. chocolate chips or chopped chocolate Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8" square baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, pudding mix, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, egg and egg white on medium speed. Add prunes and vanilla, beat again. Add flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in pre...

I don't know where it came from originally, but my mom has had this recipe since I was a little girl. I rediscovered it recently and now I always try to keep these ingredients on hand in case of emergencies. 10 Second Coconut Custard Pie 2 c. milk 1 c. sugar 4 eggs 1/2 c. all purpose flour 6 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. salt 1 c. grated coconut Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10" pie plate and set aside. Put first 7 ingredients in a blender, and cover. Blend on medium-high speed for 10 seconds. Add coconut, blend for 2 more seconds. Pour contents of blender into pie plate and bake at 350° for 50-55 mins until a knife comes out clean when inserted in centre. Let cool before serving.

This is my favourite side dish to enhance any beef, pork, lamb or chicken entree, and is super-easy to make. 10 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered 4 tbsp. butter 1 c. light sour cream (or fat-free) 2 tbsp. dried chives salt & white pepper Boil potatoes in salted water until very soft. Drain, add remaining ingredients and beat with electric hand mixer on high until smooth and fluffy. That's all, folks!