Breakfast Idea: Omelette with Spinach and Cheese (Frittata di Spinaci)

Minoo shared more basic food safety guidelines at the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen. These guidelines apply to group cooking or cooking at home.

Personal Hygiene

  • If you are sick (cold, vomiting or have diarrhea), do not attend the community kitchen. If you must come, do not cook as you may contaminate the food you are cooking. Perhaps, you can help with the clean up.
  • Always tie your long hair back or wear a hat while cooking.
  • Wash your hands when you first get to the kitchen.
  • Wash your hands when you switch working from raw meats to vegetables or fruits.
  • Wash your hands anytime your hands become self contaminated. for example after sneezing or coughing into your hand or after using the washroom, after touching your hair, nose or face.
  • Don’t handle food with open sores and cuts on your hand. Wear thin plastic gloves is the best solution in this case.

Your Clothing

  • Pull up your sleeves to prevent your clothing from contaminated with food.
  • Wear a clean apron.

The Food

  • If a can is leaking, rusted or dented, do not open it. Throw it away. The contents may make you sick. If a can is bulging, do not open it and contact the Health Department.
  • After use, immediately wash any board and knife used for raw meat. Wash your hands too.
  • Cool food as quickly as possible before putting it into containers to take home. This can be done by putting it into shallow containers, and stirring regularly. Placing the pot or pan into an ice bath also works well.
  • Foods should be refrigerated or frozen as soon as possible. Bacteria will grow if food is left out at room temperature.
  • It is recommended that cooked meals can be kept up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.
  • When reheating meals at home, be sure to get the food up to the proper temperature, i.e. the food should be steaming hot.
  • Thaw frozen foods in the fridge, microwave oven or cold running water; not on the kitchen counter.

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The last breakfast item which Minoo shared was Omelette with Spinach and Cheese (Frittata di Spinaci). You may add any leftover parsleys or cilantro into this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 to 3 green onions, chopped
  • 6 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 pound spinach, stems removed (or baby spinach)
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Source: this recipe is adapted from www.foodnetwork.com

Serves 6 to 8

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Eggs Mimosa

The second dish of Cecile’s choice is Eufs Mimosas in French which is translated to Eggs Mimosa. This is also known as Devil Eggs.  Mimosa is a color of champagne-and-orange-juice shade of yellow.

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Eggs Mimosa is often served as hors d’oeuvre in a party. It can be done few hours in advance and keep refrigerated until serving. Eggs Mimosa is originated in Rome and popular across the continent of Europe.

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 1/2 fat mayonnaise
  • grain mustard
  • capers (optional)
  • parsley (optional)

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Source: Anna

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Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings

Li demonstrated how to make Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings in the South Arm Community Kitchen. Making dumpling is common during the Chinese New Year eve. The whole family will gather together to make dumplings.

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Many hands made this job so much more fun. Some will make the wrappers while others make the dumplings.

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This Green Cabbage and Egg Dumplings has a crunchy filing as it just need to be boiled until the dough is cooked as the filling does not contain meat. It is almost a vegetarian dumpling if you substitute the egg with tofu, mushroom, etc.

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 kilogram (2 pounds) green cabbage
  • 100 g (3 to 4) green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 inches ginger, minced
  • salt to taste
  • 60ml vegetable oil
  • soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil for dipping sauce

For the wrapper

  • 1200ml all-purpose flour
  • 540ml water
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Source: Li

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Egg Salad Sandwiches

The South Arm Community Kitchen volunteers also prepared an Egg Salad fillings for Egg Salad Sandwiches which was very popular in last year’s fund raising at the South Arm Christmas Fair.

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We used ciabatta bread to make this Egg Salad Sandwiches instead of regular sliced bread.

Ingredients

  • 6 peeled hard-boiled eggs, chilled
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
  • 1 green onion, finely chopped
  • 6 lettuce leaves
  • 12 slices of whole wheat bread or 6 ciabatta bread, sliced in half

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Please note that the garlic should not be in this picture.

Source: unknown; Makes 6 sandwiches

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Deviled Eggs with Crab

In the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen, Minoo shared 3 recipes which she got her inspiration from Woman’s Health Magazine.

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The first recipe is Deviled Eggs with Crab. This is great as appetizer. Nanzaro fell in love with Deviled Eggs while he was at his Air Cadet summer camp last year. He told me he ate like 6 eggs every day during the camp.

Ingredients

  • 12 extra large eggs
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup of finely chopped crab meat
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 2 pinches of cumin and paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Source: Minoo

Prep time: 30 minutes;  Yields 24

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Potato and Greens with Roasted Garlic Salad

Besides the bok choy dishes, Minoo also prepared a hearty salad for the South Arm Community Kitchen. The highlight of this salad is in the use of roasted garlic. Garlic is used in almost every culture as a home remedy to treat parasites, infections and even high blood pressure.

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This Potato and Greens with Roasted Garlic Salad has all the necessary food groups in it. It can be served a brunch item.

Ingredients

  • 2 or 3 whole garlic bulb
  • 8 large free-range eggs, hard boiled
  • 2 pounds red potatoes
  • 1 bag of mix greens, wash and dry
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • pinch of dry thyme

Dressing:

  • 2 cups kefir (a bubbly fermented milk product)
  • 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Herbamare to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

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Herbamare is blend of organic celery, leek, watercress, onions, chives, parsley, lovage, garlic, basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and kelp.

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Source: Minoo

Prep time: 40 minutes;  Serves 8

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Filipino Cuisine: Eggplant Torta

Linda shared a few Filipino recipes in the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen. Linda loves to cook. She used to do catering for parties but she stopped doing so after she had trouble with her hand. Perhaps due to too much heavy lifting while doing the catering.

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The first Filipino dish is called Eggplant Torta or Eggplant Omelet.  This is really great as it is crunchy on the crust and the eggplant inside is very tender. We should have leave the cap intact so that it is more visible as an eggplant like those I saw in Filipino groceries store.

Ingredients

  • 6 long eggplants
  • 6 eggs, beaten slightly
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Garlic Plus seasoning (from Costco)

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Source: Linda

Prep time: 30 minutes;  Cook time: 20 minutes;  Serves 6

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Ham and Cheese Muffins

Minoo prepared two recipes for the first meeting of Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen for this fall season.  The first recipe is a hand held breakfast or lunch item which is perfect for families on the go.  These Ham and Cheese Muffins are savory instead of the regular sweet muffins.

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These Ham and Cheese Muffins taste like quiche but they are easier to make.  You can even make them ahead and they can be reheated quickly.  It is also a good recipe to use your leftover bread.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon each, salt and pepper
  • 5 cups cubed whole grain bread (about 5 slices, trim off crust)
  • 1 cup shredded Canadian Cheddar, Swiss or Colby cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced deli ham
  • 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise or quarters if they are large.

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Gazpacho

Ben enjoyed the Gazpacho while we were vacationing in Spain this summer.  Gazpacho is a cold vegetable soup from Spain.  It is best described as liquid salad or ‘salad in the form of soup’.  Gazpacho is a wonderful way to serve summer fresh vegetables.

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June and Keiko made this Gazpacho recipe adopted from Elizabeth Shepard.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely diced plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup finely diced bell pepper
  • 1 cup finely diced cucumber, seeds removed
  • 1/3 cup minced red onion
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 hard boiled egg
  • 2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 46-oz can tomato juice
  • 1/2 cup fresh, plain bread crumbs
  • Tabasco, to taste

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P/S: the Italian bread crumb and the nutmeg are not supposed to be in this photo.

This recipe serves 8.

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Salade Nicoise

The South Arm Cooking Club for Seniors resumed for the fall season.  We are glad to see Paul and Frank back in the kitchen after they recovered from some health issues.  We also like to welcome Keiko and Chris who are new to the kitchen.

As usual, Charlene and Stella prepared a few delicious and healthy recipes for the seniors to participate in making and enjoying them for lunch.  The first recipe is called Salade Nicoise from Charlene.  This recipe serves 2 but we trippled it in the seniors’ kitchen.

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The Salade Nicoise is a wonderfully balanced meal, offering vegetables, starches, and proteins all on one plate.  This salad gets its name from a French seaside city of Nice where tuna is traditionally features in this salad.

Sydney and Frank made this Salade Nicoise.

Ingredients

  • 2 red potatoes
  • 6 oz. green beans (about two small fistfuls)
  • 2 eggs
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, slice into half
  • 6 black or green olives, slice into half
  • 7-oz. can top quality tuna

Dressing:

  • 4 anchovies (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

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P/S: missing ingredients in the photo include eggs, and dressing ingredients.

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