Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
• salt and pepper
• 1-3/4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 c.)
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced thinly
• 1-1/4 t. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 T. unsalted butter (or olive oil, for non-dairy eaters)
• 1/2 c. arborio or other good quality risotto rice, like carnaroli
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 3 T. chopped fresh chives
• garnish of chopped fresh chives and shaved Parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Salt and pepper the remaining half and place it, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash also seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake squash in middle of oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the squash, then scoop out flesh and chop coarsely.
2. In a saucepan, bring broth and water to a simmer and keep it warm. In another saucepan sauté onion, garlic and ginger in butter or olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in 1/4 c. of the warm broth and cook at a simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/4 c. at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until about half the broth has been added.
3. Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in the same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, and chives. Top with Parmesan curls.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs fresh or frozen raspberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1.5 quart ice-cream freezer

Directions:

1. Thoroughly chill ice cream freezer container according to manufacturer’s directions.
2. Puree berries in food processor.
3. Strain the puree to remove seeds.
4. Add sugar to berries and mix well.
5. Place berry puree into ice cream freezer container, and run freezer for about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, whip cream until light and fluffy. (About 2 minutes.)
7. While the freezer is running, add cream to berry mixture.
8. Run freezer for remainder of recommended freezing time. With my freezer that’s another 20 - 25 minutes.
9. Transfer gelato from freezer container to storage container and place in freezer for an hour, to firm up.
10. Serve.

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce dried mushrooms
• 1 medium chicken, cut into pieces 
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 ( 28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground allspice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

Garnish:

Chop together, the zest of one lemon, 1 clove garlic, cup fresh basil leaves.

Directions:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.
• In a large, heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat.
• Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute until browned. If all the chicken does not fit in the pan, saute it in 2 batches.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Add onion to pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with remaining salt and pepper.
• Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half.
• Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes with their juice, broth, allspice, bay leaves and thyme.
• Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
• Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly.
• Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the garnish and serve.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces rigatoni
• 7 slices whole grain bread
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, halved, slice into half moon slices
• 1 28 ounce diced tomatoes, drained, reserve liquid
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup fresh basil, chiffinade

Directons:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain and set aside.
2. Cut the bread into 1/2″ to 3/4″ cubes and shred in a food processor.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs, stir often, cook until crumbs begin to lightly toast, about 5 minutes.
4. Add half the garlic and all of the lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and tomato liquid. Heat to a boil.
7. Place the pasta in a serving bowl, add the sauce and toss. Add the bread crumbs and basil strips, toss and serve.

Serves 4
Prep Time: 0:20
Cook Time: 0:20

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 8 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup salt
• water to cover
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 5 ounce jar pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place green and red peppers, jalapenos, celery, carrots, onion, and cauliflower into a large bowl. Stir in salt, and fill with enough cold water to cover. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminium foil, and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the vegetables. In a separate bowl, mix together garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and olives. Pour in vinegar and olive oil, and mix well. Combine with vegetable mixture, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days before using.

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The Simple Dollar offers five tips for preparing home-cooked meals, with minimum effort at the end of a busy day.

• Prepare meals in advance.
• Discover the crockpot.
• Have regular “leftover” nights.
• Use lots of items that require minimal preparation.
• Eat extremely simple meals

The Simple Dollar » “I’m Too Tired To Cook” - At-Home Dining Solutions For The Overworked Family.

I find that a combination of the last two tips can lead to some first-class dishes, without resorting to microwaved “poor man quesadillas” Here’s my recipe for spaghetti with tomato sauce that can be prepared in the time in takes the water to boil and the pasta to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 28 ounce tin of diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Fill the pasta pot with enough water to cook the spaghetti, salt well and place on high heat. Once the water comes to the boil add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt and saute for five minutes. Add the dried herbs, crushing them and cook for another minute.
3. Add the ground beef, break it up and cook until no longer pink.
4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, bring to a simmer. Add pepper and reduce heat and continue to cook until the spaghetti is ready.
5. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
6. Drain the spaghetti, return to the pot and toss with the tomato sauce.
7. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Serves four as a main course.

The thing with this, and similar dishes, is you can substitute to your heart’s desire depending on the contents of your pantry.

• You can use ground or boneless chicken parts or omit the meat for a vegetarian version.
• If you like it spicy, add some dried chilis during the cooking process.
• Use what dried herbs you might have, instead of basil and thyme.
• If you happen to have fresh herbs on hand, chop them and add them just at the end of the cooking process.

I’m always looking for recommended olive oils available in Canada. I’ll have to check these out and see what I think.

My personal favourites include Horia Extra-Virgin olive oil from Greece, which I get at the Bulk Cheese Warehouse in Saskatoon; Umberto’s Villa Delia Extra-Virgin olive oil from Italy, which I buy at Il Giarindo in Vancouver, Canada; the bulk Extra-Virgin olive oil available at Mercato Foods in Calgary; and Sindyanna Extra Virgin olive oil from Israel, which I get from Ten Thousand Villages, which is operated by the Mennonite Central Committee.

KitchenSavvy: Which Olive Oil to Choose.