Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Yorkshires in the desert with Andrea & Helene

Easter dinner in the desert was a delicious combination of perfectly BBQ'd beef tenderloin by Andrea, Hélène's famous coleslaw and roasted thyme vegetables with Yorkshire puddings. To see a copy of my recipe for the most delicious Yorkshires please click here. 

Yorkshire puddings

Hélène, Miriam and Auntie Andrea



a wide selection of beautiful vegetables to roast



Hélène's delicious coleslaw

Monday, March 28, 2016

Calorie-wise Yogurt Hollandaise - easy to make

 

This breakfast of Eggs Benni is so easy to make and Maggie's Yogurt Hollandaise takes very little time to make. Click here to go to the original recipe. But for a half version of the recipe:  add one cup of plain yogurt to the top of a double boiler (I use a glass bowl over a pot). Have the water in the bottom of the pot hot but not boiling (it will be too hot and will curdle your eggs. Add 3 egg yolks and whisk. Add a dash each of dry mustard powder and cayenne pepper - to taste. Continue to whisk until mixture starts to get warm. Add 2 tblsp. butter and allow the butter to melt into the yogurt sauce while whisking. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until the sauce is warmer but not hot and it starts to thicken. This process takes less than 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the top of the double boiler immediately so that the sauce doesn't get too hot. Half way through this I put my eggs into the simmering water to poach them. Good luck with this great calorie-wise hollandaise and thanks to my dear friend Maggie for sharing her recipe.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

We eat very well in the Arizona desert!

Helene's delicious potato salad 
BBQ today...  prawns everyone

Auntie Andrea preparing the prawns for the BBQ

Helene's secret dressing starting with the best olive oil I have tasted 


a perfect meal of BBQ prawns, potato salad with freshly made Guacamole


prawns cooked to perfection

Friday, March 11, 2016

Day 5 at BNP Paribas Open

 I am off to work in a bit and we are now getting some seriously good matches in at the Indian Wells tennis garden. It is very hot during the day and I wear at all times a 50 Zinc sunblock that works well. Mostly I am covered up from head to toe to keep the hot sun off my skin. My uniform jackets is really good for keeping me cooler.
I am meeting alot of the 500 volunteers, not to mention all the patrons who come to watch some of the best tennis in the world.  The people are so friendly here in the desert.
Vasek Pospisil (CAN) plays this morning in Stadium 1, and the Williams sisters play their first games today on Center Court. With any luck I will catch some of their games on my break.
We are very fortunate to have been issued a volunteer pass which allows us entry into any game anywhere as long as there are seats available. It's going to be a good day in the desert!

Friday, March 4, 2016

BNP Paribas 2016 Open in Indian Wells


the courts are all ready to go for Monday's opening day
It is going to be fun volunteering at the 2015 Paribas Open in Indian Wells. I am an usher and now that my training is done and my uniform picked up I am already to go.
Carl and I were here last years so I have alot of fond memories of Carl, the beautiful Tennis Gardens, and our trip to see the best tennis in the world.


the 'teak' champion box is Larry Ellison's private seating area...it pays to own the gardens

my volunteer credentials that get me into the tennis gardens and I can sit in any seat...except in the Champions Box with Larry Ellison...

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Best Breakfast in Playa del Carmen

 The best breakfast ever at Dac in the heart of Playa... well worth the effort to drive to get there.
The Mexican eggs are to-die-for... and the portion is so large you will need to share it.  Perfect for Rosa and I.




bins of fresh Oregano at the grocery store called Dac

Monday, February 15, 2016

Oatmeal, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookies




I am pleased that this cookie recipe is time tested and is still the best cookie ever and it was one of Carl's favorites. I created this recipe for Miriam's Ice Cream years ago and it was so popular. It is a very large batch of cookies but perfect for freezing into logs and pulling out when you are ready to bake.
This cookie batter is easy to make and you do not need a fancy stand mixer or even a hand mixer to make it. But you will need a large mixing bowl. If too big, cut the recipe in half.  

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥  Make this batter when you have a lot of time and roll the batter in logs to freeze. (please see video on YouTube. Once frozen wrap in plastic and store in the freezer until the mood strikes you to bake fresh cookies. Great for unexpected company or when cookies are needed at school or work.

Ingredients:
Measure oats onto a parchment lined cookie sheet(not instant, use the large oat flakes) 
pre-heat oven to 350ª F (176ª C)

Bake oats for 15 minutes. This will enhance the flavor of your cookies. Allow to cool before using.

Yield:  approx. 94 small cookies
1 lb. butter (softened at room temperature makes the mixing easier)
2 cups brown sugar
1 ½ cup white sugar
300 ml eggs  (approximately 6 eggs)
1 tbsp. liquid vanilla 
4  cups coconut flakes
4  cups all-purpose flour
4 cups large oat flakes
10 ml  baking soda
15 ml baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Procedure:
Cream butter, sugars, egg & vanilla 
Add dry ingredients and mix with beater or with a spoon until the ingredients comes together.
Add toasted oats when they are cooled so they don't melt the chocolate chips.
Add chocolate chips. Mix until well combined, no need to beat the batter.  Scoop into 1 oz. size scoop to bake or roll into a several logs (see video) and freeze for later use.
If baking,  pre heat your oven first. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, for gooey cookies on the inside and crisp on the outside.








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Saturday, January 2, 2016

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie - Great for leftover Turkey or Chicken

Recipe Title:  Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie - Great for leftover Turkey 


(**please look at the end of this recipe for gluten free options to this recipe)

By: Miriam Borys Busby

Yield: 6 

Ingredients:

pastry (see recipe below OR buy ready-made pastry)
4 tbsp. butter
1 large white onion
4 carrots
4 garlic cloves
2 cups peas (frozen will do)
10 small baby potatoes (optional but not necessary)
3 cups chicken stock*
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup flour 
4 cups leftover chicken (no bones) or turkey - dice into small pieces 
1 cup washed and diced parsley
cracked pepper (to taste but I used about 1/2 tsp.)
1 tbsp. Franks hot sauce



Pre-heat oven to 375 ° F (190° C)

Procedure:

Melt butter slowly in a large pot on the stove top.
Peel and dice onion. Add to melted butter to start the sautéing process.
Peel carrots and dice the same size as the onions. Add carrots to the cooking onions and continue to sauté until onions and carrots are tender (approx. 15 minutes)

Meanwhile make the pastry (see recipe below) and wrap well with parchment or plastic and store in the fridge until needed.

Once the carrots and onion are tender add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
With the heat still on medium add flour to carrots, onions and garlic to coat all the vegetables.
Add white wine while continually stirring. Add stock and stir while cooking on a higher heat now.
Add cut up chicken (or turkey), peas and parsley to the cooking chicken stock and vegetables.
Bring up to the boiling point and immediately reduce heat and allow to simmer on medium until the mixture thickens.

If potatoes are your favourite, wash and  cut up baby potatoes and cook in water on stove top until half tender. Once cooked add to the bottom of your casserole dish. This step is not necessary but adds to the heartiness of your recipe.

When the chicken mixture is thickened pour into a large casserole dish. Stir to include potatoes if using.
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface. Ensure the pastry size is 2 inches larger on all edges than your casserole dish as you do want to fold back the pastry for a nice edge. Fold pastry in half for easy handling and cut steam slits on the fold.  This allows the steam to escape while cooking in the oven.
Carefully place the pastry over the hot chicken mixture in the casserole dish keeping the excess pastry in place. Fold all edges under and into the casserole dish to allow for a thick delicious crust. Finger flute the crust for a nice presentation.
Immediately place into a pre-heated oven and bake for 50 minutes.
Once baked remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10-20 minutes before serving.
Serve with your favourite tossed salad or all by itself.  
This is such a great leftover recipe and a real crowd pleaser.


 
cooking chicken mixture on the stove top first

roll out pastry larger than our casserole dish and make slits in fold for steam holes

use a large casserole dish for baking this recipe

allow to rest after baking before serving



I always have this product in the fridge for when I don't have time to make chicken stock
or I don't have store-bought stock on hand
Easy to Make Pastry
1/2 lb. (1 cup) all vegetable shortening 
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 tbsp. white vinegar
cold water to make up to 3/4 cup of liquid including the egg and vinegar
Mix together flour and salt in a large bowl. 
Cut up shortening into small cubes and add to flour mixture. With a knife or a pastry blender start cutting the shortening in to the flour until all the shortening is dime size and mealy. Do not over mix.
Add vinegar and egg to liquid measure cup. Beat with a fork.
Add enough ice cold water to egg/vinegar mixture to make a total of 3/4 cup of liquid
Add liquid to mixing bowl and with a fork mix liquid in. Do not over mix at this stage or your pastry will be tough. Gently form into a ball with your hand. It is not necessary to get all the flour off the bowl.
Wrap in parchment paper or plastic and store in fridge until needed.

*chicken stock can be made with water and  bouillon if you do not have chicken stock on hand. I keep in my fridge a jar of 'Better than Bouillon' which is a concentrated chicken base that you can add to water. Very convenient for these types of recipe. Even though I used the reduced sodium bouillon it is still very salty and so no salt is needed for this recipe.

** Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie
use a store bought gluten-free pastry OR  I used mashed potatoes for this recipe for our friend John Tilley who is gluten intolerant. When making the chicken filling I used potato starch instead of flour. The recipe either way is delicious. 

Chef Miriam Borys Busby, B.Ed., MA.
'Cooking Uncovered'
http://www.youtube.com/user/mlborys?feature=mhee
blog: www.cookinguncovered.blogspot.com
Website: www.miriamborys.com