Crispy Fish Tacos from EmmaEats

Our guest for today is fellow Savvy Storyteller Liz from EmmaEats . . . and Katie too! Liz is a busy mom of two, so she knows first hand that time is at a premium. Somehow she manages to create delicious recipes that are big on taste but don’t require tons of prep. Liz and I have something in common; we both have kids with nut allergies. Her collection of recipes is nut-free, allowing me to just follow along without worrying about substitutions. Follow Liz on Food Gawker or Taste Spotting for meal inspiration or her blog, EmmaEats, for good food for busy families.

These Crispy Fish Tacos, adapted from LCBO’s Fried Fish Sandwiches, are perfect for an alfresco summer family dinner.

Crispy Fish Tacos

adapted from LCBO’s Fried Fish Sandwiches

(serves 4)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4-5 tilapia fillets, cut in half into two strips (~1 lb)
• salt and black pepper
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• tortillas (optional, to serve)
• Zesty Avocado Dip (optional, to serve – recipe follows)
• chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (to serve)
• sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional, to serve)
• Chipotle sauce (optional, to serve)

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, coriander, white pepper and cayenne. Salt and pepper the tilapia and rub the seasoning mix over all sides of each strip. Drizzle with lime juice and let marinate for 15-30 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400F.

Setup a workstation with egg in one platter and panko breadcrumbs in another.

Dredge each tilapia piece through the egg first and then through the breadcrumbs. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.

When all of the pieces are breaded, bake in the preheated oven for ~20-30 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking. The fish should be flaky and opaque with a crispy and golden exterior.

Serve in warmed tortillas, topped with Zesty Avocado Dip, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers with a dollop of sour cream or drizzled with chipotle sauce.

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Zesty Avocado Dip

(serves 4)

• 2 avocados
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Halve the avocados and roughly mash the flesh with the garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips or over Crispy Fish Tacos.

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Rhubarb BBQ Sauce by Dinner With Julie

Our guest for today is Julie Van Rosendaal food writer, stylist and columnist frequently featured in Parents Canada, Calgary Eyeopener on CBC Radio One, a contributor to the online cooking series Good Bite and co-host of It’s Just Food on Viva Network.

Julie is a real foodie and her passion for good food goes beyond simply enjoying it. She shares it. Her blog, Dinner With Julie, is a compilation of recipes that run the gamut from appetizers to dessert, all indexed for easy search and execution. But here’s the thing. Even though she’s an accomplished gastronome, she’s a real mom. She knows that even with our best intentions to meal plan, we end up staring into the fridge trying to make sense of a disjointed collection of potential ingredients . . .some approaching their expiration date. She knows this, because she’s one of us.

For one less worry, bookmark her blog to figure out what’s for dinner or follow her on Instagram for meal inspiration.

Thank you Julie for sharing your recipe for Rhubarb BBQ Sauce. A summer condiment that is the perfect pairing for grilled meats and may even be sourced from your garden. Just remember, only the stalk of a rhubarb plant can be eaten, the leaves are poisonous.
Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

2-3 large stalks of rhubarb, chopped (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup water
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup pure maple or golden syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider or rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. grainy mustard

In a small saucepan, bring the rhubarb and water to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the rhubarb is very soft. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the same saucepan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes, until soft; add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer; cook for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Puree with a hand-held immersion blender or cool and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Use as you would any barbecue sauce – on grilled meats, in baked beans or drizzled on burgers.

Makes about 2 cups.

The Canning Kitchen

I love it when bloggers experience success especially when it’s a blogger I’ve been following for some time. Seeing them on TV or their books in print, make me excited for them . . .mostly because I know that it probably took years of building a relationship with readers and juggling many plates while trying to deliver the best content. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for fellow Canadian bloggers, in particular Savvy Storytellers.

When I saw that Amy Bronee from Family Feedbag, a go-to for quick and easy family friendly recipes, had published a book, I wanted to share it with you.

The Canning Kitchen: 101 Simple Small Batch Recipes is a must-have companion to the bountiful summer harvest season. I have wanted to try my hand at dill pickles and this book covers the classics but it also inspires with new recipes like for Salted Caramel Pear Butter.

Canning isn’t just for grandma anymore!  Give it a try and enjoy the taste of summer all year long.

To order your copy of The Canning Kitchen click here.

The Harbord Room’s Juicy Burger

Toronto’s The Harbord Room is a favourite spot in the city. We had a special 4Mothers dinner a while back and hardly noticed the celebs on the patio because we were enjoying our food (and conversation) so much. On May 28^th National Hamburger Day was celebrated and while we may be late to this party, The Harbord Room’s co-chef Robbie Hojilla shares the recipe for their much-loved burger. People, this is insider scoop!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Makes 8 burgers and 3 cups of aioli

AÏOLI

4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp grainy mustard

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp thyme leaves

1 tbsp kosher salt
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups canola oil
¾ cup olive oil

Combine all aioli ingredients except oils in a food processor and mix until blended. Slowly pour in both oils while machine is running, until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

BURGER

3 lbs ground beef brisket
2 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil
8–16 slices aged cheddar
8 fresh buns or large brioche buns

Transfer meat into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until combined and form into 8 patties.

Preheat bbq to medium. Use a clean, oiled, hot grill and barbecue the patties for 5 to 6 minutes with the lid closed. Flip the burgers, top with cheese and continue cooking for 4 more minutes with the lid closed. If the BBQ isn’t an option, coat a cast iron pan or skillet with a little oil and set over medium-high. Cook 4 patties until browned (about 4 minutes), then flip. Top with cheese. Continue cooking for 4 more minutes (for medium-rare) until browned. Repeat with remaining patties.

To finish, smear aioli on bun, followed by the toasted burger patty, caramelized onions and sliced tomato (or your garnish of preference). Serve with a side of hand-cut fries and your favourite summer beverage.

To experience a fantastic summer meal, head down to The Harbord Room. Can’t make it? Follow The Harbord Room on Instagram for your food porn fix.

Grilled Pineapple With Cinnamon Coconut Sugar

Jo-Anna of A Pretty Life and fellow Savvy Storyteller is our guest for today. Jo-Anna is a mom of three striving to live a more simple life. Her blog offers easy recipes, simple DIYs and housekeeping tips. Jo-Anna’s regular posts are always polished to perfection with gorgeous photographs and accessible suggestions but it’s her holiday posts that really wow!

For housekeeping pointers, help in the garden and figuring out what to make for the potluck, visit A Pretty Life and for simply beautiful inspiration follow Jo-Anna on Instagram.

Today Jo-Anna shares with us her mouth-watering recipe for Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Coconut Sugar. To view the recipe click here.

 

Summer Fresh Bean Salad

It’s no secret that I am as lost in the kitchen as I would be at a One Direction concert, but I do have resources.  My sister-in-law knows her way around a kitchen like a pro. She reads cookbooks for fun and can make a gourmet feast for 20 without batting an eye.  She has an uncanny skill: she can open a seemingly bare fridge and stark pantry and somehow create dinner!

I am mystified!

I keep begging her to start a food blog or write her own cookbook so I don’t feel so badly hounding her simple advice, like how to chop an onion.

I asked her to share one of her favourite summer recipes (and I do think it was a struggle to narrow it down to one) so that I didn’t have to subject anyone to another recipe with supermarket-bought rotisserie chicken as the main ingredient.

Try this bean salad.  You’ll love it!

Summer Fresh Bean Salad

A great salad to make ahead. Good protein, and refreshing as a side for summer meals, or on top of lettuce as a light lunch.
2-3 cans of mixed beans, or your combination of favourite beans, rinsed (I buy the no-salt added as there is plenty of salt in the other ingredients)
1/4 red bell pepper, diced small
2 green onions (white part and some of the green chopped small)
1 celery stalk, diced small
4 slices sandwich saver pickles, diced small
1 tablespoon mustard (regular prepared, or dijon)
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Parsley – handful, chopped

Combine everything. Best when made the day before so all the flavours come together. Last for days in the fridge.

Variations/add-ins:
Purple onion, sliced thin
Can of lentils, or any other bean you prefer
Chopped dill
Diced zucchini
Leave out any ingredient you don’t like, add more of anything you love