ONE BLONDE CHEF - BLOG

ONE BLONDE CHEF

Happy Holidays!

12/5/2024

Happy Holidays from our kitchen to yours!

Wishing you all the best, and I look forward to cooking with you in the future!

Remember, you can learn more about workshops here: www.oneblondechef.com

And, you can shop great kitchen products 24/7 here: www.pamperedchef.ca/pws/obcgillian

And, don't forget - I do gift certificates for both!

Thank you so much for being such a special part of this community!

Cheers,

Gillian (aka. One Blonde Chef)

Spiced Roasted Chickpeas

10/27/2023

This is a recipe I'd been working on for a while. There's a little bit of a science when it comes to this - and - thankfully, I've done the hard work for you!

That means you can go straight to the good stuff... toasty, spicy, snackable chickpeas that are a wonderfully crunchy snack and actually really healthy for you for a quick pop of protein.

The key is to ensure you roast them first, with no oil, to let them dry out - transfer carefully to a bowl, season well, spread back on the cookie sheet and bake off until they achieve the toasty texture you desire!

Quick Pickled Onions

9/29/2023

Have you ever made your own quick pickled onions?

These are delicious and compliment so many meals!
They're great on Taco's, they're perfect on a charcuterie board or to have with Raclette. They're a wonderful topper for your grilled steak, poached fish, and even your pizza!

Try them for yourself to add a little extra flavour to your routine!

Game Day BBQ Chicken Skewers

9/11/2023

As my hubby would say "Football is back, baby!!!"

Which means, we've got a whole new season of Monday & Thursday Nights, plus my favorite #SundayFunday snacks ahead of us!

This recipe is a great one to use in September, because you can still employ the BBQ and with this recipe you can even hold onto a few of those summer flavours!

This recipe was inspired by the same flavours that I love on a Game Day Hawaiian Style Pizza, with a BBQ Sauce base.

Check out the video and follow the easy steps below to make this for your sports-fans soon!

OBC TIP: Start by soaking your bamboo skewer sticks in water for a minimum of 20-minutes before building them. The water will help ensure the skewer stick doesn't catch fire on the grill!

You'll Need:

3 x 8 oz chicken breasts, cut into cubes
100 g sliced roasted ham
1 x red onion or vidalia onion
1 x large pineapple OR 1 can pineapple slices
2 tbsp chicken & rib rub (or similar)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 bottle of your favourite bbq sauce

Directions:

Step 1: Cut up all the ingredients into similar sized pieces. The goal is to build a skewer that will have all the pieces get some contact with the heat while allowing all the elements to cook at the same time. For the ham, take 1 piece and cut it in half, then roll and fold it up to be a little ham package that's about the same size as the other piece (image below)

Step 2: Season your chicken with some rub. I used a chicken and rib rub, but you can truly use whatever you'd like! Something like the Garlic & Herb Pampered Chef rub or. even the Smoky Applewood BBQ Rub would be delicious!

Step 3: Build each skewer alternating ingredients! I enjoyed starting most of the skewers with a Pineapple to be the base piece, and then added the other ingredients accordingly!

Step 4: BBQ these beauties over medium-low heat so they have time to cook through and get lovely and roasted. When they are about 2 - 3 minutes away from being done, use a silicone basting brush to add some of your favourite sweet & smoky BBQ sauce. Once the sauce has just started to caramelize, you'll know there are ready to go!

These are great right off the BBQ and onto a plate, or you can serve them up with a fresh sprinkle or lemon or lime juice on top and even some fresh parsley for a little colour!

I hope you're a fan of this recipe as much as we were!

Savour Your Experience, and "Let's Go Buffalo"
#GoBillsGo!

Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

8/1/2023

At the beginning of July, I had the true privilege to join my best friend at his family cottage and cook for his family - including a few cousins that were even joining us from South of the Border!

As many of you who follow along my journeys will know (and thank you so much for the support along the way) my hubby and I recently got back from our Honeymoon to Italy - so with those bright fresh flavours of pomodoro and basil on my tongue you know your girl was making an Italian inspired dinner!

So, to start I connected with my new found inner Venetian
and presented an offering of Cicchetti!

The selection for the evening included a Curried Tuna, a Brie with Fig & Fresh Thyme, and this fresh Tomato & Basil Bruschetta -
which was a true party hit for sure!

Make it for yourself this summer and let me know what you think!

You'll Need:

12 vine tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 small red onion
1 small bunch (about 1 tbsp total) fresh parsley, finely chopped
6 - 8 large pieces of basil, julienned
Plus, a few more pieces for garnish.
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

And, don't forget the Crostini!
For that, you'll need:

1 baguette
olive oil

OBC Tip: The yummy salty tomato juice that's left in the bowl after you salt the tomatoes can definitely be used to enhance a broth, be used to make rice or even risotto, or could be used alongside some vodka in a tomato-based cocktail such as a bloody mary or Canadian caesar.

Start by washing, drying and then chopping up your tomatoes.
Next, you're going to want to get out some of their water. So, to do this, add them to a sieve or colander over a bowl and gently toss them with about 1 tsp of salt. Allow about 10-minutes for the tomatoes to release all of their water, and juices. Then, transfer them into a larger bowl.
Add in your finely chopped onion, parsley, basil and garlic. Toss, and taste now, so you can see just how fresh it is, before moving onto the next step.
Add in the olive oil, the vinegar (I'd start with 1 tbsp and then add accordingly), lemon juice and pepper. Taste again, and adjust seasonings with salt if needed.
Set aside, while you make the crostini! To make the crostini on the stovetop, you can simply get out a frying pan or a grill pan, generously coat the bottom in oil, and add in your cut baguette pieces. Drizzle with olive oil again before turning over and toast until golden brown. To make the crostini in the oven, pre-heat your oven to 400°F. Place the cut baguette on a cookie tray and drizzle generously with olive oil. Toast for 6 minutes, flip and drizzle with more oil, and then toast for another 4 - 6 minutes depending on how crunchy you prefer your toasts.
Then, move your crostini to a serving platter and put a heaping spoonful of your mixture on top. Finish with a few additional ribbons of basil and serve immediately - with napkins!

A big thank you to Joel, and his family, for welcoming me in and enjoying the food I prepared for them that night! And, thanks so much for asking for the recipe! I hope you all can make this to enjoy among company, friends & family again!

Cheers!

Top 5 List about... Budget-Friendly Dishes

7/17/2023

Knowing how to work your budget, without sacrificing flavour or ingredients, is key to success in the kitchen!

Check out this Top 5 list that highlights a few luxurious dishes that will WOW your tastebuds without breaking the bank!

1. Chicky-Chicky Parm-Parm

Okay so hear me out on this one - I know Chicken can be expensive but there are a few reasons I love this dish that, for me, makes it worthy of making this list.

The first, chicken is often on sale, so when you find a deal, grab it and store them frozen until ready to use.

The second, is that because of the breading, sauce & cheese - 1 chicken breast will make 2 chicky-parm fillets that will easily feed 2 people! And, even if chicken is out of reach or potentially not something you enjoy, this can be made with pork, or vegetables such as zucchini (I recommend 1 zucchini per 2 people) or 1 eggplant (1 large eggplant is good for approximately 3 - 4 servings!)

It also relies heavily on things I typically have stocked regardless such as breadcrumbs, seasonings and eggs.

Plus, I love this dish because you still get to get to enjoy the process of cooking and being able to make something from scratch!

Ingredients for the Parm (serves 4)

2 x large fresh or thawed boneless skinless chicken breasts, and/or
1 x eggplant, and/or
2 x zucchini
Salt & pepper

Breading Station:

1 cup of panko bread crumbs
½ cup all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Topping:

1 cup pre-made tomato sauce
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare your breading station:
Bowl 1: 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
+ seasonings
Bowl 2: 3 Large Eggs + salt & pepper
Bowl 3: 1 - ½ cups of breadcrumbs + seasonings
Prepare your chicken or veggies.
For chicken: cut chicken into strips or smaller breasts - remember to stretch your chicken and get a few more meals if you can!
For veggies: cut into about ½ to ½ inch rounds, place on clean tea towel or paper towel and salt lightly. Let rest 5 minutes, pat try and start breading!
Bake at 375°F for approximately 20 - 25 minutes. Until the veggies are starting to get tender, and the chicken is almost cooked through. (Fully cooked chicken will read 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Pull out of oven, and top each piece with tomato sauce and cheese.
Return to oven for 5 - 10 minutes until tomato sauce is hot and the cheese is melted and enjoy immediately!

2. Red Thai Curry Coconut Soup

This soup is CRAVEABLE and it's something that you can make time and time again when you have the ingredients ready to go!

The base flavour of the soup is red thai curry paste and coconut milk. The paste comes in a little jar, that's easily refrigerated and typically good for at least a few months. The coconut milk can be bought and stored in your pantry so it's ready to go! And, you can switch up whether you use noodles or rice - it's truly whatever you're in the mood for that day!

This version is something we do for lunch often, and truly doesn't focus on a protein. I love to make this when I do have leftover chicken, shrimp that I need to use up, or even a boiled egg.

And, the garnishes are totally up to you! Cilantro, lime and green onion is ideal! If you want to grab some fresh sprouts you can - otherwise keeping it simple doesn't mean you're missing out on much with the flavour-packed bowl!

For the Soup:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 small white onion, finely diced
1" piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 - 4 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped
2 - 3 tbsp red curry paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 boxes (about 6 cups) chicken or veggie stock (Look for the No Salt Added if you can!)
And, please know that you could also use water since the majority of the flavour comes from the curry paste and coconut milk!
1 can coconut milk - or cream
Choice of rice or noodles

Garnish Suggestions: Finely chopped Red Onion, Finely Chopped Green Onion, Fresh Cilantro, Fresh Bean Sprouts, Wedge or Lime
Optional: Red Thai Chili or Dried Red Chili Flakes

For the Soup:

In a cold pot, add your diced onions, garlic, and ginger Turn on to medium heat, and once you can hear the sizzle in the pot sweat until warmed and starting to become translucent.
Add in your curry paste and toast for about 2 - 3 minutes.
Add in your fish sauce & stock, and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20-minutes. If you do like it a little extra spicy you can add dried red chili flakes or a whole hot red chili to let it infuse gently.
Add in your coconut cream or milk, noodles and/or precooked rice. Stir and bring up to a gentle bubble again so your soup is nice and hot.
Add in your optional chicken or shrimp and simmer for an additional 2 - 3 minutes to ensure everything is lovely and warm.
Serve up with your garnishes of choice!

OBC TIP: If you can, try to use pre-cooked rice, otherwise the rice soaks up all that broth so you'll either have to account for that when cooking (aka. add extra broth) or plan ahead to ensure your rice is ready to go! I don't find the same things happens with rice noodles but you could also soak those in some hot water before adding into the soup!

3. Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a dish that most people will tell you makes a fabulous brunch dish - I also happen to think this is a great way to do "breakfast for dinner" too! This one-pan dish features peppers & zucchini for a little personality and crunch, and it can be finished with some fresh herbs and feta to really take it over the top. It's also perfect served with last-nights baguette as the sauce will bring the crusty bread back to life!

You'll Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
diced 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 zucchini, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp each chili powder garlic powder & onion powder
1 x 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
6 large eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 1 small bunch fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
OBC TIP: Some like it Hot! Feel free to add in some spice either via a fresh jalapeno, your favourite hot sauce, or cayenne powder!

Preheat your oven to 375°F, and bring 6 eggs out of the fridge and let them start to get to room temperature.
Get your veggies chopped and ready to go.
Chop your garlic and combine minced garlic in a little bowl with all of the spices.
Open your can of tomatoes and get ready to start cooking! Start in a cold oven-safe frying pan with your olive oil, diced onion & peppers.
Turn onto medium heat and saute for 2 - 3 minutes until the pan is warm and the onions are starting to go translucent.
Add in your garlic and spice blend and toast for 1 to 1.5 minutes. If you are looking to spice this up you could add chopped jalapeno, or dried red chili flakes now too!
Add in the Zucchini & tomatoes.
Stir & simmer for about 10-minutes. You might need to adjust the heat here as you want your tomatoes to be gently bubbling and warm, but not boiling or reducing too quickly.
Using a tablespoon, make 6 wells in the tomato sauce. Crack and egg into a separate glass bowl to ensure you don't have any shell, and then gently drop 1 egg into each well.
Place into oven for about 6 -8 minutes. Check to see how the eggs are done, and if you'd like them cooked a little more continue baking for 1 minute at a time until the eggs are cooked just how you like.
Remove from oven, and sprinkle with cheese & desired garnish. Serve immediately (or else your eggs will overcook! LOL!)

4. Half & Half Turkey Mushroom Tacos

Would it even be a Top 5 list if Tacos didn't make the cut?

These turkey tacos are absolutely delicious and, great news - you only need half the meat you typically would use, because you'll be using some lovely mushroom mince as well to pump up both the volume and the flavour!

And, while yes, you could blow the budget with getting a ton of different topping - I reckon these are best served with a chopped white onion, cilantro (or green onion if cilantro tastes like soap to you) and lime juice!

1/2 lb lean ground turkey
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned roughly chopped.
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp paprika powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Suggested Garnish: chopped white onion, cilantro or green onion, lime juice!

Have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go, and all of the spices you need out on the counter.
Add olive oil to your pan, and turn on to medium heat.
Add in the mushrooms & onion and let cook until the onions are translucent - about 4 - 5 minutes.
Add in turkey and all of your seasonings.
Cook, stirring often, until the turkey is fully cooked through, and the mushrooms are just starting to get a crisp on them!
Keep on low heat, or even covered, to stay warm until you're ready to use!

OBC TIP: You can make this vegetarian or vegan even by leaving out the turkey! And, feel free to swap in whatever wraps work best for you flour, corn or even lettuce wraps are amazing with this filling!

5. Summer S'more Cake

There's something about summer that screams - I LOVE ROASTED MARSHMALLOWS!

So, to round out this list I thought we'd do something summery, chocolatey and ooey-gooey-good!

You'll Need:

1 pack chocolate cake mix
1 250 g pack of sour cream (or similar, you could use greek yogurt here too!
1 egg

And, for the toppings:

Marshmallows (Large or Small, that's up to you!)
Crushed Graham Crackers
Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Sauce

OBC TIP:
If you don't have Graham Cracker Crumbs - do not worry - just get creative!
Think about something you might already have on hand such as saltine crackers or pretzel chips for a little sweet & salty action. Or even something like a crushed up chocolate chip cookie, or even crushed ice cream cones!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F
In a large bowl mix together the chocolate cake mix, the sour cream and the egg
Bake 15 - 17 minutes until it's puffed and baked and a toothpick comes out clean
Then, turn your oven to broil. Layer the top of the cake with marshmallows and put under the broiler for 1 - 2 minutes keeping a close eye to make sure you get them exactly as toasty as you'd like
Remove from the oven and add the other ingredients on top. Let them stand for about 5 minutes so they warm up, but the cake and marshmallows cool down and then serve up for a tasty chocolatey treat!

Thank You So Much for reading this far! And, for your daily votes!

We need to maintain the #1 position through to 10 pm ET on July 20, 2023!

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Cheers! Your Favorite Chef, Gillian

Fri-YAY Lime Margaritas

6/16/2023

To say thanks for all of your support and voting, and to kick off this weekend, I wanted to share my Lime Margarita Recipe with you! This is slightly sweet, slightly sour, and it packs a punch (when you use good tequila of course!)

"Just remember...equal parts sweet & sour,
and double the booze!"

Per Cocktail, You'll Need:

Directions:

3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
1.5 oz good tequila
Plus, optional salt or sugar to rim your glass with!

Rim your glass using either sugar or salt (or a happy combo of both!)
Fill your shaker with ice!
Add your ingredient and shake it baby shake it!
Pour into a pretty glass and enjoy responsibly!

To make a simple syrup - it's as easy as combining equal parts white sugar and water together and bringing it to a gentle heat. For me that's typically 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water, and then I microwave it for 2-minutes total, stirring every 30-seconds. And, to really add a little 'zest' (pun-intended) I peel an orange and add the zest to the liquid to infuse!

Everything Air Fryer Bagels

6/14/2023

These Air Fryer Bagels come together in a matter of 5-minutes, and are such a yummy way to start the day!

Combine 5 simple ingredients, form the dough into the bagels, top with the seasoning of your choice (I've used my favorite homemade Everything Seasoning) and then bake until fluffy and golden brown.

YOU'LL NEED:

For the Bagels:

1 cup All-purpose Flour
3/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

And for the topping:

1 tbsp oil (or you could use an egg wash)
1 - 2 tbsp Everything Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the Dough
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt together. Mix and then incorporate your yogurt.

2. Knead for 5-minutes
Knead dough for about 5-minutes, adding additional flour if needed to form a ball.

3. Shape the Bagels
Portion the dough into 5 or 6 pieces. Roll each into a ball, and then using your finger poke a hole through the middle. Use the board to shape each bagel.

4. Add the Topper
Using either an egg wash, or just a little bit of oil, brush the top of each bagel. Then, add some of your favorite topping such as this Homemade Everything Seasoning!

5. Bake & Enjoy!
Pop them into your Air Fryer (or oven) and bake for about 8 - 12 minutes depending on the size of your bagels! Let cool slightly, and enjoy!

And, while you're here... get ready for a shameless plug...

Can I count on your VOTE?

Absolutely - VOTE NOW!

From June 12 - 22, 2023 I'm working HARD to earn your votes for the Favorite Chef Competition.

This is a wonderful opportunity with an opportunity to work with Carla Hall, win $25,000, and have a two-page spread in Taste of Home Magazine! Thanks for the support - and remember you can vote for FREE every 24-Hours!

Savour Your Experience!

Quick Tip: How to clean your cutting boards!

1/26/2022

Leftover citrus is a star when it comes to cleaning your wooden cutting boards! Use the rind to rub in either baking powder or salt in a circular motion for a great way to give your board a glow up!

You'll need:

1 lemon, cut in half and then juiced
1/4 cup baking soda or salt

Directions:

Sprinkle your baking powder or salt all over the board
Then, using the rind of the lemon, with the cut side down, start to rub in the soda or salt in a circular motion!
Once a paste-like texture has formed, rinse your board well and dry immediately.

OBC TIP: For best care practices a board oil could be applied after to give your board both protection & shine!

Let's make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce!

11/5/2021

As many of you may know already, one of my favourite marinades to make is a combination of Teriyaki sauce & stout beer!

So, the last time I went to make it and realized I was out of Teriyaki Sauce. I'd make the recipe once before, so I had the basic combination of what goes into the sauce, then - like everything else, I made it my own.

And now, I will never to go back to store bought - especially to use for this marinade.

The fresh pieces of ginger and garlic throughout gave it so much flavour. I was able to undercut the typically ratio of sugar to indulge my saltier palette, and was able to add extra umami with sesame oil & fish sauce that really turned up the depth of flavour!

I truly feel like this is a 'must-try' recipe for all of you now!

Check out this fun recipe video and view the complete recipe below!

Plus, I've even included the marinade recipe too!

Enjoy!

Easy Teriyaki Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

For the sauce:

1 cup water
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce
Optional: Pinch of dried chili flakes

For the cornstarch slurry:

1/4 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

In a small saucepan, combine the fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil and fish sauce. Turn on the pan to medium heat, and let it heat through stirring often until it's just starting to sweat in the pan.
Add in the water & soy sauce and bring to a boil. This step is important because you're really bringing out all those gorgeous flavours and infusing them into this mixture. Let this come to a boil, turn the heat back down to medium and let simmer for about 2-minutes.
Next, add in the brown sugar and stir until it's completely dissolved.
To thicken the sauce up, use a cornstarch slurry. Combine 1/4 cup water, and 2 tbsp cornstarch. Add in 1 tbsp of the slurry at a time, and then let the mixture simmer for 30-60 seconds before adding more until you get your desired consistency.

OBC Tip!

If you're using this is as a marinade you could consider using less of the slurry or omitting it completely because the flavours are there! However, if you're using this as a dipping sauce, stir fry sauce or oven as a basting sauce, you'll definitely want to thicken it up. If desired, you could also use a fine-mesh strainer to remove the pieces of fresh ginger & garlic and to smooth out your sauce.

And, for the Marinade Recipe...

This is dead-easy and perfect on everything from Chicken Wings to Flank Steak (actually flank steak is our absolute favourite with this one!)

All you have to do is combine 1 recipe of Teriyaki Sauce with a Tall Can of Stout beer - such as Guinness. Add in your chicken, beef or even seafood and let marinate for a minimum of 4 hours - but we typically try to use this for a long marinade upto 48-hours for best results!

So there you have it! Homemade Teriyaki sauce, with a fun little recipe video alongside! Stay tuned as you'll likely see this recipe hitting my Winter & Summer Virtual Workshop offerings!

And, as always if you find yourself making this delicious dish - tag me @oneblondechef so I can join in your culinary journey!

Savour Your Experience!
Cheers!