Mushroom, Chard & Brown Rice Loaf w/ Mustard Sauce

Veggie loaf, who thought of this? It seems it was one of many recommended meals during WWII to help housewives provide nutritious and varied meals while being faced with food shortages and strict rations.

The veggie loaf was meant to achieve several purposes – use leftovers (veggies & stale bread), replace meat, provide variety and use ingredients that were readily available and economical such as beans and carrots.

From what I recall, there were few vegetarian loaf recipes until the late ’60s. By the end of the 1970s, however, there was at least one veggie loaf recipe in every natural food’s cookbook. Over the years, though, vegetarian loaves gained a bad reputation. Sadly, many early recipes came out of the oven resembling bricks and were just about as appetizing. If you followed a typical recipe as it was written, you wouldn’t have to worry about not having enough food to go around. No one wanted a second helping. Times have definitely changed, with the increased interest in the vegetarian lifestyle of today.

Even though Brion & I are not vegetarians, I have always loved vegetables, so incorporating a veggie loaf into a meal with meat works for me.

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Mushroom, Chard & Brown Rice Loaf w/ Mustard Sauce
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Servings
Servings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Vegetable Loaf
  1. In a small pot, bring 1 cup water & a pinch of salt to a boil. Add rice, lower heat to a simmer & cook rice until water has been absorbed & rice is tender. Set aside.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions & cook until translucent. Stir in garlic & celery; season with salt & pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms & herbs; cook until mushrooms release their juices & the liquid evaporates, about 5 more minutes. Add chard & cook until wilted. Stir in sun dried tomatoes, then remove from heat & let cool slightly.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously grease a loaf pan with olive oil.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard & broth. Add vegetable mixture & rice; stir to combine. Pour vegetable mixture into loaf pan & smooth flat with a spatula.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until edges are nicely browned. While the vegetable loaf is baking, prepare mustard sauce.
  7. Allow to cool slightly, then run a knife along the edges & flip onto a serving platter & slice. Serve with mustard sauce.
Mustard Sauce
  1. In a small pot, melt butter then add flour to form a roux. Cook until bubbly & flour is lightly browned, stirring constantly. Add vegetable broth & mustard. Bring to a simmer & cook for about 5 -10 minutes. Remove from heat & serve with vegetable loaf.

Bacon Wrapped, Guacamole Stuffed Chicken Breast

Today, November 23rd, our American neighbors are celebrating their Thanksgiving Day. A public holiday, originating as the ‘harvest festival’, is now celebrated along with Christmas and New Year as part of the broader ‘holiday season’.

Here in Canada, our Thanksgiving was celebrated on October 9th. Generally at the heart of this feast is a roast turkey with all the trimmings. I thought I would get a little more creative today and break with tradition as well as giving an acknowledgement to the US holiday.   

BACON WRAPPED, GUACAMOLE STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST  seems like an interesting idea. Guacamole, an unlikely stuffing for chicken breast as it usually served as a cold tortilla chip dip. It’s one of those taste ‘sensations’ you have to taste to believe. Of course, you have to start with liking avocados —

As history tells us, the Aztec empire created  guacamole spread with some of the same ingredients that we use today as far back as the 1500’s. Published recipes first started appearing in the 1940’s.

Along with the guacamole, I used some smoked Gouda cheese in these little delicacies.  I was careful not to add any salt in the guacamole. Between the bacon and the Gouda, I felt it had enough for our liking. The meal makes a nice presentation as well as having a great taste.


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Bacon Wrapped, Guacamole Stuffed Chicken Breast

Tender chicken breast stuffed with creamy guacamole & Gouda cheese all wrapped in crispy bacon!

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings


Ingredients
Guacamole

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings


Ingredients
Guacamole

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!


Instructions
Guacamole
  1. Mash avocado with a fork, leaving some chunks. Mince onion & coarsely chop sun-dried tomato pieces. Combine all guacamole ingredients to blend.

Chicken Breasts
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut a slit into the center of each chicken breast to make a pocket. Lay breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap & pound flat to about a 1/4-inch thickness. On cut side of breasts, lay sliced Gouda cheese. Divide guacamole between breasts; roll up chicken breasts & wrap each one in two strips of bacon. Make sure bacon ends are all on one side. Use toothpicks to ensure all stays in one piece.

  2. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked & bacon gets nice & crispy.

Fresh Salmon Roll-Ups

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, Brion and I never pass up the opportunity to have a good fish/seafood meal. Living in the prairie province of Alberta, Canada, fresh fish is not always readily available. This week when we checked out the fish department at the grocery store, they were featuring ‘wild’ fresh salmon. Along with enjoying our salmon for supper it brought back some very special memories I’d like to share with you today.

I’m not sure if you have heard of or maybe you have visited the island of Burano in northern Italy. Situated 7 km from Venice, it’s just a short, 40 minute trip by Venetian water taxi or ‘vaporetto‘. Burano is an old fishing village, whose traditions date back to Roman times. Fishing was the main source of income for most of Burano’s history but the number of fisherman has greatly declined over the years.

Although the island was settled in the 6th century, its significance came in the 16th century. At that time women on the island began making lace with needles. Due to competition from cheaper machine made lace from Asia and dwindling interest among young people both in making lace and using lacy linens, the industry is dying out. 

With a population of less than 3000, this little, densely built-up island is interwoven by canals filled with colorful fishing boats which match the rainbow of colored houses. The first homes of Burano were built on raised piles, with walls made of woven canes and afterwards plastered with mud. Later these houses were replaced with ones made of bricks and the inhabitants began painting them with bright colors. The origin of the colors is unknown but as the story goes that years ago, when the fishermen returned from sea, they couldn’t recognize their homes through the fog, so they started painting them different colors. The houses follow a special color pattern, based on a specific system that has been in place since the village was founded. If you are a resident of the island, and wish to paint your house, you must send a request to the government, which responds by making a note of the colors permitted for that specific lot of houses.

Another interesting Burano sight is the ominously leaning, bell-tower of the church of St. Martin Bishop. The tower rises some 160 feet with the tower leaning 6 feet from its axis. Yikes!

Brion and I had the opportunity, while on a vacation one year with the Trafalgar Tours,  to visit the island of Burano. We boarded the ‘water taxi’ which took across the lagoon to the island. It like you were stepping into a postcard with its brightly colored houses and clothes hung out to dry on lines strung across second-story windows. Extra splashes of color came from the many flower boxes. As we strolled through the narrow streets, many ladies were sitting in the sun, chatting with their neighbors, while making their intricate and beautiful Burano Lace.

The highlight of the afternoon came when we were treated to a fabulous seafood lunch at a local restaurant. I’m not quite sure how to best describe this meal other than it was ‘just incredible’. 

Memories are priceless gifts to savor!

Print Recipe
Fresh Salmon Roll-Ups
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Cook rice. Place salmon fillet in a large plastic bag. 'Gently' pound to flatten to an even thickness. Slice bag down one side and across bottom; open out & set aside in refrigerator.
  2. Microwave broccoli florets about 1 minute; chop. Shred cheese. Melt margarine & add spices; stir well.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine rice, broccoli & cheese with 2/3 margarine/spice mixture. Spread 2/3 of the filling evenly over salmon; pat down. Using the help of the plastic bag, roll filled salmon up in a jelly-roll style. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil & spread remaining filling in it. Place salmon roll on top, pushing under layer close up around roll. Spread remaining butter sauce over salmon roll. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Slice & serve.