Monthly Archives: June 2012

Ginger Snap Cookies

Posted on by
Reply

Ginger snap lovers are divided – soft and chewy or crispy???  Follow the baking instructions for our favourite, soft and chewy, but if you belong to those crispy ginger snap lovers use a wee bit more baking time …

Preheat oven to 325, grease baking sheet.

3/4 cup butter             

2 cups white sugar

2 well beaten eggs

1/2 cup molasses

2 tsp white vinegar

3 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2-3 tsp ginger (depending on your love of ginger)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

Cream the butter well with electric hand mixer, beat in sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and beat until mixture is light and creamy – add molasses and vinegar, blending well.

Different brands of molasses vary in color – darker the molasses – darker the cookie!

Sift dry ingredients together.

Mix your butter mixture together with flour mixture – nothing like using your (well washed) hands to get in there and make sure it is well blended.

Form 3/4 in balls.  Press down gently in sugar.  Turn sugared side up on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 325 for 12 minutes for soft and chewy, a couple minutes more for crunchy.

Yield: about 100 small cookies – but go ahead and make them whatever size you like!

These cookies were sold for years during Fulton High School  basketball tournaments, and returning out of town teams always asked for them!

BBQ Rub

Posted on by
Reply

This rub is so amazing, use it on bbq ribs, steak, chicken,

whatever you feel like throwing on the grill!

RUB

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp dry mustard
  • 1 tbsp ground fennel
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
  • Check out my rib recipe, and trust me on this … you will not taste anything better!

Tangy Coleslaw

Posted on by
Reply

Everybody needs an alternative to creamy coleslaw, and I think this is the answer.  We love to use this as a side salad, but equally as delicious when used as a burger topping.

DRESSING

1/4 cup cider vinegar   

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp raw sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

SALAD

This amount of dressing will easily dress a package of purchased prepared coleslaw mix for those nights when you are just too busy to shred your own or you can prepare:

4 cups finely shredded green cabbaage

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup finely shredded sweet onion

1/2 cup sliced radishes

1/2 cup grated carrot

2 tbsp minced parsley

Toss to mix the ingredients, and then dress with the salad.  Don’t dress the salad too early – tastes best if all the ingredients are still fresh and crunchy.

Fresh Herb Aioli

Posted on by
3

You will love this!  Such a fresh hit of herb flavour, fantastic used as a burger topping, vegetable/crudite dip or just plain old potato chips.

1/2 cup mayonnaise                      

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon – juice only

1/3 cup finely minced chives

The herb part is where it gets really personal …. use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, and be generous with them. (at least 1/2 a cup in total)

basil, parsley (flat and curly leaf), oregano, rosemary, tarragon

Mile High Beef Burgers

Posted on by
2

One of the most important things to remember about making a burger is to handle the meat as little as possible!  Gentle treatment makes for a tender, juicy hamburger.  Use the best quality beef you can find, always.

2 # lean ground beef (extra lean just doesn’t have enough flavour)

3 tbsp minced basil

1/2 cup grated sweet onion

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

jalapeno jack cheese

Gently mix ingredients and form into burgers. (should make about 8 burgers)  Allow to rest in fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes to allow the burger to set.

Grill until cooked through – if you happen to grind your own meat, and know the source, it is great to have it medium rare.  Top with jalapeno jack cheese for the last few minutes, allowing to just melt slightly.

This mile high burger had fresh herb aioli on the bottom of a thin red pepper bun, the burger, jalapeno jack cheese, grilled sweet red and yellow pepper, grilled avocado,  sauted onions & mushrooms, then topped off with fresh tangy coleslaw.

Delicious and mouth watering good!  Get the napkins out …

Tomato Vegetable Soup

Posted on by
2

Feeling like a hearty bowl of soup on a cool night?  This is perfect!  

Serve with Baking Powder Biscuits for a complete meal.

1 large onion – minced                          

3 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 large potato, diced

1 small turnip, diced

1/2 cup green beans, sliced

1 cup green zucchini, quartered and sliced

1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp basil, chopped

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil

Any other vegetables are always optional, and always welcomed to a pot of soup!

Heat a large soup pot, then add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Add diced onions and allow to cook long enough to soften and become translucent.  Add potatoes, carrots and celery.  Stir and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes and vegetable stock – season to taste with salt and pepper.

Allow to simmer until vegetables are just barely fork tender.  Stir in green beans and zucchini and cook just until they are cooked through.  Add fresh basil and any other herbs you feel like adding!

Options:  Use more vegetable stock and add barley when the potato mixture goes in or cook some pasta separately and serve the soup over the cooked pasta.  (I like to cook the pasta separately so it doesn’t get too mushy.) If you want a chicken soup, use chicken stock instead of the vegetable stock and add some chopped up chicken with the stock.

Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette

Posted on by
2

This is one of my basic “house” dressings – works on so many salads.  Want a little something extra on your grilled vegetables?  Toss them in a little bit of this before and after grilling – you won’t believe the flavour boost!

1 tsp sugar                                       

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, halved

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients together well – give it a good shake and toss in your salad.

If you make a double or even triple batch it stores well in the fridge for 2 weeks.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Posted on by
Reply

12 chicken thighs

(honestly you could use whatever portion of chicken you like!)

Preheat oven to 375.                 

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup dijon mustard

2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves

1 lemon – zest and juice

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Dust chicken with lemon zest, salt and pepper – set aside.

Combine all the other ingredients and heat through just until easy to blend.

Place chicken in roasting dish, pour honey lemon mixture over, turning to coat.

(I find it easiest to do this in the baking dish – just put it in the oven while the oven is heating up for a few minutes –  long enough for the butter to melt – then the rest will blend easily)

Bake chicken until juices run clear.  If you are using small pieces, i.e, chicken thighs it will be about 45 minutes, longer for larger pieces.

Serve with a plain side, like white rice, so you can drizzle the yummy juices over.  If you have used chicken pieces with skin on you will need to strain the fat off first ….

Roasted Potato Fennel Soup

Posted on by
1

If you aren’t sure about fennel – trust me – this is a great place to start!  The soup is so hearty and just packed with flavour.  

2 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered

good olive oil                                                                

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups yellow onions, diced

2 cups chopped fennel bulb

1 cup sliced leeks

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Garnish:  finely sliced chives and crispy bacon bits (those little purple flowers on the chives are great as part of your garnish or in a salad too!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In large bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.  Spread on baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until cooked through and just starting to get a bit crispy.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large soup pot – saute onions, leek and fennel until translucent and tender – should be around 15 minutes.  Add roasted potatoes, including any tasty little bits stuck to your roasting sheet.  Cover with stock.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, until all vegetables are soft.

Using an immersion blender, puree until soup is smooth and velvety.

If you are using a regular blender, puree in batches.

Be very cautious to leave the lid slightly ajar or the center portion removed to allow steam to escape any time you are blending hot ingredients.

Once the soup has been blended, remove from heat – stir in heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with Baking Powder Biscuits or Crispy Gouda Herb Cornmeal Muffins

Crispy Gouda Herb Cornmeal Muffins

Posted on by
Reply

2 cups cornmeal

2 cups flour

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 (rounded) tsp cumin

1 tbsp minced fresh basil

2 sticks unsalted butter – softened

2 large eggs

2 cups milk

3 cups shredded gouda cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease or line 2 12 cup muffin tins.

Combine all dry ingredients, including basil – set aside.

In large bowl beat butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs 1 at a time.  At low speed beat in half of the milk, then half of the dry ingredients.  With rubber spatula fold in the rest of the milk and the dry ingredients – stir in cheese.  Do not over mix.

Spoon batter into baking cups – I like to add a bit more grated cheese to the top and a sprinkling of freshly ground salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and pulling away from the tin.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Fantastic served with soup (try Roasted Potato Fennel Soup!) on a cool night.