Category Archives: Recipes

Roasted Mustard Potato Salad

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Preheat oven to 400

1/4 cup good quality olive oil                    

6 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

generous handful of chopped herbs – thyme, rosemary

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup grainy mustard

Toss all ingredients in large bowl until well mixed, and add

3 pound fresh baby potatoes – red or white (I like a combination of both)

If the potatoes are on the large size, cut them up.

Mix well with mustard sauce, then turn onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, trying to not get any extra sauce on the baking sheet.  Do not overcrowd them – having some space means they will get nice and crispy. Reserve the mustard mixture in the bowl.

ready for the oven – no overcrowding allowed

Roast until they are nice and crispy on the outside, and a fork goes into them easily.

When they are out of the oven and have cooled down slightly enough to handle, it is time to turn it into a salad.

In bowl with reserved mustard mixture, add more fresh herbs – adding basil right now is a great idea, along with some freshly chopped rosemary (so fragrant!).

Mix into bowl:

1/4 cup chopped shallots (or green scallions if you prefer)

2 tbsp white vine vinegar

4 tbsp olive oil

Mix well and taste – add salt and pepper to your taste.  Don’t be afraid with the salt and pepper, sometimes just a little bit more makes a great dish taste awesome.

Right before serving I squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over top, and toss gently again.

Serve at room temperature.  This is a great dish to make early on a hot day, and just leave it sit – covered – on the counter until you are ready to eat.

Red Curry Corn on the Cob

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When the corn from the garden is fresh in season I usually love it best with just butter and salt.  Today the corn got picked for the first time when I was making dinner inspired by Thailand.  This red curry butter was incredible on freshly picked, steamed cobs of tender sweet corn – next time I will try it on grilled corn!

Freshly steamed corn ready for the red curry butter.

There are lots of fool proof methods of boiling corn on the cob.  Use your family’s method, or mine…. which is pretty forgiving.

Bring a pot of water to boil, with enough space for the cobs to bubble around a bit in the boiling water.  There are lots of people that prefer to add sugar to the boiling water, but I like a bit of salt.  Allow corn to boil gently for 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the cobs.  Remove from heat and allow them to remain in the hot water until serving time so they don’t dry out.

Dare I tell you how easy the red curry butter is?

Soften 1/2 cup butter, add 2 -3 tsp red curry paste – depending on your family’s love of heat.  Taste and add a bit of salt and pepper if necessary.  Allow butter to harden up enough for the curry and butter to be well incorporated when you mix them.

Serve with your fresh corn – so yummy……..as an added bonus any leftover curry butter is amazing tossed with popcorn.

Spicy Thai Sesame Noodles

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I love the flavours in this dish – serve it either hot or cold – even when you are making it the kitchen smells so inviting, you are sure to have company!

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup tahini

Blend well then add:

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon red chile flakes & 1/2 teaspoon of Siracha (Rooster Sauce)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 cup canola oil

1 lime – squeezed

1 pound  rice noodles or chow mein noodles – softened or cooked

Amy did an amazing job slicing, dicing and mincing vegetables for the salad

1 English cucumber, halved and 1/8-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1/3 cup finely diced red pepper

1/2 cup chopped roasted (salted) peanuts for garnish

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro and scallions

In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sesame oil, vinegar, chiles, siratcha, and soy until smooth – add lime juice and oil.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Cook or soften noodles

Prepare vegetables – use your imagination when preparing this – I have suggested a few, but go ahead – throw in some snap peas, or carrots, or radishes ….

Combine all ingredients and stir well.  Garnish with peanuts, scallions and cilantro.

This is the perfect accompaniment to Thai Barbecued Chicken – check out that recipe too!

Shrimp Stuffed Sole

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This is a great way to have a quick, easy, scrumptious dinner ready in minutes.  In the summer do these little packets in foil on the barbecue, or grill.  If you live somewhere that grilling isn’t feasible, just do it in the oven!

4 sole fillets

FILLING

3/4 cup cooked shrimp

1/3 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped feta

2 tbsp red onion, minced and sauted lightly in olive oil – then cooled

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all filling ingredients

1 lemon

butter

Spray foil (or parchment paper) with cooking spray, then set fillet on it.

Put scoop of filling on each fillet, roll up – place slice of butter and lemon slice on top.  Seal pack and put on grill for 15-20 minutes.  You will have such a delicious sauce inside that serving it with rice to soak it up is a great idea!

Quinoa Feta Salad

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Quinoa

This one is for you Shae – hope you have fun making it!  xo

1/2 cup white quinoa

You can use either all white or red quinoa, but I love the look of the combination!

1/2 cup red quinoa

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups water (or chicken stock if you are so inclined!)

Rinse quinoa well, then combine all ingredients in pot – bring to a boil with the lid off, then turn down to a simmer, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes undisturbed.  Remove lid, fluff with a fork, and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes to allow some of the steam to release.

Set aside to cool slightly.

1/2 cup feta, broken or cut into little pieces

1/2 cup colored peppers, diced

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced

1/3 cup black olives, sliced

1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

generous amount of fresh basil, chopped

optional:  1 cob of corn – kernels removed

I only use the corn when it is in season, and a great way to use up that extra cob you cooked!  If corn is in season … then tomatoes are too so use fresh garden tomatoes, chopped up in place of the sun dried tomatoes.

DRESSING

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2-2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients, blend well and set aside

Combine the prepared vegetables with the cooked quinoa.  The flavours really come together well if you do this when the quinoa is still slightly warm.  Pour enough dressing over to coat, and give it a good toss.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Always remember to keep tasting – sometimes just that little extra bit of salt and pepper make the difference you are looking for.

Looking for a full meal deal?  Add some cubed extra firm tofu and black beans – you will have such a delicious satisfying dinner in one bowl.

Burgers Mexicana

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I love making burgers that pack lots of flavour into every bite.  These are guaranteed to do just that! The addition of chipotle aoili makes anything have a hint of Mexican flavours.  Feel free to add a bit of minced chipotle pepper to the burger mix as well if you like to kick the heat up a bit.

1 pound ground lean pork

1 pound ground chorizo sausage or spicy italian sausage meat

1/4 cup minced fresh herbs – basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup finely sliced chives or green onions

1/2 cup monterey jack or havarti jalapeno cheese, grated

Gently toss just until ingredients are blended well and form into patties.  If you place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for a while they will hold their shape much easier on the grill.  When you put them on the grill, gently place them on an oiled grill (or lightly oil the burger) and do not move until they have formed up.  Rotate for nice grill marks.  Flip when they are able to hold their shape, and cook through.

Grill:  avocado slices, tomato slices and onion slices

Grilling tomato and avocado slices is easier than you think – and for any vegetarian in the crowed – just use portabello mushrooms!

Chipotle Aioli:  Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 minced chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce), 1 tbsp sliced green onions and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice -season to taste with salt and pepper

To serve burgers:  Grill buns, then spread the both halves with the chipotle aoili – place bun on bottom bun and pile it up with the avocado, tomato and onion slices – simply divine!

Chicken Meatballs

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Do you ever wonder what you can do to help when someone has a baby?  Has surgery?  Just can’t get out of the house?  Needs assistance of any kind?  Make a freezer full of ready to go meal ideas, that’s what.  This is our favourite way of helping anybody.  Just make sure you find out first what kind of food they like to eat – after all, it is about what their household needs, not what you like to eat!!  These chicken meatballs are one of the best and easiest to do – they can be frozen individually and then tossed into a large ziplock bag so that when dinner comes around they can either go on the bbq and be served with tzatsiki dip, go into a tomato sauce and become spaghetti, or just served with mashed potatoes and vegetables.  The possiblities are limited only by your imagination …

Meghan and I had a great time creating food that Hayley and Mike could have ready to go after their adorable little baby girl Sloan arrived!

2 pounds ground lean chicken meat – please use a butcher and good quality meat

1 small onion, grated

lots of fresh herbs, minced very fine – I like basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley

2 cloves garlic (don’t overdo the garlic in case you are preparing these for a nursing mother or other sensitive eater)

1/2 cup finely ground bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients and blend well (your hands are the best possible tool), then roll into balls.  Toss lightly in flour and set on baking sheet.  Allow to freeze individually and then put all of them in a freezer container or ziplock bag – label it!

Veggie Burgers … you WANT to eat

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My first disclaimer has to be the fact that I am not a vegetarian.  Admittedly we are carnivores, and in fact, love our meat.  Although my plate definitely has a small portion of meat on it, that is the way I start to plan my meal … thinking first of what protein I am going to work with.  Imagine my surprise when I thought these were delicious!  I wouldn’t have made them at all except that those darn kids are always turning up with some dietary changes – including vegetarianism.  In an attempt to have some easy to make dinners on hand for one daughters household I thought these would be a good idea.  Turns out they were so good we had a hard time giving them away ….

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp cumin

1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

1 19 oz can black beans – really well rinsed, drained and roughly pureed

1 tsp oregano

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup almonds, roasted and chopped

1 cup sunflower seeds, roasted and chopped

3 cups fine bread crumbs

1/2 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium)

5 eggs

2 cups carrots, grated

2 cups oats (quick cook type)

flour and vegetable oil

In a large fry pan lightly toast your almonds and sunflower seeds until golden brown – then remove to cool and use the same pan to saute onions and garlic in oil.  Place all in large mixing bowl and let it cool down while you work on the rest.  If you have a food processor use it to pulse the nuts, and then grate your carrots and puree the black beans.  Combine all ingredients in the bowl and mix well (your hands are your best tool here)

When you have everything well blended it is time to form your patties.  This is a little trickier than meat patties as I don’t find they hold the shape quite as well.  The best idea is to take either parchment or saran paper and drop a pattie on to it.  Flatten it with either your hands (or if you are feeling aggressive use the bottom of a pot ….) then wrap well individually.  Freeze them separately then store in a large ziplock bag or a freezer container.

To cook, dredge lightly in flour and brown in vegetable oil on the stove top in a fry pan.  They won’t hold together on the bbq grate, so don’t even try that.

Try these burgers, and you will be amazed.  Even for the carnivores, like ourselves, you will just love the flavour.

We liked them served on a toasted light bun or pita shell – along with:

roasted red pepper sliced, heated through

siracha aoili

To make the siracha aioli: 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1 tbsp siracha, 1 tbsp sambal oelek, 2 tbsp freshly chopped chives as well as salt and pepper to taste

Mexican Green Rice

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I love Mexican rice – for a big fiesta try making both this green (verde) rice along with red (roja) rice.  Want to create the Mexican flag colors in a bowl – make a batch of white (blanco) rice also!

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup Salsa Verde

1 cup long grain white rice

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Over medium heat saute the onions until soft, adding garlic for the last couple of minutes.  Stir in broth and salsa verde.  Add uncooked rice and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and allow to cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove lid.  Fluff rice with a fork and cover pot with a tea towel.  This allows the steam to release so your rice will be light and fluffy.

Stir in chopped cilantro.

Pollo Verde y Cerveza or Beer Braised Green Chicken

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This is a quick and easy dish – try making enough for a couple of meals and you have filling ready for quesadillas or tacos later in the week.

quick and easy chicken in salsa verde

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup chopped white onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ancho chile powder

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, crumbled

1/4 tsp salt

1 12 ounce Mexican Beer (I like Dos Equis)

1 11-12 oz can of tomatilloes (or if you have your own salsa verde already made – use that)

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1 pound chicken breast – cut into tenderloins

In heavy sauce pan sauce onion in oil until soft and translucent, add garlic and saute for another couple of minutes.  Add butter, spices and oregano.  Cook and stir just until the butter has melted.

Add beer, tomatillos (or salsa verde) and jalapeno pepper.

Bring broth back to boil, stir in chicken and turn temperature down to allow chicken to simmer.  Cook gently for about 15-20 minutes, just until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken from liquid, and allow liquid to boil until it has reduced and thickened – about another 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat. When chicken has cooled enough to handle, shred it and return it to the liquid mixture.

Absolutely delicious as a taco or quesadilla filling, or served with homemade tortillas, mexican rice and vegetables.