Category Archives: Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower

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Tonight I wanted cauliflower that would allow me to relax with family  and would taste great with my Mexican Fiesta themed Father’s Day dinner – this was perfect!

Preheat oven to 375

I head of cauliflower, broken into florets

3 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil            

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 heaping tbsp grainy mustard

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

juice of 1 lemon

Garnish with cilantro and scallions (green onions)

In a ziplock bag, combine all ingredients and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Turn vegetables onto baking sheet – I love my clay baking sheet – no matter what I roast on it we get the perfect color and roasting carmelization.

Roast for about 30 minutes – this will depend on the size of your florets, so at 20 minutes, poke them with a fork or sharp knife … nobody likes overcooked cauliflower!

When they are just fork tender, turn into serving dish and sprinkle with roughly chopped cilantro and green onions.

Mexican Fiesta

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Wow.  Sometimes I even surprise myself.  

Check out this Mexican Fiesta for Fathers Day …

Pork in Salsa Verde

Spanish Rice

Mexican Black Beans

Nationalist Guacamole

Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Asparagus with lime, feta and almonds

It was amazing!  Try out the recipes and let me know what you think …

Chicken Schnitzel – Panko Crusted

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3/4  cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves – butterflied and pounded 1/4 ” thick

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

6 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 heaping tbsp chopped parsley

Take 3 separate shallow bowls, and in each one put the flour, egg, and panko.  Now you MIGHT think it is okay to just coat the chicken in panko, but trust me … these 3 bowls will make such a difference!  Once you have pounded out the chicken, season with a light dusting of salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Shake off any excess and dip in beaten egg.  Drip off, then coat really well with panko, pressing lightly.  Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the canola oil over moderately high heat.  Add chicken pieces, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  Fry for about 3 min on each side, until golden brown and oh so crispy.  Keep a baking sheet handy, lined with paper towels, and let chicken rest while you cook the rest of your chicken.  Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Meanwhile ….. in a small pan, melt the butter and watching carefully … allow it to cook over moderate heat until the butter is brown … (that will give you a really nutty delicious flavour).  Remove from heat and stir in capers, lemon juice and parsley.

Spoon over chicken and serve.

Tan Tan Noodles

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This has been one of our family favorites for years, and one the girls always request when coming home – I hope you like it just as much!

Cooking with Asian ingredients may look intimidating at first, mainly because the ingredient list is so lengthy, but once you have all the supplies it is quick and easy to do so many different dishes.  I always recommend having all the ingredients chopped, and at hand before you start cooking.  Wok cookery is quick!

 

BROTH

  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 6 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp chile oil
  • 8 tbsp Chinese black bean paste
  • 6 scallions (green onions) chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp Chinese chile paste
  • 5 tbsp LOW SODIUM soy sauce
  • 6 tbsp peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp tahini paste, even better with Chinese Sesame paste
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

For Tan Tan deluxe – 1 pound ground beef or pork

ASSEMBLY

  • thin asian noodles, cooked and drained
  • green onions – sliced thin
  • cilantro – chopped
  • peanuts – chopped and toasted
  • bean sprouts – rinsed well

METHOD

In a medium saucepan, with heavy bottom, heat the oil over moderate heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes – or until they begin to turn golden brown – watch carefully so they don’t darken too quickly (burnt garlic is bitter).  Add sesame oil, chili oil and the black beans.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add green onions and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in the chile paste and soy sauce – stir to create a smooth sauce.  Add the peanut butter and tahini, again stirring to create a smooth paste.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

It’s important to take time to cook all the above ingredients as listed, it helps build the flavor.

Add the broth slowly and reduce the heat to medium low.  Let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow flavours to blend and the broth to thicken.  Taste, taste, taste!!  You should have a rich broth, full of flavour and layers of tastes.  If you like it richer, play  with all the broth ingredients until you get the balance you personally prefer – you may like it spicier so go ahead and add more chili oil or even some chili flakes.  If you like more of a peanut flavour, add more peanut butter – all so easy to do and get your preferred flavour balance.

To serve place noodles in bowl, add broth.  Scatter green onions, cilantro, bean sprouts and peanuts over top.

If you like the Deluxe Version – brown the ground meat and drain off any fat – add 1 or 2 ladles of the broth and allow the beef to soak up the liquid.  When serving, sprinkle the meat on top of the noodles before adding the broth.

 

Have everything ready before you start cooking. Yes, I know broccoli isn’t listed, but I couldn’t resist serving some steamed broccoli on the side.
If you want the rich flavour, stop here, if you want it more soup like, add more chicken stock.

Kung Pao Chicken

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1 1/2 # boneless, skinless chicken thighs – cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

8 dried, red chilies (deseeded and cut in half) 

peanut oil

5 slices fresh ginger, sliced thinly and into thin strips

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced on the diagonal

1 cup red pepper, cut into aprox 1/2 ” pieces

1 stalk scallion (green onion) – sliced in 1/2″ pieces

MARINADE

1 tbsp corn starch

3 tbsp LOW SODIUM soy sauce

2 tbsp chile paste

3 tbsp rice vinegar

Combine all marinade ingredients – mix well – and stir in chicken pieces.  Keep in fridge until ready for use (at least 30 min)

SAUCE

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1/2 tsp chile flakes

2 tbsp chile paste

1 tbsp corn starch

Put all sauce ingredients in jar and shake well – set aside.

Heat wok – add oil – remove chicken from marinade, trying to leave behind most of the liquid, stir fry chicken pieces until about cooked half way.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Wipe out wok, add fresh oil – then garlic, ginger and red pepper – saute until just tender – remove from heat and add to reserved chicken.

Wipe out wok (yes, again) and stir fry dried chiles along with peanuts just until they are aromatic. Add to chicken/veg mixture.

Wipe out wok, add sauce and cook quickly until the sauce has thickened and become shiny (corn starch will always taste kind of murky in a dish unless you achieve that glossy look)  Return the rest of the ingredients to the wok and toss quickly to coat.

Garnish with scallion slices and serve over rice.

Sesame Soy Vinaigrette

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Give this vinaigrette a try – it will quickly become a household favorite – we love it on salads, as a marinade for grilling vegetables, and is the reason “Red Rice Rocks” is such a popular one dish meal.

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes      

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 generous tbsp tahini paste

2 cloves garlic, crushed

red chili flakes (optional)

1 1/4 – 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Using small processor, or immersion blender combine all ingredients except the oil and blend until smooth – then gradually add the oil until you have a delicious creamy dressing.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

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soft and chewy, these cookies are a sweet treat

Cold and rainy here today, so baking cookies filled the house with delicious smells!

Preheat oven to 350, grease baking sheet

1 1/4 cups butter                

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup toffee bits (Skor type)

Beat together butter and sugar until well blended with electric hand mixer – beat in eggs until light and fluffy – add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together (minus the chips and toffee).  Blend everything together well, then add chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Drop by teaspoons onto greased baking sheet – leaving about 1 inch between them as they do spread out.

Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes.

Ginger Snap Cookies

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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

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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

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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.