Month: December 2019

Beef Bourguignon in the Slow Cooker

Beef Bourguignon in the Slow Cooker

This Beef Bourguignon is a mishmash of recipes I looked at on the web including great options from Dinnerthendessert, Therecipecritic, and Sommelierschoiceawards (because I was using a Cab Sav). It’s a cold and rainy New Year’s Eve and I thought having something simmering in the 

Paleo Swedish Meatballs

Paleo Swedish Meatballs

These paleo Swedish meatballs are mix of Healthy Swedish Meatballs from 40 Aprons and Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs from The Castaway Kitchen. I mixed the two recipes and baked them rather than fry them. Ingredients 1 lb meatball mix (beef, pork and veal) or just 

Paleo Sun-dried Tomato and Turkey Meatballs

Paleo Sun-dried Tomato and Turkey Meatballs

We have a good family friend who is on a paleo diet with additional restrictions including no gluten and cow’s milk products. These sun-dried tomato and turkey meatballs from Half Baked Harvest with a little swapping here and there fit the bill. I used Chèvre in place of the ricotta, because I couldn’t find sheep’s milk ricotta, and Pecorino, made with sheep’s milk, in place of the Parmesan. I also left out the red pepper flakes and adapted the baking time because these were going into the freezer. These are damned delicious if I do say so myself.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
113 g package Chèvre, crumbled
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
1/4 cup (about 4) oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
  2. Mix the ground turkey, Chèvre, Pecorino, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup basil, the parsley, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a bowl.
  3. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, and roll the meat into 1 tablespoon size balls (makes 20-24 meatballs).
  4. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes flipping half-way through.

Allow to cool and freeze on a cookie sheet for 30  minutes before bagging, labeling and popping back in the freezer. They can be kept in the freezer for 3-4 months.

To reheat, remove from the freezer, sprinkle with a bit of water and microwave for 4 minutes until heated through. Or you can let them defrost in the fridge overnight and add them to your favourite sauce and let them heat through that way.

Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole (T’was the night before Christmas)

Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole (T’was the night before Christmas)

T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…actually, not true. Me, I was stirring…eggs for this recipe. I have made Best of Bridge’s Christmas Morning “Wife” Saver in the past and am all for not having to cook 

Vegetable Strudel in Puff Pastry

Vegetable Strudel in Puff Pastry

A crisper drawer full of veggies crying to be used, puff pastry, and dinner guests, one of whom has gone vegetarian (no judgment here). What to do? I settled on making a vegetable strudel with goat cheese in puff pastry. I used this recipe from 

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

This is pretty much the recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms from Love and Lemons but I forgot the garlic and frankly, it didn’t matter. I will say these were finicky as (bad word) to put together. My pine nuts went all over the place and at the price of pine nuts that was kind of annoying. BUT, the result was worth it so I’ll probably make this again.

Ingredients

  • 20-24 mushroom caps, stems removed and wiped
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (you could probably use any kind)
  • 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 4 diced sundried tomatoes (packed in oil, but drained)
  • 2 Tbsp pine nuts
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Line a baking sheet with baker’s parchment.
  3. Mix the filling ingredients together well.
  4. Put the mushrooms top down on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
  5. Stuff the caps as best you can.
  6. Drizzle with more olive oil and grind fresh pepper over top.
  7. Bake for 20-22 minutes until the cheese has melted and the tops are golden.
  8. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

 

 

Tomato Sauce with Bacon and Capers

Tomato Sauce with Bacon and Capers

This sauce is based on Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce and simply adds bacon, dried red chilis and capers. Ingredients 2 cups tomato sauce, I used the batch that I made of Marcella Hazan’s sauce. 3 rashers of double smoked bacon, chopped 1/8-1/4 tsp dried red 

Test Drive of Marcella Hazan’s “Internet Famous” Tomato Sauce

Test Drive of Marcella Hazan’s “Internet Famous” Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is generally not something I bother making because you can usually pick up a pretty decent sauce on sale and I like to collect the glass jars for other food stuffs. However, this recipe popped up in my suggested reads feed and it 

Roasted Sweet Potato with Carrots and Shallots

Roasted Sweet Potato with Carrots and Shallots

Sometimes you just have to cook up what’s in the fridge before you can justify a big grocery shop. In my veggie drawer I had a lonely sweet potato, some carrots and a couple of shallots left over from I don’t remember what. I need to eat more vegetables so there you have it, dinner. Plus, leftover roasted veg is great in an omelette or thrown into a soup base.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large sweet potato, unpeeled and sliced in rounds
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced in rounds
  • 1 shallot, sliced any old way
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • Pinch of sumac
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
  2. Pour the oil into a large, cold, oven proof saute pan.
  3. Turn the heat to medium and toss in the shallots and garlic.
  4. When the shallots and garlic start to give off their aroma, toss in the sweet potato and carrots.
  5. Give that a good stir to make sure all the veggies are coated with oil.
  6. Add the seasonings.
  7. Pop the saute pan in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes. Check at 30 minutes and give the veg a toss.

Serves 2 as a side dish.

 

Cuban Pork Roast de Julio Montero

Cuban Pork Roast de Julio Montero

This recipe arrives on the blog courtesy of my friend and salsa instructor Julio Montero. This year, we co-hosted a party for the lovely people who took salsa classes with Julio and he treated us to Cuban pork roast. If you’ve got a crowd of