With the big Football game almost here (if you watch American football) this is a great item to serve along with guacamole or a black bean dip. It is easy and very yummy and refreshing.
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 1 cup diced fresh mango
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/8 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1/8 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp. honey
- pinch each of cayenne pepper, ground cumin and sea salt
- 1 bag of corn tortilla chips for all the dipping.
Feel free to use any type of chip or cracker. Your house – your rules. Enjoy!
Olives For Company Fare
This is something to eat you either love or hate. This is quite tasty I am told. Our house has one of each of the above and I bet you can’t guess which one I am.
This is also done for a friend of ours who, along with my husband, went from table to table on a vacation we were on, stealing the olives from everyone.
- 3 tbsp. really good quality olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 orange, zested, in long strips with a swivel peeler
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 12 oz. mixed olives (Kalamata, Nicoise, etc) drained
- 1 tsp. Fennel seeds
Put the oil, garlic, coriander seeds, herbs, orange zest and pepper flakes in a skillet on medium heat, swirling the pan until all has become very fragrant.
Add the olives and cook, until the garlic is golden and the zest has started to curl. About 2-3 minutes longer.
Serve these warm as part of the Charcuterie board.
Trout And Asparagus in Puff Pastry
I love trout and this is a really tasty dish to serve. It is so easy to put together you will probably mark this as a favourite of your household.
- 1 trout fillet about 1 1/2 – 2 lbs.
- 1 pound asparagus (the thinner stalks are best), remove the tips
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche
- 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
- zest of one lemon
- 2 sheets puff pastry, room temperature
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lightly beaten egg, for the glaze
Skin and bone the trout and set aside. Heat the oven to 450 degrees
Cut the ends off the asparagus and peel the stalks.
Stir together the creme fraiche*, dill and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Lay out 1 sheet of puff pastry and roll it large enough to place the trout.
Brush the edges 1 1/2 inches of both sheets of pastry with the egg wash. Lay the out the trout like inside a picture frame and place the asparagus on top of the trout (like pencils). Lay the top sheet of pastry over like a very large ravioli and press the edges together with the tines of a fork.
Make a couple of slits on the top to allow steam to escape and brush the entire pastry with the egg wash and bake for about 20 minutes, until it becomes puffed and golden in colour.
Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before slicing to plate. This is also delicious at room temperature.
Did I say tasty? OMG! Is it ever.
*Note: To make creme fraiche use 1 cup whipping cream and 3 tbsp. sour cream. Stir together until well combined.
Lamb Chops
When looking through our large binder of recipes I came across this one. I can even read Don’s handwriting so that makes you the lucky one. They are really delicious and since the long cold winter is subsiding, it is just a way to start getting prepared to barbecue.
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Couple sprigs of Rosemary leaves
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- Zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- Dijon mustard for coating the ribs
- season with sea salt and ground pepper
Cut the ribs into 2 rib portions and rub with Dijon mustard to coat.
Mix the dry ingredients and garlic together and sprinkle over the ribs to cover both sides.
Grill chops 2 minutes per side.
Using a 450 degree oven, place the ribs on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium rare.
Serve with a lovely Malbec wine, potatoes, asparagus. Having a small dish of Greek yogurt at each place setting would also be nice to dip the meat into.
Absolutely THE Best Meatloaf Ever
I cannot begin to put into words just how wonderful this recipe is. Don made it last night and all I can say is WOW! The topping is beyond belief and if you will take a tip from me, you will double it and use it also like a gravy, It is that good.
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs (he made his own)
- 1 small diced yellow onion
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 tbsp. ketchup1 tbsp.
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. dried parsley leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Topping
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 4 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add the beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, eggs, 4 tbsp. ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Use your hands to mix this together until all are well combined.
Add the meat mixture to a loaf pan and pat down to an even layer.
Note: Don found if you dampen parchment paper a little, it becomes more pliable. Line the loaf pan with it and then add your meat.
In a small bowl, make the topping, stirring to combine. Pour evenly over the top of the meat, spreading to cover the surface.
Bake uncovered for 55 minutes and rest for about 10 minutes before serving or it will fall apart.
This is a moist meatloaf and you will say apologies to your Moms for their recipe and make this one again and again.
*Note: You must mix the meat really well. If not, it will become too soft.
We served ours with the no yolk noodles. Tonight, we are going to slice some more and put into hot dog type buns and do some French Fries,
This recipe will make from 12-20 slices, depending how thick you cut it.
Really Simple Hors d’ Oeurves For Entertaining
Christmas is a short time from now and with all the hustle-bustle going on in your house, here is one of the easiest and tastiest bites to offer your family and guests.
- 8 slices of paper thin prosciutto (1 slice per person actually)
- 8 fresh but ripe figs, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 tbsp. of Balsamic Vinegar of Modena*
- 2 oz. Asiago cheese, shaved into strips using your vegetable peeler
On individual plates, arrange the prosciutto, 2 fig halves (drizzle the Balsamic vinegar over) and a strip or two of the cheese. Add a couple of your best crackers and you will have an easy-peasy bite.
This will, of course, go with any other tidbits you have. Also, have napkins, clean glasses to serve your beverages of choice in, lit candles and enjoy the company at hand.
Note: * The label reads Vinaigre Balsamique de Modene
BBQ For Whole Trout Fillets
This is one of Don’s recipes for the trusted barbeque. It is very, very tasty.
- 1 whole trout (on the larger size)
- 8 garlic cloves
- pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp. fine herbs
- 2 tbsp. minced dried tomato
- 1 small tomato, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. dill weed
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
Chop the garlic very fine and combine with the remaining ingredients and store in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to use, oil the grill.
Cut the fish on the side so it can be stuffed but do not separate. do not cut the skin. Fill with 1/2 of the mixture. Place skin side down on the bbq at a low temperature for 12-15 minutes. Fill with the remainder of the mixture and bbq on medium until done (5-10 minutes).
Cut into fillets and serve with a lovely green salad, warm brioche buns and a chilled glass of the grape.
Wow! This is really tasty and you will enjoy it many times.
Island Special Pork Bolognese Pasta Sauce
There are nights in our house that are really special and this was one of them. Don had some ground pork left over from making his Christmas Tourtiere and put this together. You are going to love it. We got 10 meals out of it. OMGGGGG! This is so tasty, you will be glad of a second portion.
- 2 lbs. ground pork
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 – 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes (Kirkland (Costco) brand San Marzano) tomatoes
- 2 cups freshly sliced white mushrooms
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup red wine (we used Sangiovese)
- parmesan cheese, grated, enough for topping
- 1 lb. your favorite dried pasta noodles
In a Dutch Oven pot cook the pork until no longer pink and add the carrots, garlic and mushrooms, cooking until carrots tender. This is approximately 10 minutes.
Skim the fat off the top of the meat mixture and add the tomatoes, spices and wine, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes a little.
Add the butter, cream and milk, stirring well to incorporate.
Cook your pasta noodles according to the directions, drain, saving 1/2 cup of the water. Add the saved water back into the noodles and prepare to serve.
When ready to serve, place a portion of the noodles on the plate, add a generous serving of Bolognese sauce, topping it all off with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
If you wish, serve with a chilled green salad and your favorite dressing.
Pour yourself a glass of the lovely red wine and declare “damn I did this”.
Ham Pot Pies
Whoa! What a way to use up leftover baked ham. We love this one. Take a peak at the photo and you can see why.
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 2 cups cauliflower chunks
- 2 cups asparagus, peeled and cut in 3 inch sections
- 1/2 lb. sliced fresh white mushrooms
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into 3 inch toothpick sticks
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 1/4 cups 2% milk
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 3/4 cups cubed, fully cooked ham
- 2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- pinch of pepper
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large saucepan heat butter over medium heat and add the cauliflower, mushrooms and carrots, cooking and stirring until tender.
Stir in the flour until blended. Gradually add the milk and broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and add the asparagus, cooking until thickened (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and add the ham, parsley, nutmeg and pepper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 10 oz. ramekin to use as a template, cut 4 tops for the pies. Fill 4 buttered ramekins with the vegetable mixture and top with the pastry. Cut slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape and brush each top with the beaten egg.
Bake for 19 minutes and let stand at least 5 minutes before serving. Add a green salad, glass of wine and enjoy! We did and there is no ham left.
Pork Chops In A Beautiful Honey-Garlic Sauce
For some strange reason, throughout my life, I have really avoided pork chops UNTIL NOW. Don made these last night and Boy oh Boy are they fabulous. True.
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If not using a frypan that can go into the oven, grease a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Season the chops with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown pork chops 3 to 4 minutes each side and transfer to the prepared pan.
Glaze
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/8 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/8 cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
- dash cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Whisk the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and butter together in a bowl and pour over the chops.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for approximately 5 minutes to allow the chops to soak up some of the sauce.
Add a 1/4 tsp. corn starch mixed in a 1/4 cup of water to the remaining sauce and stir until it thickens.
Serve the chops with a stir-fry vegetable side dish and add the extra sauce.
Most Awesome Meatloaf
I am sure everyone grew up with meatloaf recipes being made often, especially in the colder months. Don made this recipe and it was so darned great, we had meatloaf sandwiches Day 1 and ….you have to read on for Day 2.
- 1/2 cup beef stock, divided
- 3 slices white bread, ripped small
- 6 oz. Cremini mushrooms, stems removed, chopped
- 1 onion
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick, threads removed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/4 lbs. ground beef
- 3/4 lb. ground pork
- 2 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- tsp. pepper, divided
GLAZE
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
Place the mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
Put the bread in a large bowl and add the vegetable mixture, eggs, beef, pork, Worchestershire sauce, 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper and mix lightly and thoroughly. Now here it gets a little different.
Use an oval loaf pan (10 x 12). Place the meat mixture on an 18 x 12 piece of HEAVY DUTY tin foil. Carefully place in the oval pan, pressing the meat up the sides and smooth the top of the meat.
Mix the glaze together and spread over the entire loaf. Place the pan on a parchment lined tray (in case it flows over ) ours didn’t but it saves cleaning up a mess.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 3 hours or until the temperature in the middle is 160 degrees.
Now….we bought previously, cheese hamburger buns from Save on Foods. Place them in the oven (sliced) for a few minutes until they are warm in the oven and the top is crispy to the touch. Bring them out, add your mayo, mustard and a generous slice of the meatloaf. OMG! These are wonderful. End of Day 1.
Wrap the pan in tin foil and place in the fridge for overnight.
Day 2, Slice the meatloaf so it can be fried to get a bit of a sear, serve with a green salad, corn on the cob (halved) and a green salad. Now, you should have a glass of wine/beer and this is to die for.
The flavours in this meatloaf will have you actually trying to lick your plate.
Bison Burgers
Let me preface this with “Yes, I did eat it” as I am not one for the unusual. For me, anyway.
- 1 lb. ground bison
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 4 dashes of Tabasco sauce
- 1 pinch granulated garlic
- pinch of black pepper
- olive oil cooking spray
- 4 slices of cheese (American or Monteray Jack)
- 4 Brioche hamburger buns, split and toasted
Preheat barbecue grill and lightly oil the grate.
Mix the bison, panko crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, garlic and pepper mixing well together by hand and then form 4 patties.
Spray the patties with the Olive oil spray and grill until hot and barely pink in the center (about 5 minutes each side). Top each burger with a slice of cheese and cook until it has melted (about 1 1/2 minutes) An instant read thermometer placed in the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).
Place each burger on a bun half and serve with grilled caramelized onions, mustard, mayo, pickle, lettuce and tomato. Serve with french fries and you have a great dinner.
These really are very tasty. Give it a try. By the way, the picture shows a single patty only. That is not two. Honest!
