These are very simple to make and very tasty. Serve with noodles and a salad. Serves 4
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped coarsely
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1/4 cup club soda
- 1 egg, beaten
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 2 tbsp. Crisco oil
Combine the beef and onion in a bowl and blend well. Stir in the flour, oil, club soda, egg and seasonings and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Shape into 4 x 2 1/2 inch oval patties. Dredge in some additional flour.
Add the oil a skillet on medium-high heat and cook until browned and not pink in the center. Turn only once.
Remove and drain well on paper towelling.
Yum!
Tomato Cheese Casserole
This is a great dish to serve on a hot summer day, with the barbecue going, appetizers served and of course, cold beer or wine waiting on the sidelines.
- 3 cups thinly sliced onions
- 4 medium size tomatoes, peeled and sliced (about 2 lbs)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 6 slices processed American cheese (yeah, I know), cut in half
- 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
. Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole. In 1 inch of boiling water cook the onion, covered, for 10 minutes; drain.
Layer, in order, half of the tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper and basil. Top with one half of the cheese. Repeat the layers.
Mix the Panko crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the top of the dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.
Serve with warm roasted garlic bread. Well, if you insist, along with the hamburgers, corn on the cob would be fantastic.
I love summers.
Mushrooms in Sour Cream
I have to tell a little secret…I love mushrooms any way – cooked, raw, sauteed, stuffed…it doesn ‘t matter. You should try this one as it is a real winner.
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/2 lb. fresh white mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. paprika
- pinch of pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 1/4 cup sour cream
Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the onion until golden. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 cup water. Simmer, covered until mushrooms are tender (about 15 minutes). You might have to add a bit of more water.
Add the salt, pepper, paprika, 2 tbsp. chopped parsley and sour cream. Heat very slowly (do not let this boil or the cream will separate) until hot through all.
Before bringing to the table, sprinkle with the remaining parsley.
Lime Cucumber Relish
This is a wonderful traditional relish to accompany grilled or roasted chicken. It has a yogurt sauce as well. So with these two companions you have a super great meal in minutes.
- 1 medium English cucumber, chopped ( 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 tsp. shredded lime peel
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 clove garlic, minced
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir to blend it well.
Yogurt Sauce
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. cream
Whisk this together until smooth.
When serving this with grilled or roasted chicken, top the chicken with the cucumber relish and then drizzle the yogurt sauce over.
Guacamole – My Way
As you know from previous recipes, I do not eat onions. Never have and I can’t see it happening any time soon BUT at the same time, I admit, if done this way or the way I make the butter sauce for my perogies, it is edible.
- 3 avocados, halves, pulp removed
- Juice of 1 lime
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cumin
- pinch of cayenne
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 tbsp. chopped cilanro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
Okay, toss the scooped out pulp of the avocado with the lime juice so they won’t turn brown and then strain the pulp. Save the juice.
Put the onions and garlic in a blender and puree. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
You can put the guacamole in a bowl, add the chopped tomato, 1 tbsp. of the reserved lime juice and lightly stir. Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 1-2 hours before serving. This will allow the flavours to marry well.
Put out warmed taco chips, sour cream, melted cheese and the guacamole.
Cold beer anyone? Go Team Go.
Last Moment Pickles
Company’s coming in the hour, table set, dinner under control……almost. You need pickles and the fridge is bare. Try this recipe…takes only a couple of minutes. It is fresh! It is different! Everyone will want the recipe.
- 6 large radishes, very thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 cucumber, very thinly sliced, crosswise
- 1 sweet onion, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 tsp. dried pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
In a medium bowl, combine the radishes, cucumber, onion and peppercorns. Place the ginger in a small piece of cheesecloth and squeeze the juice into the vegetables, discard all the flesh.
Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved and it just comes to the boil.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables, toss well. Remove the veggies from the liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve right away.
Did I just hear you mutter “damn I did this?”
Homemade Baked Beans
I pulled this from a newspaper some 25 years ago and use it all the time and it has been adjusted to suit our tastes. It is great for family barbecues and also when company comes for dinner.
- 2 lbs. dried navy beans (approx. 4 cups)
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 lb bacon slices, chopped
- 1/2 lb salt pork
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. To make the soaking time much shorter, in a large pot cover the beans with cold water and bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for one hour. Now again bring to a slow boil, reducing the heat and let simmer for one hour or until the skins burst. Drain the beans reserving all the liquid. Place the beans in a baking crock that has been sprayed with Pam.
Combine all the ingredients adding one cup of the reserved liquid. Pour over the beans mixing in and adding more liquid to cover the beans. Stir in the bacon pieces.
Cover the salt pork with boiling water and let stand two minutes. Drain and cut one inch gashes every half inch without cutting through the rind. Push the pork down into the beans until all but the rind is covered.
Cover the crock and bake in the oven for at least eight hours. Check every hour and add liquid as needed to keep them moist. During the last hour of baking, remove the lid and let the beans brown, stirring to mix. I like it when the liquid become a little thick.
Note: The ginger is added to remove the gas it gives us humans. Honest it works.
My Mom’s Ribs
Truly a great dish and was one of my mom’s favourite meals. She would give you her recipe provided you didn’t change the ingredients and kept it as she gave it to you. Like most Moms.
Serves 4
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped and peeled celery
- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- 3-4 lbs pork spareribs
Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl except for the meat. Cut the ribs into three rib sections, making sure any tough membranes are removed and place in a roasting pan. Cover with the sauce and bake covered for two hours. Remove the cover and bake another fifteen minutes until the sauce thickens up a bit and the meat is almost falling off the bone..
Serve with the Goat Cheese Potatoes and you have a wonderful meal.
Onion and Apple Curry
This is another quick mini quiche for entertaining the masses. Try this one and you will see.
- 1 small onion
- 1 small granny smith apple, peeled, cored and grated
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 2 large, eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp. heavy cream
- cheddar cheese, grated
- pastry shells
Put a little oil in frypan. Lightly brown a small, thinly sliced onion, then add a small, peeled and grated granny smith apple. Add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. curry powder and stir for one minute. Cool slightly.
Spoon heaping teaspoons into pastry tarts. Mix 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 tbp. heavy cream into each tart to cover the onion. Sprinkle with some grated cheddar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 until top is puffed up and golden in colour.
If you sample these, I am told you will never stop ‘sampling’.
Taste Rating: 7.8