Tropical BBQ Chicken & Mango Salsa

Excuse the crappy cell phone picture.

Trying to eat more protein and veggies can be very boring, especially when one is too busy to get creative and there isn't much time to prepare a meal. This recipe is a modified version of the "Caribbean Chicken" recipe from The Eat Clean Diet: Recharged. It's very tasty, easy to make and can be served in many ways. I cook a few chicken breasts at a time and save them for lunches and even snacks throughout the week.

Ingredients:

- 1 orange

- 1 lime

- 1 tbsp agave nectar

- 1 tbsp sucanat

- 1 tbsp minced ginger

- 4 gloves garlic, minced

- pinch ground cinnamon

- pinch ground nutmeg

- 1 tsp hot sauce of your choice

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 1 tbsp ketchup

Directions:

1. Remove the zest from the lime and orange, setting aside for later use, then juice each fruit.

2. Add juice, agave, sucanat, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg to a jar and shake well.

3. Place chicken in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. When ready to cook, remove from marinade and place chicken in grill pan or over BBQ until cooked through.

5. While chicken is cooking, pour marinade into a small sauce pan with citrus zest and heat over medium-high heat. Boil until sauce has reduced slightly. Lower heat and add ketchup. Bring to a boil again and boil for 5 minutes.

6. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer, using the back of a spatula to squeeze out the liquid. Discard the solids.

7. Once chicken is cooked, remove from grill and baste with the strained sauce.

Eat hot off the grill topped with mango salsa and grilled veggies, or slice and serve warm or cold over spinach salad. Top your salad with the left over Tropical BBQ sauce.

For an easy Mango Salsa, chop 1 fresh mango, 1/2 a small red onion and 1 handful of fresh cilantro. Toss together in a bowl with lime juice, salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes or hot sauce.

Poutine

Poutine! The quintessential French-Canadian comfort food. Fries covered in fresh cheese curds and gravy. Does it get any better than that? While at the Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago, I picked up some farm fresh cheese curds. In my area fresh curds are hard to find. Heck, even un-fresh curds are hard to find! This was a real treat and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.


From Wikipedia:

In the basic recipe for poutine, French fries are topped with fresh cheese curds, and covered with brown gravy or sauce. The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the inside stays soft, while the outside is crunchy. The gravy used is generally a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper, or a sauce brune which is a combination of beef and chicken stock, originating in Quebec. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are rarely used. Fresh cheese curds (not more than a day old) are used. To maintain the texture of the fries, the cheese curd and gravy is added immediately prior to serving the dish.

In the past when I made poutine I would use a packet of powdered Poutine Gravy Mix. This time I decided to try my own. It turned out well and was quite easy. I used pre-cut frozen fries because they bake up crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - perfect for a traditional Poutine. Serve for lunch or dinner; as a side or a main.

For the gravy I mixed half a cup of chicken broth, half cup of beef broth and a splash of red wine in a saucepan. I simmered it on medium-high heat until it was reduced by a third. I added a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and whisked until the sauce thickened. Finally, I seasoned it with salt and pepper. I baked the fries until crisp and placed them on a plate. I sprinkled a generous amount of cheese curds on top of the fries then drizzled with an equally generous amount of piping hot gravy. Delicious!

P.S... It's pronounced "Poo-Tin" but since French is my second language, I'm okay with "Poo-Tine". ;-)

Roast Beef with Red Wine Mushroom Gravy

I was in Toronto last week to visit some friends. While there I visited the famous St. Lawrence Market, where I bought a jar of deliciously potent Horseradish Mustard from Kozlik's Canadian Mustard. For three days I have been craving this mustard slathered over a juicy slice of roast beef. Incidentally, if you are interested in trying Kozlik's, they are sold at several stores in the Lower Mainland, including Thrifty Foods in Coquitlam!

Recipe adapted from the Canadian Beef Producers website.

Roast Beef

2-4 lb beef oven roast (I used an inside round roast)
6 cloves of garlic, cut into thin slivers (about 3 slices per clove)
course salt and fresh cracked pepper
beef & steak seasoning rub (optional)

1. Remove roast from refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature. (A room temperature roast will brown better!)

2. Cut shallow slits all over roast and insert garlic slivers into slits. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Rub with beef & steak seasoning rub if desired.


3. Place roast, fatty side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of the roast. Cook, uncovered at 450°F for 10 minutes, turning once. Reduce heat to 275°F and cook until thermometer reads 140°F for medium-rare to medium. For a small to medium roast this could take 1-1/4 to 2-1/4 hours. For a larger roast this could take 2-1/4 to 3 hours. Cooking times are estimates only and vary oven to oven. Different roast types and shape can also affect cooking times. Check the chart below for a guideline and be sure to check on your roast after 1 hour and ever 15 - 30 minutes thereafter. My 2.12 pound roast took 1 hour and 25 minutes reach 140°F internal temperature and it was cooked perfectly medium-rare. It would be even easier if you have a digital thermometer where you can set the desired temperature and it will notify you when that temperature is reached. Unfortunately, I don't have one of those!

4. When desired temperature is reached, remove roast from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 15-20 minutes before removing to a cutting board for slicing.



Red Wine Mushroom Gravy

3 tablespoons pan drippings from roasting pan
2 teaspoons butter
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
2 teaspoons fresh cracked mixed peppercorns
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a splash or two of water.

1. Pour 3 tablespoons of drippings from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add butter and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have browned and sauce reduced by half.

2. Add broth, wine and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until mixture has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.

3. Add cornstarch to pan and whisk continually until gravy has thickened. Pour over steak and mashed potatoes!

Basic Roast Chicken & Gravy

See part one - Brining a Chicken.

Your chicken has been brined and it is at room temperature. You are ready to roast! Start by watching this video, from CHOW, on how to truss your chicken. Trussing ensures the wings and legs are firmly attached to the body so that the bird cooks evenly and the small extremities don't dry out. Trussing also allows the bird to be turned easily during cooking. Prior to trussing, salt and pepper the inside of the cavity.

Once your bird is trussed, you are really ready to roast!

Ingredients:

2-3 lb whole chicken, brined and trussed
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted (or olive oil, or a mixture of the two)
salt and pepper
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut in quarters
1 celery stalk, cut into large chunks

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (F).

2. Smear 2-3 tablespoons of room temperature butter over the outside of the bird. If you prefer, you could also brush olive oil all over.

3. Generously salt and pepper the outside of the bird. If you'd like, you can also sprinkle with dried herbs of your choice. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Arrange vegetables around the bird in the bottom of the pan. Here's a tip: I don't have a rack for my roasting pan so I propped my bird up ON TOP of the vegetables. As long as the bird doesn't sit on the bottom of the pan, anything goes!


4. Place pan in pre-heated oven and roast at the high heat for 15 minutes to get the top nice and brown. After 15 minutes, turn chicken and roast the other side for 15 minutes. Baste with melted butter. Turn back to breast side up, baste again and lower heat to 350 degrees (F).

5. Baste every 15-20 minutes. It may take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook, but test for doneness after 50 minutes. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes per pound. Stick a meat thermometer in the fattiest part of the thigh. The internal temperature should register 165-170 degrees (F). Any less and your chicken is undercooked. Any more and you risk a dried out bird. Remember that the chicken will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven. While cooking, if the legs, wings or breast start to get too browned, cover those bits with small pieces of tin foil to avoid burning.

6. Once proper internal temperature is reached, remove your bird from the oven and set on a plate or chopping board, covered with foil and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes. When ready to cut, check here for a tutorial on how to carve your chicken.


Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed veggies. A 2-3 pound chicken will adequately serve 2 or 3 people with a bit of left overs for soup, a stir fry or a casserole!

Chicken Gravy:

For gravy, try this White Wine Gravy from Martha Stewart. For a more simple gravy, try this one, like I used:

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a splash of warm water
salt & pepper

Directions:

1. While chicken is resting, remove vegetables from roasting pan and discard. Scoop out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Place roasting pan on a burner over high heat (if pan is large, place across two burners).

2. Add chicken stock to hot pan and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom (this is called de-glazing the pan). Bring to a boil.

3. Pour in cornstarch and bring to a boil, stirring continually. When sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, it's ready. Season with salt and pepper. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy boat or glass bowl.

Next time... homemade chicken stock using the left over carcass and bones.

Caesar Vinaigrette

I made this easy dressing to top a simple Caesar salad for a family get together. Traditional Caesar dressings use raw eggs but one of my family members is expecting so she can't eat raw eggs. Another option is mayonnaise, but it's not my favourite condiment (and store bought mayonnaise is highly processed), so I try to avoid it. I found a simple blender Caesar dressing on Pioneer Woman so I used that as a guide and changed it up slightly. The result was a perfectly balanced, fresh and tangy dressing. It was way better than anything that comes in a bottle. Incidentally, this would also be a terrific as a baste for chicken!



2 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons plain Dijon mustard (not grainy)
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
dash of hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Add garlic, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt and pepper to a blender.

2. Pulse on low a couple times until blended. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse a couple more times.

3. Add olive oil, a little at a time, and pulse once before adding more. When totally combined, pour into a glass jar or bowl and refrigerate prior to use.

My salad was made with a head of fresh romaine from the Farmer's Market. I added about three tablespoons of dressing, tossed it together, then added shaved Grana Padano and the Pioneer Woman's garlic croûtons, made using fresh country bread, also from the Farmer's Market. To finish it off, I added another tablespoon or two of dressing and tossed everything once more.

Chicken in Apricot Sauce

Apricots are in season locally so how about apricots for dinner tonight?

Adapted from Eating Well Magazine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably pastured & organic)
salt & pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 yellow pepper, cut into small squares
3 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped (for about 1 cup chopped apricots)
2 tbsp homemade apricot preserves
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until flattened and an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Add flour to a shallow pie dish. Dredge chicken through flour, coating both sides. Shake of excess flour.

3. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. You will probably need to cook chicken in batches. Add more coconut oil between batches.

4. De-glaze the pan by adding wine and scraping up any brown bits left from cooking the chicken. Add shallots and peppers and cook until wine is slightly reduced. Add white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard and stir together.

5. Add apricots and cook until fruit begins to break down, 2-3 minutes. Stir in preserves and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup warm water to pan and stir.

6. Cut the chicken breasts in half and return them to the pan. Spoon sauce over chicken to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer chicken in sauce for 5-8 minutes while you prepare your side dishes. Sprinkle fresh thyme over top.

7. Serve chicken with extra sauce spooned over top. Grilled vegetables or sautéd spinach make good side dishes.

If you find the sauce too sweet, add more white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.


This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

When butter is melted and left to cook, the milk solids separate from the fat and sink to the bottom of the pan. There, they begin to caramelize and turn a light brown colour. The resulting liquid is very aromatic and has delicious nutty flavour, which is why the French refer to this as "Beurre Noisette" - hazelnut butter. The butter can be used as is, poured over vegetables, pasta, fish, poultry and meats, or mixed with other ingredients to create a rich, flavourful sauce.

1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
6 tbsp butter
2 tsp soy sauce*

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly spray with olive oil cooking spray.

3. Roast asparagus in oven for 10-12 minutes, until tender.

4. While asparagus is cooking, add balsamic vinegar and honey to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until reduced by half.

5. Melt butter in another small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until colour turns light brown. Careful not to burn the butter.

6. Once butter is a light caramel colour and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reduced balsamic and the soy sauce. Stir together. Spoon off and discard any foam from the top. Pour into a glass measuring cup or other glass cup with spout. Stir together well so mixture does not separate. Sauce should be a dark and rich with a thick, syrupy consistency.

7. Remove asparagus from oven and place into a serving dish. Pour Balsamic Brown Butter sauce over top of asparagus. Serve immediately.

*Use Gluten Free, if required.

A Little More Than Five Minute Tomato Sauce

I'm going on vacation for a couple weeks; leaving Wednesday. I've been trying to use up all my fresh produce so I don't have to throw it out before I go. I had four tomatoes that weren't quite fresh enough to eat raw but weren't quite rotten enough to throw out. I figured I would make a batch of tomato sauce and freeze it for use when I returned home. I spent quite a bit of time searching online to find a quick and easy tomato sauce recipe that called for the basic ingredients I had on hand, namely tomatoes.

I found this one at 101 Cookbooks. It's called Five Minute Tomato Sauce and only uses canned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and seasonings. I adapted the recipe slightly since I used fresh tomatoes and added some onion. I also added a can of my Grandma's home-canned stewed tomatoes.

A little more than five minutes, but this sauce is so simple and tasty, I will definitely be adding it to my repertoire.

A Little More Than Five Minute Tomato Sauce:

Makes about 4 cups



4 tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (or your Grandma's homemade stewed tomatoes if you are so lucky!)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/2 onion, diced small
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1. Prepare the fresh tomatoes by gently cutting a shallow X shape into the bottoms. Immerse the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes to soften the skins. Drain and run cold water over the tomatoes. When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove from the pot and peel the skins off, by pulling the sides where the X was cut. The skins should remove easily.

2. Place fresh tomatoes in a blender and pulse a couple times. Don't over do it! You do not want to puree the tomatoes.

3. Heat oil in sauce pan over medium. Add onion and saute for a couple minutes until they turn translucent. Add garlic, salt and chili flakes. Saute for 45 seconds.

4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and blended tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Add Italian seasoning and stir well. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. (Since we are using fresh tomatoes, there is more liquid to boil off so a longer cooking time is required.)

5. Taste sauce and more salt if needed.

6. Spoon sauce over pasta of your choice & enjoy!

I had a friend over for dinner last night and served the sauce over spinach & cheese ravioli with a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan. The sauce was simple and delightful. Very fresh tasting, with a bit of a kick.

Spicy Mongolian Beef (Sweet & Spicy Beef)

Mongolian Beef. A delicious dish of succulent beef, bathed in a sweet, spicy and savoury sauce. A delicious dish that has nothing to do with Mongolia. Odd, eh? This dish is actually an Americanized "Chinese" dish. Mongolian Beef uses Asian inspired ingredients, but you won't find this in China and you definitely won't find it in Mongolia. I vote we change the name to Sweet & Spicy Beef. But that's just me.

P.S. I LOVED this dish.

Marinade:

1 lb flank steak, cut into very thin slices against the grain
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (rice wine)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sucanat (or dark brown sugar)
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
2 green onion, cut into 1 inch lengths

1. Place steak into a shallow dish.

2. Mix all ingredients together and pour over steak. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate the better. Drain remaining marinade before using beef in the stir fry.

Sauce:

1/3 cup orange juice
zest of half 1 large orange
1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine (rice wine)
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp garlic chili sauce
1 tbsp corn starch mixed with a splash of warm water

1. Mix everything together in a bowl and set aside.


Stir Fry:

Marinated beef
Prepared sauce
4 green onions, cut diagonally into 1 inch pieces
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 Thai chili peppers, seeded and sliced thin
2 tbsp peanut oil

1. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 tbsp peanut oil and roll wok to coat. Add beef pieces. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until beef is mostly browned. A little pink here and there is okay. Remove beef from the wok and set aside.

2. Add another tbsp of peanut oil to the wok. Add onion, green onions and chili peppers and stir gently for a minute.

3. Pour the sauce into the wok. Stir for a couple minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Add beef back to wok. Toss together so beef is well coated in sauce.

4. Remove beef from wok immediately. Serve with rice or rice stick noodles. Sprinkle sliced green onion and grated orange zest on top to finish.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Prawns with Pineapple-Papaya Marmalade

A few years ago I went to Hawaii and became obsessed with island food. I loved it so much that I brought home a copy of Sam Choy's Aloha Cuisine and a new phase in my cooking life began. It's been a while since I've made any Island inspired dishes but with the return of summer, I think it's time for a change!

Macadamia Nut Crusted Prawns

1 lb raw jumbo shrimp (21/25 count), peeled & de-veined, with tails on
3 eggs
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
pinch each of salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Butterfly shrimp and pat dry. Follow instructions here if you aren't sure how to butterfly shrimp.

2. Crack eggs in a shallow dish and beat well.

3. In a separate shallow dish, mix together the panko, macadamia nuts, salt and pepper.

4. In a deep skillet, heat olive oil to medium.

5. Bread each prawn by dredging the prawn through the egg mixture, then with your other hand, dredge it through the breadcrumb mixture, firmly pressing the prawn into the breadcrumbs so it is well coated. Set aside.

6. When you have 5 or 6 prawns coated, place them in the hot skillet. Turn after one minute and continue cooking for another minute, until golden brown. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate. Continue with the rest of the prawns.

7. Serve with a side of Sam Choy's Minted Pineapple-Papaya Marmalade.

Variation: Try adding shredded coconut to your panko/macadamia nut mixture. About one cup will do for delicious Coconut Mac Nut Crusted Prawns!

Sam Choy's Minted Pineapple-Papaya Marmalade

1/2 cup papaya, diced
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
3 tbsp sucanat
few leaves of fresh chopped mint

1. Combine papaya, pineapple and sucanat in a saucepan. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of fresh mint and stir. Set aside to cool.

Steamed Vegetables with Beurre Blanc

Beurre Blanc, translated directly to french, means "white butter". In culinary terms, Beurre Blanc is a butter sauce made with a reduction of white wine, shallots and melted butter. Despite being a rich sauce, it is best severed over lighter fare such as vegetables and fish.

This recipe is adapted from Christine Cushing Live.

Ingredients:
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

*It is important that your butter is COLD. Room temperature or melted butter will not work.

Directions:

1. Add shallot, wine and vinegar to a small saucepan over high heat. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce mixture to about 2 tbsp. Do not let the sauce over reduce!

2. Remove pan from heat. Start whisking the wine/vinegar mixture. While whisking, add the cold butter a little at a time. Make sure the butter melts slowly into the sauce. If the butter melts too quickly, the sauce will separate. When all the butter is emulsified into the sauce, season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately over assorted steamed vegetables, or fish (I spooned some over a salmon steak as well as my vegetables).

Note: FYI - This sauce does NOT do well as left overs. If you try to re-heat in the microwave, the sauce will separate and you will end up with an oily mess.

Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen - Accidental Toblerone Fudge Sauce

Hello! I've taken some time off cooking. Well, that isn't exactly true. I'm still cooking but nothing has been deemed worth of posting here. Although the pot roast, mushroom and zucchini pizza I made last night was pretty delicious.

With only two weeks till Christmas, I've been very busy. My shopping is all done. My presents are all wrapped and my Christmas crafting is nearly complete. I don't usually bake around Christmas time. I'm not much of a baker. I'm more of a creator. This year I created homemade Limoncello liqueur, Vanilla Vodka, Toblerone Fudge Sauce and Peanuty Oreo Cookie Bark. The results are pretty darn good, in my opinion.



Today I will share my Accidental Toblerone Fudge Sauce. Accidental because I set out to make a KRAFT Kitchen's Toblerone Fudge recipe. Unfortunately my fudge didn't set and I needed to come up with something to salvage the $10 worth of chocolate that was in my pan. This recipe is not healthy. It isn't wholesome. It isn't cheap. But it is sinfully delicious. That is why I'm giving almost all of my fudge sauce away as gifts.

If you are interested in the original Toblerone Fudge recipe, check here.

Jill's Accidental Toblerone Fudge Sauce:

Yields about 8 cups - Enough to fill 4 - 500ml canning jars

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
3 cups full fat evaporated milk (about 2 large cans)
600g Toblerone (That is one full and a one half of the 400g large holiday bars or 6 smaller 100 g bars)
6 squares bakers chocolate (semi-sweet or bitter-sweet)

1. Coarsely chop all chocolate and set aside.

2. Mix sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a sauce pan. While stirring constantly, slowly bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Let boil for five minutes will continuing to stir.

3. Remove sauce pan from heat. Pour chopped chocolate into sauce pan and stir until completely melted.

4. Let cool to room temperature. Sauce should be of a thick consistency and coat the back of a spoon, yet still pour easily. If sauce is too thick, stir in more condensed milk, 1/4 cup at a time. If sauce is too runny, more chocolate may need to be added.

5. Spoon or pour sauce into airtight jars. I used 500ml canning jars and boiled them after, per box instructions, to form a proper airtight seal.

6. Store jars in refrigerator.

Chocolate Sauce Uses:
- Heat a bit in the microwave and spoon over ice cream, cream puffs, pancakes and other desserts.
- Add to milk for rich and creamy chocolate milk
- Serve as is over ice cream

Prosciutto Wapped Roast Pork Tenderloin & Red Wine Gravy

I'm between night shifts tonight so I am in need of something quick. Believe it or not, roast pork tenderloin is almost as fast as boiling pasta. Almost. Contrary to some recipe instructions, a 1 pound piece of tenderloin does not need to cook for 45 minutes. It doesn't even need to cook for 30 minutes. After searing, this little gem only takes 10 minutes in a high oven for medium and 14 minutes for medium-well. Also contrary to what you may have been taught, pork can be a little pink. It's actually better when a little pink. Serve with some simple red wine gravy and you're good to go! If you want it to be even quicker and easier, leave out the prosciutto and just let the pork & simple seasonings shine!

Serves 2

1 lb pork tenderloin
3-4 pieces prosciutto
tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper (omit salt if using prosciutto)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp vegetable seasoning blend

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix seasonings together in a small bowl and rub onto tenderloin.

3. Wrap tenderloin in prosciutto (if using).

4. Place in a large, pre-heated skillet and quickly sear all sides (medium-high heat) so that prosciutto is browned and semi-crisp.

5. If your skillet is oven-safe, place directly into pre-heated oven, uncovered. If not, move tenderloin to a baking sheet or baking pan and place in oven.

6. Cook uncovered for 10-14 minutes (10 mins for medium, 14 mins for medium well).

7. Remove from oven and tent baking pan with foil. Let tenderloin rest for 10 minutes before cutting.



Simple & Quick Red Wine Gravy:

1/2 cup red wine
1 cup water or beef broth
1 package dry brown gravy mix or au jus mix
1 tsp corn starch mixed in 1/3 cup water (if using au jus mix)

1. Add everything to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

2. Stir continuously until thickened.

Notes:

I served my pork with Red Wine Sauteed Spinach & Mushrooms, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus and Broccoli and Red Roasted Potatoes. To drink? Whatever wine was used for cooking, or Pinot Noir pairs nicely with pork. A huge, delicious, satisfying meal.

Huevos Rancheros with Cooked Salsa

A weekday morning off work means a big breakfast. In my fridge I found three eggs, one flour tortilla, shredded Tex-Mex cheese and some left over homemade salsa. Perfect ingredients for a quick, simple Huevos Racheros.

Huevos Racheros means country-style eggs in Spanish and is a traditional breakfast dish in Mexico. Typically Huevos is made with lightly fried corn tortillas topped with fried eggs and cooked salsa. Some versions include a layer of refried beans or avocado. I add cheese to mine, just because. If you don't have time to make your own salsa, canned salsa works just as well!

Serves 2-4

Cooked Salsa:
splash olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilies (or two green chili peppers, seeded and diced)
1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper, diced (optional)
pinch sucanat
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp chili powder
handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (reserved)
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a saute pan. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and stir.

2. Add tomatoes, chili pepper and bell pepper. Add all seasonings. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Huevos:

4 small flour or corn tortillas
4 eggs
splash of olive oil plus olive oil cooking spray
1 cup prepared salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar, jack or Tex Mex cheese blend
1 can refried beans (optional)
1 avocado, peeled, cored, sliced (optional)
fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat olive oil in non-stick saute pan. Add tortillas to pan and heat for a minute on each side. Arrange tortillas on serving plates.

3. Spray the same pan with olive oil cooking spray. Crack eggs into the pan (sunny side up style). Cook until desired yolk "done-ness" is reached (about 4 minutes for runny yolks). After two minutes of cooking, I covered my pan with a lid and cooked the eggs for another 4 minutes for semi-firm yolks.

4. If using refried beans, spread a thin layer of beans on each tortilla.

5. Remove eggs from pan and place one egg on each tortilla. Top with some cooked salsa and shredded cheese.

6. Slide plates into the oven and bake for a few minutes to melt cheese. Remove from oven and garnish with sliced avocado and chopped cilantro.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

I watched an episode of David Rocco's Dolce Vita the other day where he made five different kinds of meatballs. The beef meatballs were made with ricotta cheese and sun dried tomatoes and braised in a smooth and silky tomato sauce. I decided it was a "must try" dish so on tonight's menu: simple spaghetti and meatballs a la David Rocco, served with Terra Breads Italian Cheese Bread.

Meatballs:

1lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 egg
1 cup parmigiana cheese, freshly grated
1 glove garlic, minced
handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Use you hands to get all the ingredients blended and evenly distributed.

2. Shape meat into small balls, about the size of a golf ball, then pat down to form an oval. This will allow for even cooking.

3. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add meatballs to pan and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. We're just looking for a quick sear to brown the meat, not to cook the meat.

4. Remove meatballs from pan and set aside until ready to use.

Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste

1. Using the same pot that was used to cook the meatballs, add a bit more oil and heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium.

2. Add partially cooked meatballs to the pot and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. Serve sauce and meatballs over cooked spaghetti noodles. Top with more shredded parmigiana cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

Tip:

Save a small amount of the uncooked meatball mix for soup! I used about 3/4 of the mix to make meatballs for this recipe and with the reserved 1/4 mix, I rolled small meatballs (large gumball size) and baked them in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. When cooled, I placed in a seal-able container and refrigerated until I was ready to make my soup.

Quick Pasta Dinner

It's my first day off and I'm coming off a night shift. I have no groceries and no desire to cook. This is always my dinner dilemma day. I considered take out, ice cream and skipping dinner altogether but none of those options were very appetizing. Enter the Quick Pasta Dinner. Made from ingredients most everyone would have on hand, even when the fridge is bare. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and could be made in one pot, instead of the two that I use. Pair with a crisp, cold white and you're in fast food heaven - REAL fast food, that is!

Olive Oil, Garlic & Parmesan Pasta:

Serves 2

Pasta of your choice (spaghetti, linguine, penne etc.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed chilies
1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated (or more if you like it cheesy!)
1/4 cup pine nuts
large handful fresh parsley, chopped (freeze dried or dried works too)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper and salt to taste.

1. Cook pasta per package directions and drain.

2. While pasta is cooking, mince garlic and chop parsley. Toast pine nuts for a minute or two in a dry saute pan over medium low heat, just until the nuts start to brown. Remove nuts from pan and set aside.

3. Heat oil in saute pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed chilies. Saute for 2 minutes.

4. Add drained pasta to the saute pan and stir together with garlic and chilies. Add pine nuts. Saute for another couple minutes.

5. Remove pan from heat. Add Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. If needed, add generous a drizzle of olive oil.

6. Stir together. Spoon into bowls and top with another sprinkle of fresh parsley and more crushed chilies.

Beef & Bean Enchiladas

Tonight's recipe falls into the category of things that taste good but photograph poorly (as Marianne says). The inspiration comes from my need to clean out my pantry, fridge and freezer. My cupboards are overflowing and it's time I use up what I have before I go on another grocery shopping trip. I will be honest and tell you I am using ground pork in my enchiladas because I don't have ground beef but it works just the same. The seasoning comes from the same Mexican Seasoning I posted in my Spicy Black Bean Tortilla Soup recipe.

Beef & Bean Enchiladas:

1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 can diced green chilis
1 lb lean ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
1 tbsp Mexican Seas1oning, or more to tastes (see below)
1 can refried beans
1 small can sliced black olives
1 pkg small corn tortillas
2-3 cups prepared Enchilada Sauce (see below)
cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream, for garnish
diced green onion & fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a large glass baking dish.

2. Heat oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Add onion and chilies and saute for a few minutes until onions are translucent.

3. Mix Mexican Seasoning with a 1/4 cup of water.

4. Add ground meat to pan and break apart with spatula. Pour seasoning over top. Mix well and cook until meat is browned. Drain fat, if necessary.

5. Remove mixture from pan and place in a medium mixing bowl. Once cooled slightly, add refried beans and sliced olives and mix well.

6. Wrap a damp paper towel around tortillas and microwave for 1 minute until pliable.

7. Pour some enchilada sauce in the bottom of the glass baking pan and spread to coat.

8. Fill each tortilla with 2-3 large spoonfuls of meat and bean mixture. Roll into burritos and place seam side down into the baking pan. Continue doing this until the pan is filled. A large pan should fit 8-10 enchilada rolls.

9. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over top of the enchilada rolls, ensuring to coat the rolls well.

10. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheddar cheese and more diced green chilies and sliced olives, if desired.

11. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes then remove foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.

12. Spoon enchiladas onto plates and top with sour cream, green onions and cilantro.

Enchilada Sauce:

3 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp oregano
3 cups water
1 cup tomato sauce (8oz can)

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Stirring constantly, slowly add enough water to make a thin paste. Pour into sauce pan and add the rest of the water.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

4. Stir in tomato sauce. It is now ready to use!

5. If you want the sauce less spicy, use less chili sauce and more tomato sauce.

Mexican Seasoning:

2 tbsp oregano
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
pinch ground cloves
pinch ground cinnamon

1. Mix all in a container with a tight fitting lid. Use as needed.

Pico De Gallo

Pico De Gallo is a fresh, uncooked Mexican salsa made with chopped vegetables. Unlike regular salsa, Pico De Gallo contains less liquid so it can be added to all sorts of dishes including scrambled eggs, guacamole and even ceviche. That's why it's perfect with the taco dish I'm going to be posting later - No juices running down your hands while you eat! It also makes a GREAT snack and is my favourite thing about Mexico.

Pico De Gallo:

Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups

- 6 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (How to Seed a Tomato)
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 whole jalapeno or green chili, seeded and diced (or 1/2 can diced green chilies)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp
- 1 pinch pepper
- juice of 1 lime (1 tbsp)

1. Add all diced veggies to a bowl.

2. Squeeze in the lime juice and season with salt & pepper.

3. Toss well. Adjust seasonings to taste.

You can also add minced garlic and/or a few dashes of hot sauce if you like more kick.

It gets better the longer the vegetables rest and mingle. Make it a few hours in advance for best results.

Chinese Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin Sauce

Another Asian recipe and another of my favourites! Lettuce wraps are a fun, do-it-yourself meal. They can easily work as a dinner entree for a few or an appetizer for a larger group. Lettuce wraps, like all stir fries, are very versatile. Use whatever meat and vegetables you have on hand. Get creative. You can also serve them "Mu Shu" style and use small flour tortillas along with (or instead of) lettuce leaves.

Chinese Lettuce Wraps:
1 head of lettuce (ice berg, butter, bib or even romaine)
1 tbsp sesame or peanut oil
1 lb ground chicken, turkey, beef or pork (I used pork today, at room temp of course.)
1 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cups pre-packaged broccoli slaw
1 can water chestnuts, drained & chopped
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup other assorted vegetables (chopped celery, snap peas, bean sprouts, bell peppers, yellow onion, green onion, sliced red cabbage - whatever you have)
1-2 Thai red chili peppers, sliced (optional)

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
1/4 cup gluten free oyster sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp sucanat
2 tsp minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic

1. Separate lettuce leaves, wash, pat dry and assemble on a serving platter. Set aside.

2. Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium heat. Brown meat in wok. When finished, pour meat into a fine mesh strainer and run under warm water. Drain well. Pour meat into a bowl and set aside.

3. While meat is browning, combine all stir fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

4. Return wok to stove top. Add ginger, garlic, mushrooms & onions (if using). Stir fry until onions start to soften. Add broccoli slaw and other vegetables. Continue to stir fry, about 8-10 minutes.

5. Add meat back to the wok along with the water chestnuts. Pour stir fry sauce over everything and stir well to coat the mixture. Stir fry for another 5-8 minute until vegetables are cooked and meat is heated through.

6. Remove wok from heat and pour mixture into a serving bowl.

7. To assemble lettuce wraps, spoon some stir fry mixture into your lettuce cup. Top with some homemade hoisin sauce. Fold the sides of the lettuce leaf over to form a wrap (like a burrito). Use more hoisin sauce for dipping. Eat and enjoy!

Hoisin Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp pepper
splash Sriracha (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and wisk until well blended.

2. Use as a topping or dip for your lettuce wraps.

Gwyneth's Turkey Ragu

Another recipe from Goop. The first time I made this was just before my sister gave birth to her first baby. I cooked up a big batch of ragu, packaged it up in zip lock containers and sent it to her house to freeze until it was needed.

This time around I tinkered with the ingredients a bit, adding extra veggies and herbs. My changes are marked with an asterisk (*).

Turkey Ragu

1 lb. ground turkey (at room temperature)*
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 medium or 1 large onion, diced
1 stalks celery, diced*
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4-6 white mushrooms, sliced*
2 15 oz. cans plum tomatoes
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 tsp herbes de provence or Italian herb blend* or 1 tsp oregano* and 1 tsp basil*
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil for sauteing


1. In a sauce pan over medium low heat, saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil. Cook until soft.

2. Add the red pepper flakes and fennel seeds (bash a bit with back of a spoon before adding). Add the mushrooms, basil and oregano.

3. While the veggies are cooking, brown the turkey in a skillet over medium heat. Add the herbes de provence or Italian herb blend.

4. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir well.

5. Add the tomatoes and stir well. If desired, blend the sauce using an immersion blender. I did this because I prefer the texture of a less chunky sauce. It's also a good trick if you have picky kids because the vegetables become "hidden".

6. When turkey is browned and cooked through, add it to the sauce. Mix well and bring to a boil.

7. Add the red wine, stir well then bring to a boil again.

8. Turn the heat down to low. Partially cover the sauce pan. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

9. Taste often and adjust your seasonings as needed.

10. Serve with pasta of your choice. I used a mix of whole wheat and brown rice penne.

Variations:

-Eliminate the turkey for a delicious vegetarian Arrabbiata sauce.
-Turn your ragu into a classic meat-lovers Bolognese Sauce by adding ground veal to your ground turkey.