Category: Lunch

Salisbury Steak

Salisbury Steak II

Salisbury Steak

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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When I here the words “Salisbury Steak” my mind immediately goes back to the days  of Glass and Steel Diners where burly truck drivers would chow down on the Blue Plate Special, often times Salisbury Steak, followed by a dessert of Antacids.

Thankfully things have changed and diner food has been elevated to a much higher level including Salisbury Steak.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

For the steak…….

  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
  • 2 teaspoons Granulated Onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Pepper

For the gravy……

  • 1 medium Sweet Onion – sliced
  • 1/2 cup Butter
  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 3 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 tablespoons Granulated Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the steak, form into oval shaped patties about 1/4 inch thick and put in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to set up.
  2. In a large fry pan heat the oil and place the patties in but do not crowd them.
  3. Cook the  patties for five minutes per side, or until the internal temp hits 160° and when done remove to a plate and tent with tin foil to keep warm.
  4. In the same pan the patties were in melt the butter and add the flour. Stir well to make a Roux. Add the onions and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the vegetable broth, garlic, salt and pepper and mix well. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
  6. Plate with your favourite side, cover with gravy and enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit

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Surf N Turf Snack

Surf N Turf Snack

Surf N Turf Snack

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Afternoon snacks around our house while working in the garden are Simple but Tasty and this particular one is a real crowd pleaser.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 12 31 – 40 Peeled Deveined Shrimp
  • 1 pound Top Sirloin Steak Tails – cut into bite sized pieced
  • 1/4 cup Soya Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
  • 4 tablespoons Garlic Hoisin sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar
  • 1 small bunch Scallions – chopped for garnish
  • 6 Bamboo skewers

Putting it all together:

  1. In a non reactive bowl combine the Soya, Hoisin and sugar and mix well.
  2. Place the steak in a large zip lock bag, add the soya mixture and place in the fridge for 1 hour.
  3. Soak the skewers in cold water for 45 minutes so they will not burn on the grill.
  4. Preheat your grill to 375°.
  5. Thread the steak onto the skewers.
  6. Grill the skewers for 10 minutes per side
  7. Pull the skewers off the grill and tent with tinfoil
  8. Melt the garlic and butter in a large saute pan at medium high heat
  9. Add the shrimp to the garlic butter and saute until all shrimp are pink…. about 8 minutes.
  10. Plate 3 skewers and 6 shrimp per person and garnish with the chopped green onion.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit

Cheddar Veggie Soup

Cheddar Veffie soup II

Cheddar Veggie Soup

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Chicken soup when you have a cold is just…. well….. gold. However when you don’t have chicken you do the next best thing and use what you have which in this case is veggies and cheddar cheese.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 cups Chicken stock
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 Tbsp Butter
  • 4 Tbsp Flour
  • 1 cup diced Potatoes
  • 1 cup Broccoli florets
  • 1 small Yellow Onion – chopped
  • 4 Celery ribs – chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots – chopped
  • 3 Garlic cloves – chopped
  • 1 Tbsp dried Oregano
  • 4 fresh Basil leaves
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • shredded Cheddar cheese for garnish

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil and butter is a large pot or Dutch.
  2. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well.
  4. Add in the chicken stock and remaining ingredients except the basil and cheese.
  5. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies have softened.
  6. Add the basil
  7. Use an immersion blender or blend in batches until smooth.
  8. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the cheese.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                          Bon Appetit

 

Shells with Sausage and Broccoli

Shells with Sausage and Broccoli

Shells with Sausage and Broccoli

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Pasta is one of those go to items when you really can’t decide what’s for dinner and since there are literally hundreds of variations you’ll never be stuck for a recipe.

I particularly like this one because my grandson inhaled it and wanted more for lunch at school the next day.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 1/4 cups Large Shells
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 6 Mild Italian Sausage – casing removed
  • 1 small yellow Onion – diced
  • 1 medium yellow Pepper – diced
  • 2 handfuls Spinach
  • 4 cups Broccoli florets
  • 3 1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp granulated Garlic
  • Salt to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onion and peppers with some salt until softened.
  2. Add the sausage and cook until broken up and brown then add the Broccoli and Garlic.
  3. Pour in half the Chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta shells and cook until the pasta is cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed.
  4. Mix in the spinach and cook until wilted.
  5. Place in bowls and dust with the Parmesan.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                                  Bon Appetit

Southwest Black Bean Burger

spicy black bean burger

Southwest Black Bean Burger

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I am in no way a Vegetarian and don’t do vegetarian dishes all that often…. maybe one or two a year, however this is a recipe I have wanted to try for some time.

Now the last time I had a Black Bean Burger it was in a local restaurant and it was just awful…… it took me hours to get the taste of Cumin out of my mouth. I mean there was so much of it in the burger that  I could not taste anything else and it was horrid.

So now here is my interpretation of a black bean burger.

Cook’s note: The Ancho chili powder makes this one a little bit spicy so feel free to adjust the amount.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 medium Green Pepper rough chopped
  • 1 Sweet Onion rough chopped
  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 2 15 ounce cans of Black Beans – rinsed and set aside in separate bowls
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Seasoned Salt
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Coriander
  • 2 Teaspoons Granulated Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder

Putting it all together:

  1. Place all ingredients except one bowl of black beans in a food processor.
  2. Pulse the ingredients until a paste has formed.
  3. Place the paste in a large mixing bowl and add the remaining beans and the breadcrumbs. Mix well.
  4. Cover and place in the fridge for 40 minutes.
  5. Remove from fridge and form into 5 ounce patties.
  6. Pan fry or grill for 8 mins. per side.
  7. Enjoy

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                                  Bon Appetit

Rigatoni Bake

Rigatoni Bake

Rigatoni Bake

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Dinner just got a whole lot easier with this “two” pot recipe that your family is sure to love.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 1 package Rigatoni
  • 2 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 1 14 ounce can plain Tomato Sauce
  • 3 teaspoons Capers
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion – diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh Oregano
  • 4 Garlic Cloves – finely chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Cheese
  • 2 Green Onions – chopped
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan and brown the ground beef. Drain any grease.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients except the Rigatoni, bring to a boil, cover reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
  3. While the Bolognese is simmering heat your oven to 425° and bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
  4. Cook the Rigatoni according to the package instructions.
  5. Drain the pasta and mix it with the bolognese, pour into a casserole dish, sprinkle on the cheese and green onions.
  6. Bake until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                            Bon Appetit 

Texas Chili Stuffed Shells

Texas Chili Stuffred Shells

Texas Chili Stuffed Shells

  • Servings: 6 - 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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As some of you may or may not know I am an Eclectic cook because I just love different  types of cuisines and the flavours they bring to the table so the whole idea of Fusion cooking is very intriguing because you can blend your favourite recipes, ingredients, countries into one cohesive dish and blow the minds of your dinner guests….. all without breaking a sweat.

This is my version of Fusion because I have combined a very classic Texas dish, Chili, with an even more classic Italian dish, Jumbo Pasta Shells.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 package Jumbo Shells
  • 2 pounds ground Beef
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Cheese
  • 3/4 cup chopped Green Onions
  • 1 large Sweet Onion – rough chopped
  • 2 Cubanelle peppers – diced
  • 2 Poblano peppers – diced
  • 4 Garlic cloves – fine chop
  • 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 3 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 2 tablespoons Chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons Chipotle powder
  • 2 tablespoons Ancho Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups Chicken stock
  • 3 cups Crushed Tomatoes
  • Salt and Pepper to taste 
  • Garnish with Sour Cream.

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large pot heat the oil and brown the ground beef. Drain off the grease.
  2. Add the  beef back to the pot, add the remaining ingredients, except the shells, stir well. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 mins to 1 hour.
  3. Cook the shells as per the box instructions.
  4. Drain the shells and let cool so they are easier to handle.
  5. While the shells are cooling heat the oven to 375°.
  6. Ladle a thin layer of chili on the bottom of an 11 x 15 casserole dish. Stuff the shells with a small amount of chili and fill the casserole dish with the stuffed shells. Top with shredded cheese and green onions and place in the oven until the cheese has melted. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
  7. Enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                            Bon Appetit

Potsticker Noodle Bowls

Potsticker Noodle Bowl

Potsticker Noodle Bowls

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Potstickers, Pierogies, Gyoza, or simply Dumplings all have one thing in common…… they are pieces of dough stuffed with very tasty fillings and then fried to perfection. Serve them with an awesome dipping sauce and you have a fantastic meal or even a simple appetizer and since my dough making skills are less than stellar I sought out a different way of bringing those awesome flavours together in a dish and so we have Potsticker Noodle Bowls.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 8 ounces Rice noodles
  • 2 tablespoons Canola oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground Pork
  • 2 Eggs
  • 14 ounce bag Coleslaw
  • 7 green Onions – rough chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soya sauce
  • 1/4 cup Chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons Rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sambal
  • 2 teaspoons Fish sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated Ginger
  • White pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions.
  2. In a non reactive bowl mix together the soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar, sambal, fish sauce, and ginger and set aside.
  3. In an other non reactive bowl whisk together the eggs and set aside.
  4. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet and add the pork and the white pepper and stir fry until cooked through.
  5. Add coleslaw and green onions and continue to cook until the coleslaw starts to wilt. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
  6. Make a well in the center of the wok or skillet, add eggs and scramble. Toss with the stir fry to combine.
  7. Drain the noodles and add to the wok stir frying for 1 minute.
  8. Add sauce and continue to stir fry until the noodles are tender.
  9. Plate and enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                            Bon Appetit

Mashed Potato Cakes

 

Mashed Potato Cakes ii

Mashed Potato Cakes

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Way back when I was first learning to cook I tossed a lot of leftovers because I didn’t know what to do with them but thankfully over the years I have evolved as a cook and now I come up with different and interesting ways of using leftovers.

This recipe is a very simple way of using leftover Mashed Potatoes and it can be used with so many different dishes including….. Breakfast. I mean really, what’s better than Toast, Eggs and a crispy Mashed Potato Cake to start your day?

Cooks note: When I make mashed potatoes I make them with pepper, granulated garlic, parsley, butter and milk (the cooking water already has salt in it) that way I don’t need to worry about seasoning the potato cakes when I make them. 

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 cups Mashed Potatoes
  • 1 bunch Scallions – chopped
  • 2 cups shredded Italian style cheese
  • All Purpose Flour for dredging
  • Vegetable oil for frying 

Putting it all together:

  1. In a non reactive bowl combine the first three ingredients.
  2. Form into patties.
  3. Dredge in the all purpose flour making sure to shake off the excess.
  4. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large fry pan.
  5. Fry the patties in batches until golden brown and remove to a paper towel to drain.
  6. You can serve as is or top with sour cream and chopped scallions.

There you have it another “Simple bust tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                           Bon Appetit 

Fish Sandwich

 

Fish sandwich

Fish Sandwich

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Fish is one of those versatile ingredients that is so under utilized in my house and it shouldn’t be simply because it not only tastes good but is good for you and there are endless ways to prepare it.

This recipe is great for a quick and easy lunch and when complimented by a nice salad it hits all the right notes.

Cooks note: I use Basa (Vietnamese Catfish) because it is a firm white flesh fish that holds up well to various applications and is inexpensive but feel free to use whatever fish you like.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 Basa filets
  • 2 Eggs
  • sliced Tomatoes
  • Mayonnaise
  • 1 cup All Purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 3 teaspoons Old Bay® seasoning
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground Pepper
  • 4 soft Kaiser rolls
  • Canola Oil for frying

Putting it all together:

  1. In a non reactive bowl mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper and Old Bay®.
  2. In a separate bowl mix the eggs together.
  3. Heat 2 inches of oil in a large deep pan.
  4. Dredge the fish in the flour, egg and flour and cook in the oil until golden brown on both sides.
  5. Remove the fish to drain on a paper towel.
  6. Split the kaisers and lightly toast the inside.
  7. Spread mayonnaise on the bottom bun topped with a tomato slice and the fish.
  8. Enjoy.

There you have it another “Simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                            Bon Appetit