Tag: eggs

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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Epic Oooooppppsssss

Chocolate Butterscotch Brownies

Epic Oooopppsss

This post is designed to illustrate why I don’t bake that often if ever……..

Roughly two years ago I originally made this dessert and it turned out pretty good so today, since it is raining and miserable outside, I thought I would make it again exactly the way I did way back when.

As you can see it is a disaster…… But, never fear since as they say “when one door closes another opens” and so it is on to plan “B”.

Plan “B” is in this case is to let them harden and then use pieces to create Chocolate Butterscotch Brownie Sundaes using Vanilla Ice Cream and Vanilla Frozen Yogurt. Will see how that idea turns out.

Until next time……..

                                  Bon Appetit

 

Hash

 

Breakfast hash

Hash

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Was out of town visiting friends for the weekend when the Canadian weather decided it was going to dump a surprise on us….. Freezing Rain. Now for those of you who are not familiar with this phenomenon it simply means that the rain freezes on the ground and turns everything into a skating rink thereby making travel of any kind rather treacherous but it also means that if you have not made it to the grocery store you could be limited to meal ideas and since hash is simply a base of potatoes and onions together with whatever else you want to add it is a quick and easy solution to breakfast or dinner.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 Yukon Gold potatoes – diced
  • 1 small Yellow Onion – diced
  • 1 small Yellow Pepper – diced
  • 1 small Red Pepper – Diced
  • 4 large Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
  • Fresh ground Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • Parsley for garnish

Putting it all together: 

  1. In a medium pot of water par boil the potatoes until just fork tender, about 10 mins. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a fry pan and add the onions and peppers and cook for 3 mins. Add the potatoes and mix well.
  3. Add in the seasonings and Worcestershire and cook for about 5 mins more turning it over once.
  4. Top with the over easy eggs, garnish with the parsley and enjoy.

Cooks note: There is an old line cooks trick for making over easy eggs. Once the eggs have been cracked in the pan or on the flat top cover them with a pot lid until cooked.

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

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit 

French Toast

French Toast

French Toast

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I’m not much of a morning person and so when it comes to breakfast for me it’s usually just toast or a quick fried egg sandwich however for the rest of my family I do things differently.

This particular breakfast was for my wife and I thought I would surprise her with something she has not had in a while….. French Toast.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 slices of White bread
  • 4 large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large bowl mix together the eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
  2. Soak each piece of bread, one at a time, in the egg mix and fry until brown turning once.
  3. Top with berries and powdered sugar.

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

Until next time……

                          Bon Appetit

 

 

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Chocolate Cherry Cake

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Was going through my dry goods cupboard making a grocery list and came across a tin of Cherry Pie Filling that I forgot I had and figured no time but the present to make something with it.

Now since I am not that proficient at making pie crusts I decided I would use it in a cake and what better combination  than Chocolate and Cherries?

I present to you my Chocolate and Cherries Cake.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 cup All Purpose flour – sifted
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Canola Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 18 ounce can Cherry Pie filling
  • 9×13 Cake pan

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. In a large non reactive bowl mix together all the dry ingredients and set aside.
  3. In another large non reactive bowl mix together the remaining ingredients except the cherry pie filling.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and, using a rubber spatula, mix the ingredients together until smooth. Add the cherry pie filling and mix until a batter forms.
  5. Spray the cake pan with a vegetable oil spray and dust with flour.
  6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth.
  7. Place in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

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

Until next time…..

                           Bon Appetit

Mini Banana Bread Loaves

Banana Bread loaves IV

Mini Banana Bread Loaves

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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In my ever continuing quest to become a baker I have decided to practice with very easy baking formulas and ones that I have had some success with before therefore I have chosen this one as it is super easy and even I can’t mess it up….. well I can but not this time.

I decided to use my mini loaf pan for this as the results are the perfect after school snack size and they can go in my grandsons lunch for school.

Cooks note: I have referred to this as a “formula” because I was taught in culinary school that Baker’s use formulas and Cooks/Chefs use recipes and it kind of stuck in my mind. 

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 cups smashed overripe Bananas
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 3/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • Pam® Olive Oil spray

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl mix together the bananas, eggs and the remaining wet ingredients.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
  5. Spray the loaf pan with the Pam and pour the batter into each loaf slot.
  6. Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaves comes out clean.
  7. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

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

Until next time………

                             Bon Appetit

Chocolate Butterscotch Brownies

Brownies

Chocolate Butterscotch Brownies

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I don’t bake all that often mainly because I don’t think I am very good at it but secondly because baking really is an exact science. Unlike cooking where you can get away with not using exact measurements baking requires precise measurements otherwise the finished product will not turn out and most times I just don’t have the patience.

What then lead to my decision to make brownies? My wife’s best friend of 60 years was by for a visit and since she does not bake and does not really cook I decided to offer up a treat.

This particular recipe is an adaptation from the baking queen, Anna Olson, so I hope I do it justice.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  •  10 oz (300 g) Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
  • ⅔ cup (150 mL) unsalted Butter
  • ¾ cup (175 mL) Sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) Vanilla extract
  • 3 large Eggs
  • ½ cup (125 mL) All-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) Salt
  • 3 oz (90 g) Butterscotch chips
  • 1/4 cup chopped Peanuts

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C) and grease and line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl resting over a pot of barely simmering water, melt chocolate and butter, stirring gently. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla.
  3. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour and salt. Fold in the chopped peanuts and butterscotch chips.
  4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the brownies comes out clean. Cool before slicing.

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

Until next time………

                           Bon Appetit

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

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Apple Pie Bread Pudding

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
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“The greatest dishes are very simple.” 

Auguste Escoffier, the “Emperor of Chefs”

When I was in culinary school I was terrified of my Chef Instructor putting me in Bakeshop with a specific item to bake and giving me a set time it had to be ready by mainly because baking was not at the top of my “interest list” and I didn’t want to screw things up thereby throwing a wrench into the Lunch Menu.

As I have now become completely retired both from my regular job and restaurant kitchens I can take the time to practice baking and by using my family as Guinea Pigs I don’t have to worry about ruining someone’s business…….. just my families stomachs.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 19 ounce can of Apple Pie filling
  • 6 1/2 cups of Raisin Bread – cubed
  • 3 Eggs – whisked
  • 2 cups Half and Half
  • 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla
  • A 9 x 13 Baking pan

Putting it all together:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 350°
  2. Cube the Raisin bread and place in a large bowl.
  3. In a second large bowl mix together the remaining ingredients and allow to sit at room temperature for about ten minutes
  4. Combine the wet ingredients with the cubed bread and mix until well incorporated being careful not to break up the bread.
  5. Grease the baking pan or spray with a non stick cooking spray, pour in the bread pudding mixture making sure it is evenly distributed and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

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

Until next time………

                           Bon Appetit

Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

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Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?

Anthony Bourdain

While breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day it can also be the most challenging one to make. I mean how many times can you have bacon and eggs or pancakes with bacon or French toast with bacon before you get tired of it and want something completely different?—- okay let’s be serious…. NO ONE ever gets tired of bacon but you get my drift.

This was the conundrum I found myself in this morning and as I remembered reading about this kind of dish recently I set out to make it and of course put my own spin on it.

These are also great to freeze and use on days when you are in a hurry because you can just heat and run.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 cups diced Ham
  • 1 medium white Onion – diced
  • 1 cup chopped Asparagus spears
  • 1 8 ounce can Corn kernals – drained
  • 1 8 ounce can Black beans – drained and rinsed
  • 10 large Eggs 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Chipotle powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dried Parsley
  • Salsa – (optional)
  • 1 9 x 12 x 1/12 Mini loaf pan

Putting it all together:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°. While the oven is heating mix the eggs in a 4 cup measuring cup and set aside.
  2. In a large non reactive bowl mix all the remaining ingredients.
  3. Spray the loaf pan with a non stick spray, spoon the ham and veggie mix equally into the mini loaf pan.
  4. Pour enough eggs into each slot to just cover the mix and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve with salsa if using.

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

Until next time………..

                            Bon Appetit

 

Applesauce and pumpkin loaf

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Applesauce and pumpkin loaf

  • Servings: 1 9x3 Loaf
  • Difficulty: easy
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As a general rule I don’t do a lot of baking even with a six year old in the house who likes cookies, muffins and cake so when I get the urge to bake it’s quite the surprise to all in the house… especially me. This recipe, then, is from one of those urge moments and with the help of an electric mixer the “prep” time is a breeze.

The baking time on this one is a little longer due to the loaf pan being used however if you wish to use a regular 9×13 cake pan the time will be reduced.

Here is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 1⁄2 cups All purpose flour
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Pumpkin spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cloves
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 2 Eggs

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Put all the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low for about two minutes
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low for about three minutes then on medium until all ingredients are well blended
  4. Pour the batter into a greased loaf or cake pan
  5. Bake for approximately 90 minutes if using a loaf pan, 60-65 minutes for a cake pan or until a toothpick comes out clean

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

Until the next time……..

                           Bon Appetit