Tag: Flour

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Roughly two years ago I originally made this dessert and it turned out pretty good so today, since it is raining and miserable outside, I thought I would make it again exactly the way I did way back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

 

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 

Five Spice Fish

Fice Spice Fish

Five Spice Fish

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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The original recipe I found was under the title Hong Kong Fish and it intrigued me so much I had to look at it and from what I saw the main difference between our fish and Hong Kong Fish is the type of sauce it is served with. In Hong Kong it is usually served with a Tomato Sauce, Corn Sauce or Black Pepper Sauce but since I didn’t feel like making a sauce I simply left that part out.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 4 Basa filets
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1/2 cup Cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons Chinese Five Spice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Pepper
  • 2 large Eggs 
  • 2 teaspoons Water
  • Green Onion for garnish.
  • Canola oil for frying 

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oil in a large pan.
  2. In a non reactive bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.
  3. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs and water.
  4. Dredge the filets in the egg mixture and then in the flour mix.
  5. Fry the filets in the oil until golden brown.
  6. Remove to papers towels to drain. and garnish with green onion
  7. Enjoy.

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

Schnitzel on a Bun

 

 

 

Schnitzel on a Bun ii

Schnitzel on a Bun

  • Servings: 10 - 12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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This is a very classic and iconic German dish that goes by many names and is present in many cuisines around the world…. Weiner Schnitzel in Vienna, Jagerschnitzel (hunters schnitzel) in Germany and Chuleta in Colombia. 

Schnitzel is made by pounding meat thin, putting it through a breading station and then frying it until crispy. It is traditionally served with a lemon wedge and either potato salad,  boiled potatoes with parsley and butter or, as is the case in Germany, Spatzle. Here in North America it is not uncommon to find it served on a bun with tomatoes and Sauerkraut alongside french fries but since I can’t stand Sauerkraut I used Coleslaw instead

However you choose to do it this is one awesome dish that is sure to please.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 half Pork Loin (about 4 pounds), trimmed of fat and sliced into 1/2 inch thick cutlets.
  • 1 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 1/2 – 2/3 cups Flour
  • 3 Eggs plus 3 tbsp Water
  • 3 Lemons – quartered
  • 10 – 12 Lettuce leaves
  • 2 large Tomatoes
  • 3 tsp Granulated Garlic
  • 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 10 – 12 Crusty rolls
  • Canola Oil for frying
  • German Mustard or a Grainy Mustard (optional)

Putting it all together:

  1. Place the cutlets between two pieces of wax paper and, using a meat mallet, pound until 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Using three shallow pans set up your dredging station by placing the flour in one, breadcrumbs in the second and the egg and water in the third.
  3. Season the flour with salt, pepper and garlic.
  4. Mix the egg and water until well blended.
  5. Mix the Breadcrumbs and Parmesan until well incorporated.
  6. Heat about a half inch of oil in a large pan
  7. Taking the pork dredge in the flour, dip in the egg and cover with breadcrumbs shaking off the excess.
  8. Shallow fry the pork until golden brown on both sides and set on paper towels to drain.
  9. Toast the inside of the crusty roll and build the sandwich by placing lettuce on the bottom topped with the schnitzel and tomato.
  10. Spread mustard on the top bun and plate.

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

Until next time……….

                           Bon Appetit

Chicken Pot Pie topped with Mashed Potatoes

Chicken Pot Pie topped with Mashed Potatoes

Chicken Pot Pie topped with Mashed Potatoes

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Chicken Pot Pie is one of those classic comfort foods that if done right is guaranteed to be a real crowd pleaser. This one is a wee bit different because I didn’t have a lot of time to muck around with a pastry crust for the top so I did the next best thing ( at least to me) and that is I topped it with Mashed Potatoes.

The “short cut” that makes this recipe a real time saver is that I used an already cooked BBQ’d chicken from a local source so all I had to do was to break up the chicken and add it to the broth and veggies, top with the mashed potatoes and finish it in the oven. As an addition I sprinkled shredded Parmesan on top for added flavour before it went back in the oven.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 cooked BBQ Chicken (about 3 pounds) – skinned and shredded
  • 1/2 large Red Onion – diced
  • 4 Garlic cloves – chopped
  • 6 Yukon Gold potatoes – peeled and quartered
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen Mixed Vegetables
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 4 tablespoons Chicken Dry Rub (see Dry Rubs and Marinades)
  • 3 cups Vegetable Stock
  • 3/4 cup Milk
  • Shredded Parmesan for topping

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°
  2. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until just fork tender
  3. In a separate pot melt the 1/2 cup of butter, add the onions and garlic and saute for about 3 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the flour until a Roux is formed. Stir in the vegetable stock, the chicken dry rub and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken and vegetables and stir until mixed well.
  6. Mash the potatoes with the remaining butter and milk.
  7. Ladle the chicken mixture into individual Ramekins or bowls, top with the mashed potatoes and Parmesan and place in the oven for 3 minutes.

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

Until next time…….

                          Bon Appetit

 

Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Tasty Thursdays around the old homestead have kind of warped into “Pick a country and do one dish from that country”. How we got to the point of Hungarian Goulash is a bit of an inside joke however it works for tonight as I have, and I hate to admit it, never made this classic Hungarian dish before and because I haven’t I Googled it and decided to use this recipe which comes from Taste of Home Magazine with a very slight adaption from yours truly.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 1/2 pounds Stew Beef – cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 cups Beef stock
  • 1 cup Sour Cream
  • 3 tbsp Canola Oil
  • 2 pounds Pappardelle noodles
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Flour
  • 1 10 ounce can Aylmers Original Accent tomatoes
  • 1 large White Onion – peeled, cut in half and sliced
  • 1 medium Yellow Pepper – rough diced
  • 1 medium Red Pepper – rough diced
  • 4 Garlic cloves – chopped
  • 6 tbsp Paprika
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • Fresh Parsley – chopped for garnish
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees.
  2. Toss the stew beef in the 1/4 cup of flour shaking off any excess.
  3. Heat the Canola oil in a medium sized stock pot and brown the stew beef in batches and set aside.
  4. To the stock pot add the butter, onions, garlic and peppers and saute for about 4 minutes. Remove the onion and pepper mix and deg-laze the pot with some of the Beef stock making sure to scrape up the Sucs (the little brown bits on the bottom of the pot).
  5. Add back the onions, peppers and beef mixing well. Add the remaining beef stock and the Aylmer tomatoes stirring well.
  6. Mix in the remaining flour and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and place in the oven for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender.
  7. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions
  8. Add the sour cream to the Goulash and heat through.
  9. Drain the noodles, plate and top with the Goulash.
  10. Garnish with Parsley

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

Until next time……..

                           Bon Appetit 

Crispy Top Cumberland Pie

Crispy top Cumberland Pie

Crispy Top Cumberland Pie

  • Servings: 5
  • Difficulty: Easy
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My grandson had decreed at some point that Tuesdays would be known as “Taco Tuesdays” as he loves his Tacos and ever since Old El Paso™ introduced Taco Bowls he loves them even more however for me (don’t get out the noose) having Tacos every week is a bit tiresome and boring so my lovely and brilliant wife suggested Tasty Tuesdays as an alternative. So in honour of her suggestion and as a nod to her country of birth, England, we are doing a Crispy Top Cumberland Pie.

Cooks note:  This is a great make ahead dish and will last for 2 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 2 pounds Stew Beef – cubed
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 2 small Yellow Onions – chopped
  • 2 large Carrots – chunky sliced
  • 1 Leek, white part only – chopped
  • 2 tablespoons Canola oil
  • 5 Bay leaves
  • 2 Thyme sprigs
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 tablespoons All Purpose flour, Worcestershire, Tomato Puree
  • 2 tablespoons liquid Beef Base
  • 2 1/2 cups Beef broth
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 3/4 cup Shredded Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, Thyme and butter and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and liquid beef base.
  3. Add the beef stock stirring well then add the stew beef. Bring to a boil, cover and put in the oven for 2 /12 hours.
  4. While the meat is braising cook your potatoes until they are about 3/4’s done and then add them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
  5. When the meat is fork tender transfer it to a baking dish. Slice the potatoes into 1 cm (.039 inches) rounds and place on the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and the Shredded cheese and put back in the oven for about 20 mins or until the shredded cheese has melted and the gravy is bubbling.
  7. Enjoy

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

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joe’s

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Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joe's

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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This is one of those super easy recipes that is sure to please anyone in your household and because it is so versatile you can add or delete anything you like.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 pound ground Beef
  • 1 pound ground Pork
  • 1 medium Red Pepper – diced
  • 1 medium Yellow Pepper – diced
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion – diced
  • 4 small Garlic cloves – finely diced
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons liquid Beef Base
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup Beef stock
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 3 tablespoons All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh Ground Pepper
  • 6 slices Provolone
  • 6 soft Kaisers

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large fry pan brown the ground meat and remove to a bowl reserving the “meat juice”.
  2. To the pan add the onion, peppers and garlic and cook in the “meat juice” until just tender. About 5 minutes.
  3. Add in the butter and when melted add the flour and cook for about another 5 minutes.
  4. Whisk in the beef base and Worcestershire sauce and then add the ground meat back into the pan stirring well to incorporate.
  5. Add the ketchup and beef broth and simmer until the sauce thickens.
  6. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  7. Serve over toasted Kaisers and top with the Provolone
  8. Enjoy.

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

Until next time……..

                          Bon Appetit