Tag: onions

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

 

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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

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

Coconut Cashew Rice

Coconut Cashew rice

Coconut Cashew Rice

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Rice is my usual go to for those occasions when I don’t want potatoes but need a tasty side dish to compliment the main ingredient in the meal.

Now if you simply Google “rice recipes” you will come up with approximately 60 million results so naturally a little thought is required to narrow down the results and not send you racing to the loony bin.

With this particular rice dish the Coconut and Cashew gives the dish a very unique flavour and anything else you add is gravy.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 1 1/2  cups Coconut milk
  • 2 cups Chicken Stock
  • 3 tablespoon Canola Oil
  • 3/4 cup Cashew pieces
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 medium Spanish Onion – chopped
  • 1 medium Red Pepper – sliced
  • 1 medium Green Pepper – sliced
  • 3 Garlic cloves – chopped

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and saute the onion for 2 minutes.
  2. Add in the rice and stir until well coated.
  3. Stir in the Coconut milk, Chicken stock salt and garlic.
  4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. In the last five minutes add the peppers and cashews to the rice, re-cover and let sit off the heat.
  6. Fluff with a fork and serve.

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

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 

Beef and Lentil Stew

Beef and Lentil Stew

 

Beef and Lentil Stew

  • Servings: 6 - 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Cold season has hit my household and it looks like everyone, save yours truly, has caught one but it is entirely possible, if not probable, that I will sooner or later catch one. Until that time I will continue to look after my guys and so with that in mind I have made them some comfort food that will hopefully help them feel a little better.

Now I have “billed” this one as a stew however from what I can see the only difference between a soup and a stew is the thickness of the broth, except in the case of a Chowder which is thick anyways so if you wanted to make this a soup just thin out the broth.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds Sirloin Steak  Tails – cut into bite sized chunks
  • 3 Celery stalks- chopped
  • 2 Carrots – peeled and chopped
  • 1 Yellow Onion – diced
  • 3 small Leeks, whites only – chopped
  • 6 cups Beef broth
  • 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons Oregano
  • 4 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
  • 2 cups Lentils
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown in batches removing to a separate bowl.
  3. Add the onion and saute until translucent.
  4. Add back the beef and the remaining ingredients bringing to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes.
  5. Adjust the seasoning and enjoy.

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

Until next time…….

                            Bon Appetit

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich

Sausage and Pepper Sandwich

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Quick and easy lunches and dinners can sometimes be elusive simply because we don’t have that much time to think about it. This particular recipe comes in very handy for just those occasions as there are not that many ingredients and the time from start to finish is short.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 package of six Italian sausage
  • 6 slices Provolone cheese
  • 6 Panini buns
  • 2 medium Red Pepper – sliced
  • 2 medium Green pepper – sliced
  • 2 medium yellow Onions – sliced
  • 2 tablespoons dried  Oregano
  • 2 tablespoons dried Basil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large pot of water par boil the sausage until just firm.
  2. In a large saute pan saute the peppers and onions until just soft and add the herbs and salt and pepper
  3. Slice the peppers down the middle and flatten.
  4. Place the peppers in a large frying pan and top with some of the onion and pepper mix. Top with the Provolone and cover with a pot lid until the cheese has melted.
  5. While the cheese is melting lightly toast the panini buns.
  6. Place the sausage and peppers in the bun, slice on the bias and enjoy.

Cooks note:  Par boiling the sausage will make it easier to slice them down the middle and will stop them from falling apart.

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

Until next time……..

                           Bon Appetit

Ground Beef Stew With Mashed Potatoes

 

Ground Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes

Ground Beef Stew With Mashed Potatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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The idea for this dinner came from a conversation I had with my wife where we were reminiscing about the old days and the types of things we used to have for dinner. Now my wife, being born in Manchester England, had a lot of things that were typical in a British household…. Fish and Chips, Lamb Chops, Shepherds Pie just to name a few but there was one that stuck in my head and is the inspiration for this dish….. Ground Beef Gravy With Mashed Potatoes and it is something my late Mother-In-Law loved to make.

This recipe is my version of this old time favorite and I hope you enjoy it.

Cooks note: This is a budget friendly recipe. It fed 6 for less than $20.00.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 pounds Ground Beef
  • 3/4 cup Beef stock
  • 4 – 6 ounces Worcestershire sauce
  • 7 Yukon Gold Potatoes – peeled and cubed
  • 4 Garlic cloves – peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium White Onion – chopped
  • 1 26 ounce bag of frozen Mixed Vegetables
  • 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons Butter
  • 3/4 cups Milk
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large pot of salted water cook the potatoes until just fork tender.
  2. While the potatoes are cooking brown the ground beef in a large frying pan.
  3. When browned remove the ground beef, drain the grease and add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent.
  4. Add back the beef and mix in the vegetables, tomatoes, Worcestershire, beef stock and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for about 15 mins.
  5. Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter and milk.
  6. Plate the mashed potatoes and top with the stew.
  7. Enjoy.

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

Until next time………

                           Bon Appetit 

Jambalaya

Sausage and Shrimp Jambalaya

Jambalaya

  • Servings: 6 - 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
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It’s no secret that I have a bit of a love affair with Cajun/Creole cooking. I mean what’s not to love? The depths of seasoning, the seafood, different vegetable combinations and various meats used in this cuisine open up a whole world of possibilities. The only thing is—— What took me so long to post this recipe??

Now this particular Jambalaya is a marriage of the “King of  Bam” ( Emeril Lagasse) and mine with most of the credit going to Chef Emeril.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 6 cups Vegetable stock or Water
  • 1 28 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 3 cups Uncle Ben’s™ 5 Minute Rice
  • 1 bag 31 – 40 Shrimp – peeled, cleaned and tail off
  • 1 pound Andouille sausage – sliced on the diagonal and bite sized
  • 2 cups chopped Red Onion
  • 1 cup chopped Celery
  • 1 cup chopped Bell Pepper
  • 3 chopped Garlic cloves
  • 1 cup chopped Green Onions for garnish
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 3 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • 3 tablespoons Chipotle powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried Thyme
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Oregano
  • 2 tablespoons Seasoned Salt
  • Ground Black Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. In a large dutch oven heat the oil and brown the sausage in batches removing to a holding bowl.
  3. In the same pot add the onion, celery, peppers and seasonings mixing well. Cook for about 3 minutes
  4. Add the tomatoes, stock and sausage. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and put in the oven for about 35 minutes.
  5. Add the rice and shrimp and turn off the heat for another 5 minutes.
  6. Plate and garnish with the green onions if desired.
  7. Enjoy.

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

Until next time……….

                           Bon Appetit 

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

Pot Roast

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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I’m all about “simple but tasty recipes for the grilling season and beyond.” yet I don’t hesitate to think outside the box and tackle something that may seem “gourmet” and  “difficult” to make. Things like Osso Bucco with three mushroom Risotto or Crab Cakes with a Garlic Aioli or even create something that I think may be relatively new like my recent Pad Thai Meatballs. 

With that in mind this particular recipe falls under the “simple but tasty…..” category because it is essentially a one pot dinner that is not only filling but flavorful in its simplicity and can be considered a budget friendly dish as well since it can feed a number of people for a relatively low price.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • 3 pound Beef Pot Roast
  • 2 large Carrots – peeled and rough chopped
  • 1 large Yellow Onion – peeled and rough chopped
  • 2 Celery ribs – rough chopped
  • 4 Garlic cloves – peeled and smashed
  • 24 Baby potatoes
  • 1 20 ounce can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Red Wine
  • 3 cups Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 1/4 cup  Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons dried Rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried Thyme
  • 2 tablespoons Sea Salt
  • Cheesecloth
  • Butchers Twine

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Season the pot roast with salt and pepper and place in a large Dutch Oven.
  3. Arrange the vegetables around the roast and add all liquids.
  4. Using the cheesecloth make a Bouquet Garni with the dried herbs and tie with the butcher string. Place in the pot.
  5. Bring to a boil on the stove. Turn off the heat and place in the oven for 2  hours.
  6. Remove the roast to a cutting board to rest, the potatoes to a separate bowl and discard the bouquet garni.
  7. Pour the braising liquid and vegetables into a blender and blend until you have a smooth gravy. Pour the gravy into a small pot. For a rich gravy add a dollop of butter.
  8. Slice the roast, plate with the potatoes and pour on the gravy.
  9. Enjoy. 

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

Until next time…..

                         Bon Appetit