Moroccan Beef Stew

We both loved this dish; brought back memories of Morocco; where everything tastes so good! Simple dish; easy to prepare.  Used a cheap cut of beef (inside round, 2 lbs for total cost of $6); stews in crock pot and voila dinner is done!  Perfect winter dish as it warms you up from the inside out! 

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

2 cups of diced onions

2 lbs of  beef chuck roast, cut into 2 inch cubes

1 - 15oz can of diced tomatoes

1 c beef broth

1 T honey

2 t ground cumin

2 t ground coriander

1 t ground ginger

1 t ground turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

back pepper to taste

1 cup pitted prunes, chopped

Directions:

Heat 1.5 T olive oil in a large frying pan and saute onions until golden brown, add garlic and cook for 1 min more.  Transfer to slow cooker.

Heat remaining oil and brown beef on all sides.  transfer to slow cooker.

Add the rest of the ingredients to slow cooker and stir well.

cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours.  Remove cinnamon and bay leaf before serving.

Makes 4 - 6 servings
serve with rice and pita bread.

Tomato Tart - Delish!

Smashed it!  Had to eat up 6 tomatoes and garden tomatoes are the best!  Just smelling them when just picked from the vine takes me to a heavenly place; if you love tomatoes must try this dish.  Had my doubts but kept plugging on; roasted tomatoes in oven for about 20 mins and they were a little soggy...but boy did this deliver - fight for the last piece!

Ingredients

6-7 field tomatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

1 roll of puff pastry, defrosted

2 containers of buffalo cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 egg, beaten

fresh basil leaves from the garden

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
slice tomatoes approximately 1/2 each each
place on baking pan
drizzle with olive oil
sprinkle salt and pepper
roast for 20 mins

In the interim,
roll out the pastry dough to rectangular shape (a little thinner than packaged)
place on baking pan
place tomatoes and cheese slices in alternating layers on the pastry
roll up edges to form a crust
brush edges with beaten egg wash
bake for 15 - 20 mins at 350 degrees
remove and top with fresh basil

Pavlova with fresh Ontario fruit

Why have I never made this before?  

Simple yet luscious dessert!

Celebrate summer using Ontario fresh berries and peaches

Light yet deceptively highly addictive dessert

Next time would use more fruit

maybe try to make individual servings:)

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1.24 cup of sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1 t fresh lemon juice

2 t cornstarch

1 cup of whipping cream

your choice of fresh fruit; I used

3 peaches

1/2 pint of strawberries

handful of blue berries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornstarch

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff

Gradually add in sugar (approx. 4 or 5 T at a time)

beating well between intervals

Beat until thick and glossy

Fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornstarch

Spoon mixture onto parchment paper

slowing making a pizza pie shape

about 1.5 in high

bake for 1 hour

cool on rack

In a small bowl; whip whipping cream until stiff peaks form

Gently remove meringue onto serving plate

Top/fill in the center of meringue with the whipped cream

Top with your fresh fruit of choice

and serve to your family and friends

promise will not disappoint

Beet & Goat Cheese Tart

Perfect Marriage; made in heaven!  Super easy to make!   

Best served with the company of good friends and bottle of your favourite wine 

3-4 medium sized beets

1 frozen pie shell

goat cheese - used 300 g package

1 T red wine vinegar

1.5 T honey

1 t thyme leaves - fresh

1 egg; beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

wash beets and trim ends, bundle in aluminium foil and bake for 1 hour

unwrap and let stand till cool enough to slice

Roll pie crust dough into 14 inch circle on parchment paper dusted with flour

spread cheese on over dough leaving a 2 inch border

arrange beet slices on cheese overlapping towards the centre to form tart

fold up edges over beats

drizzle with vinegar & honey mixture

sprinkle with thyme

brush pie crust with egg wash

Bake at 400 degrees until brown; about 30 mins

Let stand 

6 servings 

Served with simple salad greens!

Goat Cheese & Zucchini Tart

Heavenly! We are in the midst of a heat wave; record high temps; so who wants to spend time slaving over a hot stove?   Looks like a lot of work but really only 10 mins to prepare.

 

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 small zucchinis (depending on size)

olive oil

1 package of puffed pastry, thawed

1/2 c goat cheese, crumbled

2 t parmesan cheese

fresh thyme

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Slice zucchini into thin rounds
Saute slices (in batches) in 1 T of olive oil until golden brown on each side
set aside.

Roll puffed pastry and place in round 9 in tin coated with cooking spray
trim excess pastry off sides
spread goat cheese over bottom of tart
cover with zucchini slices
sprinkle with parmesan cheese
bake for 20 mins or until pastry brown and puffed
check mid way thru
do not be alarmed if puffs up in middle - simply slit with a knife and place back in oven

to serve:  garnish with fresh thyme

Oh so good!  served with various cold salads because really, our summers are so short so who wants to eat inside!

Slow Cooked BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Fall off the bone goodness!  

30 mins prep in the morning and cooked in crockpot while day tripping to Elora Gorge.  

Perfect ending to a fabulous day.  Served with corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.

Added bonus; Baby Back Beef ribs were on sale this week so this was under $10 meal!

Ingredients:

1 rack of baby back beef ribs (1-2 lbs)

Rib Spice Mixture:

1.5 T paprika

1.5 T brown sugar

2 t salt

2 t chili powder

2 t garlic powder

1 t dried chili peppers

1 t black pepper

1 t onion powder

1/2 t dried thyme

BBQ Sauce

2 c ketchup (no name)

1/2 c molasses

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c blackberry jam

1/3 c apple cider vinegar

1 T reserved spice mixture (above)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a small bowl combine spice ingredients.  Keep 1 T aside
Cut ribs into sections (6)
rinse ribs and pat dry; rub spices evenly over meat and place on parchment lined baking sheet
Bake for 30mins/15 mins per side

While ribs are in the oven;
combine BBQ sauce ingredients in a small pot and heat over low to medium heat for 15 mins stirring frequently.  Pour into measuring cup and pour half into dish and set aside (to serve with ribs at dinner time)

Spray your crockpot with non stick cooking spray
place 3 ribs in pot and cover with 1/2 of the remainder of sauce
repeat

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

To serve:
warm up reserved bbq sauce in microwave
place ribs on serving place and brush with some of the warmed up BBQ sauce
remainder in gravy boat to use as dipping sauce or gravy over mashed potatoes

Leftovers were great the next day!

Lamb loin chops roasted with veg, tomato and feta cheese

This dish brings me back to our visit to Greece.  Maybe its the roasted olives & feta cheese?  Regardless, its the perfect summer time meal!  Only takes minutes to assemble; pop in the oven and you are good to go! Have to admit I just gobble up the roasted veg and every time I make vow to add more!

Ingredients (estimation)

olive oil

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 c lemon juice

4-6 garlic cloves, crushed  (we love roasted garlic)

4-6 lamb loin chops

2 onions, quartered

1 red pepper, cut into chunks

2 zucchini, peeled, halved and sliced

salt & pepper

8 - 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup of olives

1/4 cup feta cheese, cut into chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine 2 T of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and lamb in a boil.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or all day.
3. Place onion, red pepper and zuchinni on a large baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and bake for 25 mins
4. Add the lamb, cherry tomatoes, olives and feta cheese and cook for another 20 mins; turning th lamb after 10 mins.

Serve with red wine and crusty bread!

Butternut Squash Soup

Love this and so easy to make!  Delivered some this week to hubby's dad who is in the hospital and he just lapped it up; and his mum who recovering at home loved it too!  So I have made another batch.  Freezes well and its always nice to be able to pull something out of the freezer this time of year; especially on a "snow day" when I just want to snuggle up on the couch with a good book or watch my favourite dvd!

Ingredients:
2 prepackaged containers of pre-cut butternut squash
or 1 butternut squashed, cubed (approx. 4 cups)
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 t curry powder
1 t paprika
2 - 3 large carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
6 c vegetable broth (no salt added)




Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Place squash in a large bowl.  sprinkle with spices and toss.  Add is a couple of glugs of olive oil.  Toss with hands and place on a baking tray.  Roast in oven from 25 - 30 mins.  (Note; if they get burnt do not fret; they add more to the taste)

Meanwhile, add 2 T of olive to a large pot on med heat.  Add garlic and vegetables and cook for approximate 10 mins stirring often.

Add squash and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat and simmer for 10 mins.

Pour mixture into a blender and puree.

Ready to serve or freeze for another day

Sausage, Chestnut & green olive stuffed Turkey Breast

Looks so elegant on the Christmas holiday dinner table and so easy to prepare. 

Ingredients

1 500 g package of Italian sausages

5 oz prosciutto, finely diced

2 pk of organic chestnuts about 1 cup because of course you are going to eat some yourself

1/2 c green olives, diced

2 t dried sage

salt & pepper to taste

3.5 turkey breast (after deboned/butterfly by butcher)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Remove sausages from casing and place into a bowl.
add the next remaining 5 ingredients and combine
place turkey breast on its back and flatten with meat mallet
spread sausage stuffing mixture on top
Roll turkey around the stuffing mixture and secure with kitchen twine
place in roasting pan, uncovered and roast for 1 hour (12-15 mins per pound)
Let rest before slicing and serving
Enjoy!

Apple & Cranberry Chutney

Will never serve cranberry sauce again!   A hit at our holiday dinner table.  This was so yummy; not only with stuffed turkey breast but we ate remaining next day on crackers... it was nicer than most jams!

Ingredients:

1 bag of McIntosh cooking apples (approx. 2lbs)

2 Fiji apples

1/4 c chopped ginger

1 t peppercorns

2 c sliced onion (I used 1 large white onion and 1 med yellow onion)

2 c sugar

1 cider vinegar

2 c frozen cranberries

Directions:
Place all the ingredients except the cranberries in a large saucepan.
Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered stirring regularly until the apples and onions are tender and mixture thickened and no watery juice remains.  (took me about 90 mins)
Add cranberries and then cook for another 10 mins until berries are heated and softened (but not burst)
Spoon hot chutney into sterilized jars and seal. 
Will keep up to 6 months.  Refrigerate once opened.

Mushroom & Bacon stuffed Pork Tenderloin

This dish never fails to disappoint; easy to prepare, feeds 6 and less than $10 to prepare! 
I always pick up pork tender loin when on sale for $3.99 lb.
Served over a bed of "spinach with a twist"

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lb pork tenderloin

4 slices of bacon, chopped

8 oz package of pre-sliced button mushrooms

salt & pepper to taste

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T breadcrumbs

olive oil

Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp.  When able, chop into small pieces.
Meanwhile, add mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft; add the garlic and cook 1 min more.
Remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs; set aside.
Butterfly the pork tenderloin and place in between 2 pieces of saran wrap
pound with flat side of meat mallet until even thickness (no more than 1/2 inch)
Spread mushroom mixture over the tenderloin and tightly wrap up
tie with cooking twine
bake in oven at 350 degrees for 45 mins or until meat thermometer measures 140 degrees.