Savoury Roasted Butternut Squash I cooked this dish for my sister who had never tried squash before in her life. She had issues with the texture of the squash, which kind of confused me since the name matches the texture! So if you have never had squash let me try to explain it to you; it has a mild flavour that can be complemented with sweet or ...
Blackened Chicken Penne with Shrimp
Blackened Chicken Penne with Shrimp In my very early 20’s, a whole lifetime ago, I used to go to little bar that had a full dinner menu before 10 p.m. Without a doubt, my favourite dish of theirs was the Blackened Chicken Penne. The waitress there was kind enough to share the recipe with me but really it was a classic example of ignorance being ...
Spiced Chicken Rub
Spiced Chicken Rub We’ve all been there; too many dried herbs and nothing really to do with them. For some bizarre reason I love Cajun spice. I say bizarre because I can’t handle spicy foods but I make it work here. To get a little creative, I add other herbs to the Cajun mix. Here I combined oregano with the Cajun. The result was an incredible ...
Home Style Potato Wedges
Home Style Potato Wedges These wedges are reminiscent of the ones you got at a chip wagon when you were little. They have the really crispy crunchy dark edges that usually spell grease, usually! The key to getting the yummy edges is roughly scraping the baking sheet with a spatula half way through the wedges baking. Instead of flipping them gently ...
Whole Wheat Brioche Hamburger Buns
Whole Wheat Brioche Hamburger Buns The first time I made these buns, I was a few months pregnant with my daughter and I had the most insane craving for a burger with avocado on a brioche bun. For some reason, brioche buns aren’t available in regular grocery stores, at least not around me. So I did a little research and set out to make my own. I ...
Chicken and Broccoli Stir fry with Tomatoes
Chicken and Broccoli Stir fry with Tomatoes This is based on the take out favourite, Beef and Broccoli. I added tomato sauce for a touch red! Add fresh tomatoes in place jarred; simply throw them in and mix just before you turn off the heat. This recipe calls for rice; I used white because it’s what I had on hand. Brown rice is always the ...
My Surviving the Holiday Dinner Guide
I remember the first time I did the Thanksgiving turkey, I know I sound old… I’m not though, I swear! Anyway, the first time I roasted the turkey I took tips from Ina Garten; I didn’t stuff the turkey with stuffing, I stuffed it with aromatics. The aromatics steam as they cook and give off the most incredible flavour. There is one very important ...
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Brussels Sprouts Gratin Thanksgiving is around the corner and this will definitely be on our table. Stay tuned for My Surviving the Holiday Dinner Guide, I ‘ll show you our family menu and walk you through tying all the items altogether, including sharing oven space and when to go shopping. This dish is a gratin, characterized by cream and butter ...
Beef Stew
Beef Stew Nothing says autumn like beef stew. When you close your eyes and picture it I'm sure you think, "yeah right that's healthy?" Trust me! Serves 4 to 6 1 package of stewing beef (around 450 g) 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped or sliced 1 227 g package of cremini or button ...
Chicken Stock
Chicken Stock The difference between stock and broth is that stock is made using bones and broth is made using meat. 9 times out of 10 I’ll just use store bought boxed broth because it’s ready-made and really great quality. However, whenever I roast a chicken or have chicken breasts with the bone-in, I make stock with the carcass(s) (I think I’m ...
Panko Crusted Oven Fried Chicken
Panko Crusted Oven Fried Chicken Now, I must start this by stating that this recipe calls for a whole chicken broken down, meaning cut into pieces. This is not easy! I watched a video on youtube and I still made a mess! My best advice; get a sharp knife and a stable cutting board and take your time! You may not be a butcher but you’ve eaten ...
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Thanksgiving fast approaching I am finding myself experimenting more with root vegetables and traditional fall fare. This recipe is a great alternative to a potato side with a great boost of anti-oxidants. Serves 4 1 pound/453 g Sweet Potato, peeled and sliced into thin wedges 5-6 Sprigs of thyme, leaves ...