Turkey Sliders with Curried Guacamole

Turkey Sliders
(Spilling the Beans Cookbook)

1 C cooked chickpeas, 19 oz can, rinsed and drained
1/8 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp thyme
pinch fennel
1/2-1 lb ground turkey
1 large egg
1/4 C dried bread crumbs or panko
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 green onion, minced
pinch cayenne
1/4 tsp salt
pepper

Tomato, slider buns, curried guacamole (recipe below)


Coarsely mash the chickpeas, not to a paste.
Crush the herbs between your fingers or with a mortar pestle.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with your hands.

Make into patties, 2 1/2 inches by 3/4 inches.

Fry in some olive oil in batches in a frying pan.

Serve on buns with tomato slices and curried guacamole, ketchup, mustard or lettuce.

Curried Guacamole
(Super Natural Everyday Cookbook)

2 ripe avocados
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
scant 1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 C coarsely chopped cilantro, optional
1 Tbsp butter or EV coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 small yellow onion, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1 pinch chili flakes

Mash peeled avocados in a bowl, add lemon juice, salt and most of the cilantro, if using.
Set aside.
Heat butter or coconut oil in a skillet over med-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds.  Keep a lid handy if for when the seeds start to pop.  After a minute, add onion and saute about 3 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Stir in garlic, curry powder and chili.
Count to 10 and remove from heat.

Stir into avocado mixture and top with remaining cilantro.
Serve warm on top of burgers or with chips or pitas.

Spicy Avocado Toasts

Mom and I had this for lunch the other day and loved it.

Its very simple but filling.

Spicy Avocado Toast 
(Martha Stewart)

1 ripe avocado
2 slices of toast
butter or coconut butter
a few pinches salt and pepper (I used flaky sea salt)
a few pinches red pepper flakes
lemon wedges

Peel and slice the avocado.
Toast and butter the bread.
Place sliced avocado on the bread and mash (or leave whole).
Top with salt, red pepper flakes and lemon juice.

BBQ Pulled Pork and Beans

This is a really easy recipe that my kids just love.

The substitute of beans for half of the meat makes this a cheap meal too.

Its simmers in the oven for several hours and gets served over rice or on a bun.

I usually make a coleslaw to go with it.


BBQ Pulled Pork and Beans 
(recipe from Spilling the Beans Cookbook)

olive oil, for cooking
1-2 lb pork tenderloin
2 C cooked red kidney beans (or a 19 oz can), rinsed and drained
2 C cooked navy beans or white kidney beans (19 oz can), rinsed and drained
1/2 C ketchup (I used 1/4C chili sauce, 1/4C ketchup)
1/4 C maple syrup
1/4C cider vinegar (red or balsamic works too)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
a few shots of hot sauce

1/4 cup a favourite BBQ sauce, optional

In a dutch oven, brown pork on all sides (in a little oil, if the meat is lean.)
Add all other ingredients except the BBQ sauce and mix it up in the pan.  (You may need to lift the pork up so all the sauce ingredients blend well.)
Cover and cook in a 300 degree F oven.  Cook for 3-4 hours.
You can also do this in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours.

Skim any fat off the surface and shred pork with two forks.
Stir in BBQ sauce, if using.
Serve over rice or on a bun, sloppy joe style.

Chickpea and Potato Curry

Friends of mine made and shared this recipe with me after I raved about it.

It's a simple, tasty curry that's easy to make, especially if you have kitchen help.

The kids loved it served over rice.

Chickpea and Potato Curry

(adapted from Lubbes' recipe)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, diced

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated

2 Tbsp curry paste

1-2 tsp curry powder

pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1 lb ground chicken

1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 C frozen peas

Mango Chutney, for serving (optional)

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions, 10 mins.

Add ginger, cook a minute or two.

Add ground chicken, cook until no longer pink.

Add curry paste, curry powder, RP Flakes (if using), potatoes, chickpeas and soy sauce.

Pour 1 Cup of water in and cover. 

Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are very soft, around 15 minutes.

Stir in peas and cook 5 more mins.

Serve over rice with mango chutney. 

Cheesy Spaghetti and Peas

Cheesy Spaghetti and Peas

(adapted from Everyday Food magazine)

*To break up the spaghetti, wrap uncooked noodles in a tea towel 

and firmly break in several places on the edge of the counter.

1/2 lb spaghetti, broken in pieces*

1 can evaporated milk

3 large eggs

pinch nutmeg (optional)

dash cayenne (optional)

1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 C mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated

3/4 C frozen peas

Heat oven to 400.

Cook pasta a couple minutes less than package directions.

In the mean time, whisk all other ingredients in a large bowl.

Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture.

Pour into a 2 Quart casserole dish.

Bake 12-15 mins.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Panko Crusted Fish with Herb Dipping Sauce

I was talking to my friend the other day about fish recipes for people who dont love fish.

This panko crusted sole is not super fishy and has a pleasantly mild, crispy coating.

The recipe calls for Old Bay Seasoning, I used Lawrys Chicken seasoning because thats all I had and it worked great too.

If you are in a hurry or dont want to make the dipping sauce just serve the fish as is or with lemon wedges.

Panko-Crusted Fish with Herb Dipping Sauce

Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine

1-2 large eggs, beaten

2 Cups panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 Tbsp Old Bay fish seasoning (or other such as Lawrys)

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 Tbsp dried Parsley flakes, optional

7-8 sole fillet ( I used frozen fillets then prepared and cooked without thawing first)

1/2 Cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp dried parsley flakes (1/4Cup fresh, chopped parsley)

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp horseradish

Preheat oven to 475F.

Place egg in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper.

Combine panko, seasoning, oil and parsley flakes in another shallow bowl.

Dip sole fillet in egg mixture and then in crumb mixture, pressing on the crumbs to make them stick.

Lay the fish on a baking sheet leaving some room between.

Bake without turning the fish over 12-15 minutes or until the fish is lightly browned on the bottom.

Meanwhile, make sauce.

Mix mayo, parslely, dijon, lemon and horseradish in a small bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve fish with dipping sauce, lemon wedges, roasted potatoes and a salad.

Chicken Gyros

A little while ago, my friend Bec made these for dinner.

They were so good and fresh and summery tasting.

Jim and Clara totally loved them too and kept asking me to make them.

Bec made her chicken in a slow-cooker with amazing results.

(Those of you with a slow-cooker try it out. Here's the recipe.)

Because I don't have a slow-cooker, I used this very similar oven baked recipe.

My kids eat these as more of a salad on their plate with the pita on the side.

I'm not sure if this looks labour intensive, but it's really not.

It comes together really quickly.

You could even marinate the chicken all day in the fridge, do all the toppings ahead of time and just cook the chicken at supper time.

Chicken Gyros

Recipe found here

Serves 4-6

2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

Juice of 1 lemon, I also added some of the zest

2 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping tablespoons greek yogurt 

1 tablespoon dried oregano

salt and pepper

4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves

Combine all of the above ingredients except for the chicken in a baking dish, and whisk together to make a marinade. 

Add in chicken, and turn to coat. Cover, and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to marinate.

Cook the chicken in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings and make the tzatziki sauce.

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cucumber, diced

8-10 greek pita or pita pockets

crumbled feta

lettuce or spinach

red onion slices and chopped parsley, optional

tzatziki sauce, recipe below

Tzatziki Sauce

16 ounces Greek yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and very finely diced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic, I skipped the garlic

1 teaspoon apple cider or white wine vinegar

Salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until dinner.

Chop the cooked chicken into large chunks or strips.

Set out bowls with the toppings.

Heat up the pitas and serve.

Create gyros to your liking.

**I'm adding a few pictures of Jimmy eating his Gyro...and getting increasingly annoyed that I'm photographing him in his work clothes.

I love you, Jimmy.

Perfect Beef Meatballs

I love recipes that I can get my helpers to make.

Jimmy is my right hand man in all things involving pot stirring, meat breading and scooping.

This is Ina Garten's recipe for "real meatballs".

They're so simple and delicious.

She tells you to pan fry the meat balls in small batches.

I hate doing that, so I place the balls on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and bake them 20-30 minutes at 350F.

Ina's Perfect Beef Meatballs
(adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook)

2lbs ground beef (or 1lb ground beef, 1/2 lb veal, 1/2 lb pork)
1 C fresh bread crumbs (about 4 slices put through the blender/food processor)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley (1-2 tsp dried)
1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
3/4 C water
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 extra large egg, beaten
olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl using your hands.
Form into 2 inch meatballs.
Place on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes, flipping and rotating the meatballs half way through cooking time.

Pulled Pork Pizza and a Perfect Salad Dressing

Tonight we had pulled pork pizza.

It was a success.

Stowe dough + Pulled pork, hot peppers, and sheep's milk cheese = amazing pizza.

Eaten with my new favourite salad dressing!!

House Dressing

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar

1 Tbsp tomato paste (I used the Kusharee tomato sauce) 

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp each basil and oregano, dried

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

pinch pepper

pinch salt

 Shake all ingredients together in a mason jar.

Pulled Pork Tacos with Tangy Coleslaw

Pulled pork tacos are so good.

I love that they're spicy and fresh and creamy, filling and exotic all at the same time.

I bought a big pork loin and planned to make pulled pork with it but changed my mind and made tacos instead.

The tacos start similar to a pulled pork but the stewing sauce gets really built up with all kinds of flavour.

 The sauce has loads of citrus and smoky chipotle, rich tomato and garlic.

The pork then simmers in this sauce for almost 2 hours.  It will at that point literally fall apart.

Serve the shredded pork on warm corn tortillas with a coleslaw dressed with lots of lime juice on top.

Since younger family members don't appreciate heat as much as Jim and I do, I took out a piece of meat shredded it and left it mostly sauceless for them.

I also offered them simpler toppings of shredded carrot, thinly sliced red pepper and sour cream in place of the coleslaw.

Pulled Pork Tacos with Tangy Coleslaw

(The Neelys recipe from foodnetwork.com)

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ( about 3 1/2-pounds) boneless pork butt, cut into 3-inch chunks (I used Pork Loin)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup chicken stock
1 small can tomato puree
1 tablespoons honey
1 orange, halved and juiced
1 lime, halved and juiced

1 package corn tortillas, warmed
Sour cream
Coleslaw (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Mix the oregano, chipotle powder, cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

Season the cubed pork chunks with the spice mixture and put into a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, chicken stock, the tomato puree, honey, orange and lime juice, and the juiced orange and lime halves. Stir together with a wooden spoon. Put the pot on medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer to the oven and cook, covered, until the pork is tender and easily shreds, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Remove the meat from the Dutch oven to a cutting board.

Meanwhile, shred the meat and add back into the pot with the sauce.

Serve with tortillas, sour cream and coleslaw.

Tangy Coleslaw

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small bag coleslaw or 4-6 Cups of shredded cabbage
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 carrot peeled, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix vinegar, lime juice, oil and sugar in a large bowl. Add cabbage, parsley, carrot, salt and pepper.

Kusherie: Egyptian Street Fare

Kusherie, a dish popular in Egypt, is probably one of my favourite things to eat.

I was introduced to it several years back at a little restaurant in Toronto.

I always promised myself I wouldn't try to make it at home so it would still feel special to eat it when we went out.

That promise was broken today. 

My friend, Laurie, got me onto this cookbook called More with Less; such a good cookbook.

It's a Mennonite cookbook that emphasizes eating more grains and vegetables, less sugar and all for less money.

Carolyn Yoder from Egypt  offers this recipe for Kushari and when I saw it I resisted the urge to make it no longer.(This is terrible, but it never occurred to me that there might be Mennonites in Cairo?)

It was exactly right and just how I hoped it would taste.

A flavourful bed of rice and lentils that's topped with a spicy-sweet tomato sauce and caramelized onions.

Perfect.

I throw a couple meatballs on top of the kids kusherie in place of the caramelized onions.

A big green salad with house dressing goes well with kushari.

This tomato herb salad dressing is beautiful with the main course.

*No meal prep would be quite complete without my right hand man and mini-chef, Jimmy*

Kusherie (Kusharee)

adapted from More with Less Cookbook 

2 Tbsp oil

1 1/4 C brown lentils, rinsed

4 C stock, hot

1 tsp salt

dash pepper

1 1/2 C rice (I used white basmati)

3 small tins tomato paste

3 C tomato juice, pureed tomato, or tomato sauce (I used 2 cans of V8)

1 green pepper, chopped small

1 handful celery leaves, chopped

1 T honey, sugar or maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

big pinch chili flakes

2Tbsp oil

3 onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat oil over med heat in a large sauce pan and add lentils and cook 5 minutes.

Stir often.

Add 3 C stock, salt and pepper.

Cook uncovered 10 minutes.

Stir in rice and remaining 1 C stock.

Bring to a boil and cover simmering until cooked, about 10-15 minutes.

In a medium sauce pan, heat tomato paste, V8, green pepper, celery leaves, honey, salt, cumin and chili flakes.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 mins.

In a small skillet heat oil and add onions, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper and sautee on med-low  until brown.

To serve, put rice-lentil mixture on a plate, top with tomato sauce and finish with the caramelized onions.

House Dressing

1/3 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar

1 Tbsp tomato paste (I used the Kusharee tomato sauce) 

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp each basil and oregano, dried

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

pinch pepper

pinch salt

 Shake all ingredients together in a mason jar.

Lemon Garlic Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

Tonight was one of those nights I know I will remember for a long time.

We enjoyed good, sweet time with Gramma, (aka, Gramma Dodette) and later had a surprise drop in from Dad.

The time was made even better by the fact that I wasn't fussing over dinner the whole time.

I assembled the dish in the morning and left it in the fridge until I was ready to cook it.

It's a good make-ahead meal to keep in mind.

We ate it with green beans, a big salad and some rosemary focaccia bread.

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Roasted Potatoes

(adapted from:  food.com - recipe # 346661)

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

2 teaspoon salt

6-8 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 wedges each

salt and pepper

1 lemon, juiced

olive oil

1-2 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°.

Set out a large roasting pan.   (I used 2- 9 x 13 inch baking dishes)  Place chicken in pan(s), leave space between the thighs.

Make a paste with the garlic and salt using side of large knife,(I used my mortar and pestle) then rub all over tops of chicken.

Place potatoes in a large bowl, add salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.

Sprinkle chicken with black pepper.

Place potatoes on and around thighs.

Pour chicken broth into side of pan.

Sprinkle lemon juice to taste over top of dish.

Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until done.

Turn chicken and potatoes over halfway through cooking time.

Add more chicken broth during baking, if pan becomes dry during cooking.

Roasted Tomato Meatball Soup

Every Wednesday I make soup.

We have soup because Wednesday nights are busy, soup is fast and it having a 'soup night' takes some of the guess work out of what to make for dinner.

This past Wednesday's soup was particularly good.
It is an oven roasted tomato and red pepper puree with tons of mini meatballs thrown in.

Pretty simple but really different than most of the other soups I make.

I added about a cup of cooked rice and balsamic vinegar right at the end.

It's a most filling soup. I served it with naan and some of Shaida's delicious yogurt.

Roasted Tomato Meatball Soup 
(Eat Shrink and Be Merry Cookbook)

2 Cans San Marzano Tomatoes, drained (I kept the juice and cooked it down for tomato paste) or 8 roma tomatoes chopped
2 large red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme

 2 cups beef broth
1 can V8 juice
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped or (2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 C cooked rice, optional
salt, pepper- to taste

 Meatballs:

1lb extra-lean ground beef
1 chopped green onion
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp each thyme and oregano
salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Cover a sheet pan with parchment paper and, on it, toss together tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, oil and herbs.
Roast in a single layer for 15 minutes. 
Stir and turn oven onto broiler. Broil veggies for another 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients and mix well. Form 48 mini meatballs. 
Remove veg from oven. Transfer the veg to a soup pot, add stock and blend with an immersion blender until well pureed. (or puree in a blender half at a time with 1 C stock each time) Add the rest of the soup ingredients.

Bring soup to a boil. Add meatballs. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through - from 5 to 10 minutes.

Soy Glazed Salmon with Noodles

• 
  
• My kids love salmon so I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to make it for them.

This probably looks similar to recipes I've posted before but, I think, this is the favourite.

• We stuffed ourselves with this tonight. 
• I would totally eat this every night! 

The fish cooks so quickly and the noodles take no time to prepare but the end result is very impressive and beautifully colourful.

It would be a fun dish to serve to company if you're sure they like fish.

• 
  
• 
  
• Soy Glazed Salmon
• 
  
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine, stock or water
• 2 pounds salmon fillet

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix sugar, oil, soy, lemon juice and wine in a small bowl.

Arrange salmon in a single layer in a baking dish, sprinkle with black pepper.

Pour sauce over salmon.

Bake 15-20 mins.

Chili-Lime Noodles with Vegetables

1 bag (340g) wide egg noodles

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

2 large carrots, grated

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1/2 cup vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chile-garlic sauce or hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Cook noodles and drain them.

Add red peppers, carrots and celery to the pot.

Whisk all remaining ingredients together and pour over the noodles.
Serve with Salmon.

Spicy Shrimp with Rice and Peas

One of the few dinners I make over and over, this shrimp is so easy.

My mum and I found this recipe over the summer and loved it.

I have tried serving it with several sides but this brown rice pilaf is my favourite.

Spicy Shrimp with Lime and Parsley

(Adapted from Dinner, A love story Blog)

• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon paprika)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 lime

Combine salt, paprika, cumin, curry, cayenne, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Toss with shrimp.

Heat a large pan over med-high heat. Melt butter and add shrimp.

Cook until pink, 3-5 mins.

Squeeze  lime over shrimp and serve over rice.

Brown Rice Pilaf with Peas

(adapted from Everyday Food)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1tsp fennel seeds (I used Herbs de Provence)
1small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 C brown rice
1 3/4 C stock or water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 C frozen peas, thawed
1/3 C chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan.
Add fennel seeds and cook 1 minute.  Add onion and cook until soft, 5 mins.
Stir in rice.
Pour in stock and soy.
Cook until rice is softened.   (30 mins or so.)
Remove from heat, add peas and parsley.
Stir and let stand 5 mins.

Our Favourite Taco Seasoning

Even though tacos are totally a staple here, they still seem like party food.

A few years ago, I started mixing my own taco seasoning.

I add it to lots of things like guacamole and Mexican-esque casseroles.

I've tried several different ones and this seems to be the favourite.

This recipe fills my small sized mason jar and lasts me several months.

Taco Seasoning

*I add around 2 Tbsp to about a pound of ground meat.

3 Tbsp chili powder

3/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp chili flakes

3/4 tsp dried oregano 

1 1/2 tsp paprika (I use smoked paprika)

1 heaping Tbsp cumin

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

1 Tbsp black pepper

1/2 Tbsp sugar (optional- We don't like it with sugar but feel free to add it if you do.)

Mix together all ingredients in a mason jar and shake until combined.

Roast Beef

We had the privilege of spending the last week with our family in Michigan.

It was wonderful for many reasons and I loved every bit of it.

One of the things I most look forward to though, is working in the kitchen with my Mother-in-law.


As part of a luncheon after my brother-in-law's graduation, we made roast beef sandwiches with horseradish sauce.

They were delicious.

This is how to make the beef that we layered on those sandwiches.

I'm making up quite a bit of it and slicing it really thin to put in Jimmy's lunches next week.

Roast Beef

(Allrecipes.com)

**Instead of just seasoning with salt and pepper, my Mother-in-law suggested I use 2 Tbsp of Paula Dean Seasoning.
Here is how to make it.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 C salt, 2 Tbsp pepper and 2 Tbsp garlic powder.  Stir and store in a jar.


3 lb eye of round roast
Generously salt and pepper** (I used 2 Tbsp Paula Dean Seasoning which is 1/2 C salt

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Place roast in a baking dish or small roasting pan.
Put roast in the oven and close the door.
Reduce heat to 475 degrees and cook 21 mins or if your roast is a different size cook for 7 minutes per pound.
After your timer goes turn off the heat but don't open the oven door.
Leave the roast in for 2 1/2 hours. Don't peak.
Remove roast and slice thinly.

Sweet Potato Chili and Buttermilk Cornbread

There are seasonally correct things to be doing right now on this late spring eve.

... hanging clothes on the line to dry

...watching the kids play in the yard 

...preparing and planting a garden

...fertilizing the lawn

Eating chili and cornbread for dinner, though not compellingly springlike, used up what I had in the fridge, was cheap and something everyone loved to gobble up.

That kind of dinner, friend, is always in season.

Sweet Potato Chili and Cornbread

(Spilling the Beans by Julie VanRosendaal and Sue Duncan)

Canola or Olive Oil

1 med onion, small dice

1 red pepper seeded and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 19 oz can black beans (I used navy beans)

1 19 oz can red kidney beans

1 1/2 c chicken stock or 1 bottle of stout 

1 Tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (optional)

1 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

1 lime juiced

2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over med-high heat.

Add red pepper and onion.   After about 5-8 minutes, add garlic.

Cook another minute.

Add sweet potato, tomatoes, beans, stock, chili powder, maple syrup, lime juice, cumin and salt.

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer chili at leas 30 mins.  Serve hot with cornbread.

Buttermilk Cornbread

1/2 cup canola or olive oil (I have used melted butter here too and it's great)

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/2 C yellow cornmeal

3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 C AP flour

scant 1/3 C sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, and buttermilk.

Add cornmeal, flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk well.

Pour into pan.

Bake for 20-30 mins or until golden and a tester comes  out clean.

Wild Leek Stir-fry

A few years ago, my sister Julia moved to Bancroft and started telling me about wild leeks.

Wild leeks, though technically not poisonous when eaten raw, make you smell so bad that the stench actually comes through your pores.

Wild leeks cooked, on the other hand, are sweet and delicious; especially when stir fried with some peppers, ginger and chicken.

I didn't have a scrap of this left over, everyone devoured it!

Wild Leek Stir Fry with Peppers and Chicken
(adapted from Canadian Living Magazine; May 2009)
Serves 4


1/4 C sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp  cornstarch
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb ground chicken
4 oz  wild leeks (about 30)
2 bell peppers, I used red and yellow, sliced into strips
2 Tbsp oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil

In bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper. Set aside.

Meanwhile, separate green and white parts of leeks; halve white parts lengthwise and cut leaves in half diagonally. Set green and white parts aside separately.

In large frying pan, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry chicken.  Sprinkle in some pepper flakes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Over high heat; stir-fry white parts of leeks and the peppers.  Return chicken and green parts of leeks to wok; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add sauce and a few Tbsp of  water or chicken stalk.
Stir until greens are limp.

Serve over rice with additional soy sauce if you want it.

"We love vile leaves." ~Jibs

Curried Lentil Burgers

These lentil burgers are Super!

I highly recommend you make them and then top them with thick yogurt and mango chutney.

Mango Slaw would be a wonderful side with these.

I served them with some roasted sweet potato because I ran out of the stuff to make Mango Slaw...If not, I would have definitely made it again!

Curried Lentil Burgers

(adapted from Moosewood)

1 C dried red lentils

2 C water

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 C chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 C celery, diced

1 C red pepper, diced

1 Tbsp grated gingeroot

1 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 ground cinnamon

2 C cooked rice (I used basmati)

3/4 C walnuts, peanuts or cashews, roasted and finely chopped

1 Tbsp lime juice

1/4 C parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400*.

1. Rinse and drain the lentils. Put them in a small saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, add turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover, lower the heat to low and simmer 20 mins or until very soft. If there is liquid left, drain the lentils.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic in oil until soft, about 6 mins. Add celery and peppers, cook another 6-7 mins. Add a splash of water if it is sticking.

Add ginger, curry, cinnamon, the rest of the salt and cook another minute.

Remove from the heat and add cooked rice, lentils, lime juice, nuts, and parsley.

3. When mixture has cooled to handling temperature, form into patties (a heaping half cup each) and place on a well oiled baking tray.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool slightly before handling.

**Top with thick, plain yogurt, lettuce and fruit chutney.