Pillowy soft gnocchi baked with ground beef and tomato sauce is my kind of comfort food!
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb (500g pkg) shelf-stable gnocchi
1 lb lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 tsp dry oregano
2 tsps garlic powder
3 cups tomato sauce
3-4 oz mozzarella or cheddar, sliced
2 tbsps Parmesan
A colourful and irresistibly refreshing salad packed with crunchy vegetables and gluten-free protein rich quinoa.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1 cup frozen kernel corn, defrosted
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Dressing:
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tbsps light olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the quinoa as directed then cover and cool. Combine all the vegetables and parsley with the cooled quinoa and refrigerate. Mix the dressing ingredients together and when ready to serve pour the dressing on and toss together. Serves 6 as a side or 2-3 if adding a protein for a meal.
Tender crumb and a hint of orange with a smear of butter and a cup of tea. The perfect little breakfast or afternoon treat.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I used honey flavoured)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups + 2 tbsps flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour (or spray with baking Pam) a 1.6L round Corningware baking dish approximately 7 3/4" in diameter and 3" deep. Beat eggs and sugar together until light and frothy. Add orange zest. While the mixer is running, drizzle in the vegetable oil, then add the yogurt, vanilla and orange juice. Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the wet ingredients in three additions. Mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes checking at 45-50 minutes with a cake tester then increase time as needed until the tester comes out clean. Cool completely on rack then remove from baking dish and dust with icing sugar if desired. Serves 12
Can't wait to make this again! Mushrooms, cheese and garlic come together to make an aromatic side dish that might out shine your steak, chicken or pork!
Ingredients:
1/4 lb mushrooms (whole or if large quartered)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup 10% cream
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of cumin
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tsps parmesan
fresh parsley to serve
Melt butter with olive oil in a skillet on medium, then add garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute before adding the mushrooms. Cook until lightly golden, 4-5 minutes. Add the red wine vinegar and cook 3-4 minutes, then add the cream and simmer on low 3-4 minutes to thicken slightly. Add salt, pepper, thyme, red pepper flakes and cumin. Stir together then top with Monterey Jack and parmesan, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 5 minutes to melt the cheese then serve with fresh chopped parsley. Serves 2
Slicing the ham before glazing it in the oven makes simple work of serving. Just use a large spatula to lift the slices with pineapple from the roasting pan right onto the serving platter! Using a toupie-style ham makes this dish a breeze! Toupie is a Canadian, particularly Quebec term, for a boneless, pre-cooked smoked ham.
Ingredients:
3 lb (1.4 kg) cooked toupie ham cut in half lengthwise and sliced
19 oz (540 ml) can pineapple rings, halved
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsps grainy Dijon mustard
1 tbsp molasses
2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp allspice
2 tbsps cornstarch
1/2 cup pineapple juice from canned pineapple
Sticking with asparagus for a while, here's a light and lemony dinner for two that features white kidney beans for added protein and tender green asparagus shoots.
Doesn't asparagus scream spring? Tender fresh asparagus is nestled in a lemony ricotta filling sitting on flaky store bought puff pastry. Cut to serve as an appetizer or a simple light lunch.
Ingredients:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg
1 cup ricotta
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
1 tsp dry basil
pinch of fennel seeds, rubbed between your fingers
12 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut in 4-6" lengths
2 tsps olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out the puff pastry on the parchment paper it comes in to just a bit bigger than it was. Lift the paper and puff onto a baking sheet. Beat egg and brush a 1/2" border all around. In a bowl mix the remainder of the egg with the ricotta, salt, pepper, zest of lemon, green onions and herbs. Spread onto pastry leaving border exposed. Lay the asparagus side by side. Cutting them in half or thirds makes it easier for slicing after baking. Drizzle olive oil on top and bake in the lower third of the oven for 18-20 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting. Serves 8 as an appetizer.
