Dad's Meat Sauce

In our house, when Dad's cooking, he makes this mighty meat sauce!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef 

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced 

2-3 tsps minced garlic 

1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 can condensed tomato soup (don't add water)

1/2 - 5.5 oz can tomato paste

1 tsp dry oregano

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 carrot

In a skillet heat the oil to medium and add the ground beef. Cook and break up until no pink remains then add the onion and red pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute.

Add the canned diced tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and 1 whole carrot.

Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to low, cover and simmer a couple of hours or until the carrot is tender. 

Serve on top of your favourite pasta with a piece of the cooked carrot.

Makes 4-5 servings

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Spicy Chili Oil Shrimp

Just enough spicy chili oil to knock your socks off!

Ingredients:

300g (11 oz) 16/20 sized shrimp

2 tbsps chili crisp oil, divided

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup sliced celery

a handfull of green and/or yellow beans, julienned

1/2 cup julienned carrots

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp minced dry onion

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsps water

black sesame seeds to garnish

 

Clean the shrimp and pat dry. Toss with 1 tbsp chili oil (don't forget to stir it first). Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. And just a note here: your Spicy Chili Crisp Oil may NOT be peanut free!

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to medium. Add celery, beans, carrots, salt and pepper cooking 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and minced onion for 1 minute then add the water . Remove to a bowl and keep warm.

Heat 1 tbsp chili oil in the same skillet to medium high. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes without moving them. After 3 minutes flip them for another 2-3 minutes, then toss in the vegetables and heat through. 

Plate and garnish with sesame seeds.

Serves 2

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Lemon Roasted Cauliflower

Tender crisp slightly charred cauliflower florets with zippy lemon to wake up your taste buds!

Ingredients:

4 cups cauliflower florets

4 tbsps olive oil, divided

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dry minced onion

zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup crumbled feta

fresh chopped basil and/or mint

 

Toss the cauliflower with 2 tbsps olive oil. Place on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle with oregano, garlic powder, minced onion and lemon zest. Roast at 425°F for 25 minutes turning over halfway.

Toss with lemon juice and 2 tbsps olive oil, then sprinkle with feta, salt, pepper and fresh chopped herbs.

This may be served warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

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Chopped Pork Sandwich

Lunch is not my favourite thing to make, but sometimes inspiration hits. And using up some fridge leftovers helps. You can also use my Meal Prep Chicken in this recipe instead of pork. Here's the link to the recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/08/meal-prep-chicken.html

Ingredients:

4 slices (or about 4") cooked pork tenderloin, sliced thin

1 small tomato, diced

6" piece of celery, thinly sliced

a handful of thinly sliced iceberg lettuce

1 tbsp mayo

1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used original Sweet Baby Ray's)

2 - 6" sub buns

Just mix everything together, stuff into sub buns and enjoy!

Serves 2

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Creamy Rotini and Greens

If you tried my Meal Prep Chicken then you're halfway there to making this comfort food casserole. You can also use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken instead.

Ingredients:

2 cups rotini (I used whole wheat here)

2 1/2 tbsps butter

3 tbsps flour

3 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

2 tsps minced garlic

1 tsp dry minced onion

2 cups chopped kale (or spinach)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup cooked chicken

See Meal Prep Chicken recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/08/meal-prep-chicken.html

 

First cook and drain the rotini in a colander, rinsing in cold water. Set aside.

In the same pot the rotini was cooked in heat the butter to medium high. Add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, cayenne, garlic, minced dry onion, salt and pepper and cook 2-3 minutes to thicken.

Next add the kale and pre-cooked chicken with 1/4 cup parmesan. Stir in the cooked rotini.

Oil a 10" square baking dish and spoon the mixture in topping with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes.

Serves 4

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Meal Prep Chicken

Having pre-cooked chicken in the fridge is a life saver! It's ready to add to a salad or rice bowl or any recipe where cooked chicken is called for.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts)

1 small onion, shredded

2 tbsps lemon juice

2 tbsps tomato paste

2 tbsps mayo

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dry oregano 

 

Mix everything together with the chicken breasts and refrigerate to marinate at least 6 hours or even better overnight.

Once marinated pack the chicken into an oiled 9 X 5" loaf baking dish and pop into a 425°F oven for 50 minutes. The internal temperature should read 150°F.

Carefully pour off the excess juices and reserve.

Turn the chicken out onto a cutting board and slice, tossing with the reserved juices.  

These chicken slices can be kept in the fridge for a number of meals throughout the week.

Makes 4-6 servings

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Easy Rustic Baby Shower Centerpieces

These DIY sock rose arrangements are fun and easy to make. They can be made well ahead of time, just adding baby's breath on the big day. Choose your theme with matching coloured socks and the new baby will have a bunch of new socks when the day is over!

What you'll need:

Mini clay pots

Green florist sponge

Burlap

Wooden skewers 

Pruners or strong scissors

Cuffed baby socks

Silk greenery, vines

Cupcake toppers

Double stick tape

Baby's breath

Start by cutting florist sponge into pieces that will fit in the pots. Tuck in a square of burlap. 

Our theme was classic Winnie the Pooh so we found these cute cupcake toppers (Amazon find) and used double stick tape to attach them back to back on a skewer.

The sock roses were fun to make but remember when buying the socks that you will be turning the cuff inside out so make sure the inside looks the same as the outside (not thready). What you need to do is start at the toe and roll the sock up, then turn the cuff up over the bottom of the rose. Adjust to form the shaped rose (full or bud) you want then place the skewer up in the bottom for the stem. You may want to snip the skewers at different lengths using a pruner.

Once all the roses are made add a sprig of greenery to the pot, place the roses and themed toppers then fill in any gaps with baby's breath. 

They can be placed on burlap runners with garlands of more greenery to complete the look.

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Mini Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake

This little wonder is a creamy, dense chocolate cheesecake with just a hint of orange.

1 1/4 cups drained ricotta

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp orange zest

2 tbsps cocoa powder

First place the ricotta in a cheesecloth lined sieve and refrigerate for a few hours to drain off any excess liquid.

Line a 5" springform pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Beat the ricotta in a mixer for 1-2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Sift the icing sugar and add it to the ricotta along with the zest and cocoa. This mixture will be quite thin.

Pour into pan and bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes until the edge is set and the center is still jiggly. The internal temperature should read 150°F.

Cool completely then remove from pan. Dust with icing sugar before serving if desired.

Makes 6 small servings 

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Garden Beans and Red Pepper with Walnut Gremolata and Feta

Beans are usually boiled leaving them a little bland but roasting them brings out their hidden flavour. That slight char with the flavoursome gremolata makes this an elegant little side dish.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb yellow and/or green beans, trimmed

2 tsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 red pepper, cut in strips

1 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp lemon zest

1-2 tbsps crumbled feta

1 tsp lemon juice

Toss the beans and red pepper with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Add salt and pepper then bake at 450°F for 10 minutes.

Combine the walnuts, parsley, zest, salt and pepper for the gremolata.

Once the vegetables are cooked drizzle with lemon juice then top with gremolata and crumbled feta. 

Serves 2

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Hot Sausage Stuffed Shells

This super easy recipe combines hot Italian sausage meat and spinach with creamy ricotta cheese. Makes enough for 4-6 people or enough for 2 with 2 more freezer meals!

Ingredients:

 18 jumbo pasta shells

375g (13 oz) Hot Italian pork sausage meat

4 mushrooms, chopped

3 tbsps minced garlic

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1 1/2 cups diced canned tomatoes

5 oz chopped spinach

1/2 cup ricotta

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups marinara sauce, divided

Cook shells then drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a hot skillet, brown the meat for 10 minutes breaking it up as you go. Add the garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach and cook 5-10 minutes, slightly reducing the liquid.

Remove from heat and add the ricotta, salt and pepper. Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce into a 13 X 9" baking dish. Fill each shell with filling and sit in the sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella and bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes.

Warm the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce and serve it with the stuffed shells.

Serves 4-6

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Asian Pork Meatballs

These pork meatballs are generously seasoned with garlic and ginger and can be served anywhere you'd have an Asian meatball. These steamed bao buns  for instance, were the perfect blank canvas to hold these meatballs with some kale and vegetable salad. You can serve them in a rice bowl or alongside a crispy vegetable stir fry.

Ingredients:

 1 lb ground pork

2 tbsps shredded onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

1 egg

1/2 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsps Panko

1 tsp sesame oil

 

Honey Ginger Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp chili crisp oil

1/4 cup chicken broth (optional)

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp water

Combine the ground pork, shredded onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, egg, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, salt, pepper and Panko. Form into 1" balls. Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in frying pan and lightly brown the meatballs on all sides. Then place on a lined baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

In the same frying pan make the sauce. Heat 1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil to medium and add the minced garlic and ginger, sautéing for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice wine vinegar, honey and chili crisp oil and heat to medium bringing to a boil. Mix the cornstarch and cold water together and add to pan. Thicken for 1 minute. If you'd like it a little more saucy add about 1/4 cup of chicken broth.

Makes 34 - 1" meatballs or 5-6 servings

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Sesame Cauliflower

Change how you think of cauliflower! If you're thinking mild, uninteresting then nope this ain't for you... this one's got tons of flavour!

Ingredients:

1 medium cauliflower, cut in florets (about 5-6 cups)

3 tbsps soya sauce 

2 tbsps cornstarch 

2 tbsps vegetable oil 

Sesame Sauce:

1/2 cup water

3 tbsps soya sauce

2 tbsps honey

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 

1 tbsp sesame oil 

Pinch red pepper flakes 

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger 

1 tbsp cornstarch 

1 tbsp water 

Sesame seeds 

Whisk the 3 tbsps soya sauce and 2 tbsps cornstarch together. It will be thickish. Toss with the cauliflower florets. Heat vegetable oil in a wok to medium high and add the cauliflower. Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes depending on how crisp you like them, then remove to a plate.

Combine the sauce ingredients and pour into the same wok. Bring to a boil, scraping brown bits from the pan 1-2 minutes. 

Add the cauliflower back to the wok, stir to coat 2 minutes. Then cover off heat for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Serves 6

Adapted from: deliciouslittlebites.com

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Light No Cook Pizza Sauce

This flavourful no cook pizza sauce is so easy to make. It's light, fresh and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 - 284ml (9 oz) can Rotel mild chopped tomatoes and green chilies

1 tbsp tomato paste 

1 tsp minced garlic 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano 

1/4 tsp sugar

a few basil leaves, chopped

black pepper to taste 

Just mix everything together and spread over your pizza dough, then top as desired and bake.

Makes enough for 2 medium pizzas

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