Pierogies with Onions and Bacon

Looking for an easy mid-week meal? Using frozen pierogies, this one can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 small  onions, thinly sliced

3 slices of bacon

14-16 frozen pierogies

2 tsps butter

1 cup chopped kale

sour cream or Greek yogurt to serve

First cook the pierogies as directed on package. I like them boiled and tender. Then, on medium high heat, cook the bacon to crispy and remove from heat. Cook the onion in the bacon fat for 5-8 minutes until nicely browned. Add the butter and kale and toss around for 1-2 minutes. Finally chop the bacon and add to the pan along with the cooked pierogies. Stir together a few minutes for the pierogies to brown and heat through. Serve with a dollop of either sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Serves 2

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Air Fryer Vegetables and Sausage

This lazy day comfort food comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes amazing!

Ingredients:

2 spicy Italian sausages, (about 3/4 lb)

1 - 1 1/2 sweet bell peppers, sliced (I used 3 different coloured halves)

1/2 red onion, sliced

6 mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 sliced garlic cloves

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

squeeze of lemon

 

Buttered noodles:

1/2 lb (170g) egg noodles

2 tbsps butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

 

Preheat air fryer to 360°F for 5 minutes.

Poke the sausages with a knife 3 or 4 times then place in the air fry basket and cook 5 minutes. Turn them over.

Toss the peppers, onion, mushrooms, garlic, balsamic, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a dish.

Then pour them into the air fryer. Spread the vegetables around the sausages and air fry for another 8-10 minutes tossing halfway through. The internal temperature of the sausages should be 160°F when cooked.

While this cooks, prepare the buttered noodles. Bring water to a boil then add noodles and cook for 8-10 minutes. Drain and toss together with butter, salt, pepper and parmesan.

Give the vegetables and sausage a nice squeeze of lemon and serve over buttered noodles.

Serves 2

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Leftover Roast Pork Fried Rice

Anyone who knows me knows I love leftovers! So this recipe is right in my wheelhouse! Leftover pork and leftover rice are converted into a savory meal. 

I used chopped cooked pork roast here, which was very good, but ideally you would want to use leftover Char Siu for restaurant quality pork fried rice results. This is the link to the  recipe I use for Char Siu:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2023/01/easy-homemade-char-siu.html 

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked pork

3-4 cups leftover rice (or cook and chill it)

3 tbsps avocado or canola oil, divided

1 tsp sesame oil

1 celery stalk, diced

1 carrot, diced small

1 or 2 radishes, diced small

1/4 cup diced red onion

2-3 tsps minced garlic

1 cup frozen peas and/or edamame

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

2 tbsps soya sauce

2 eggs, beaten

sriracha to taste

some chopped chives

apple cider vinegar

snap peas and garlic scapes to garnish (optional)

Heat 2 tbsps avocado and sesame oils in a large skillet on medium high. Add carrot, radishes, celery and onion and cook 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add the garlic, stirring for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add peas/edamame (I used 1/2 cup of each), red pepper flakes and ginger and heat 1 minute before adding the rice. Spread it out and don't stir for 1-2 minutes. Then stir, spread it out again and don't stir another 1-2 minutes. (Note: using chilled rice helps it to keep from clumping)

Stir in the soya sauce and chopped pork and heat 1 minute.

Spread to the sides of the skillet making a well, then add 1 tbsp of oil. Pour the beaten eggs in the middle and cook for 2 minutes, breaking and scrambling it. Stir into the rice along with the chives.

Add sriracha to taste along with a glug of apple cider vinegar. (Sorry for inaccurate measure of A.C.V. A glug is maybe a teaspoon or 2)

If using snap peas add water into a frying pan and heat to boiling. Add peas for just 1 minute then drain. 

For the garlic scapes, a simple sauté in a bit of oil or butter and they are ready to plate!

Serves 4

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Sheet Pan Pierogi and Peppers

Put the "easy" in easy weeknight dish using frozen pierogi.  Added veggie goodness plus tons of flavour will make this a favourite side. Or add fully cooked sausage, like brats, for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

2 lbs (907g) frozen pierogi (your favourite flavour)

2 medium bell peppers, sliced 

1 medium onion, sliced 

2 tbsps bacon fat

1 tbsp olive oil (or skip bacon fat and use 3 tbsps olive oil)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp celery seed

Black pepper to taste

1 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach 

Sour cream and grainy dijon mustard to serve

Mix the fat or oil, paprika, celery seed, black pepper and Tabasco together. Then toss with the pierogi, onions and peppers. 

Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet trying not to overlap pierogi. Add fully cooked sausage if you like.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Flip the pierogi and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. 

Once the pierogi are tender and golden remove from the oven and add the spinach leaves and toss together. They will slightly wilt with the heat.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a little dab of grainy dijon.

Serves 4

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Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin Tray Bake

The reason home cooks love sheet pan dinners? Because they make a stress-free, minimal-fuss semi-fancy meal!

Ingredients:

2 - 1 lb pork tenderloins

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 lb mixed frozen vegetables

1 1/2 lbs (5 or 6 medium) potatoes

3 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsps butter

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

First, position the oven rack to the lower position and preheat to 450°F. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2" pieces and place them in a pot of water. Boil for 10 minutes then remove from heat and drain.

Toss the frozen vegetables with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the center of two baking sheets. You could use one sheet but I didn't want to crowd the portatoes.

Take the drained potatoes and toss with 2 tbsps olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange on either side of the veggies.

Place the pork tenderloins on top of the vegetables and brush with hoisin sauce, salt and pepper.

Roast in a 450°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the thickest part of the pork has an internal temperature of 140°F.

Combine the butter, minced garlic and parsley, salt and pepper. When the trays come out of the oven dab each tenderloin with 1 tbsp of the herbed butter and divide the remaining butter to toss with the potatoes and vegetables.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Each tenderloin serves 3-4 people and you can easily freeze one for a later date.

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Rice Vermicelli and Shrimp

Who doesn't love a good stir-fry? Toss in some springy, chewy rice vermicelli with lightly seasoned shrimp and supper is ready in a flash!

Ingredients:

8 oz (300 g) rice vermicelli

2 tbsps vegetable oil

2 tsps fresh minced ginger

3 tsps minced garlic

2 cups bagged coleslaw, shredded cabbage or bean sprouts

1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

11 oz ( 320 g) shrimp (I used size 51/60)

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder

1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

green onion and sesame seeds to garnish

Toss the shrimp with the 5 spice powder and Old Bay and set aside. Prepare the rice vermicelli as directed on package then rinse and toss with a little oil. These ones just needed some boiling water to soak in for a few minutes, so easy!

Heat wok or skillet to medium and add 2 tbsps vegetable oil. Cook the shrimp, garlic and ginger until the shrimp are pink. Add the cabbage and peppers and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the noodles to the wok along with the soya and oyster sauce. Toss together to heat the noodles through.

Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Makes 3 servings

And if you're interested in the corn you see in the picture, check out this recipe 🠇

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2023/04/asian-corn-on-cob.html

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Buttery Cheesy Basa

Basa has a light, firm texture with a mild fish taste. Perfect for my on-the-fence fish eaters. Using minimal ingredients you can whip up these flavourful fillets in next to no time! (Minimal ingredients for us means using what's in the house, as we're currently in covid isolation. So no nice green garnish 😞)

Ingredients:

4 basa fillets

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup shredded asiago (+extra to sprinkle)

2 tbsps butter

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp dry basil

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

pinch cayenne

pinch turmeric

1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 tsps lemon juice

1/4 cup panko crumbs

1 tsp light olive oil

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel. If using frozen fillets, make sure they are fully thawed out. Salt and pepper both sides and lay fillets side by side on the lined baking sheet.

Combine the minced garlic, mayo, 1/4 cup asiago, butter, basil, lemon pepper, cayenne, turmeric, lemon zest and juice and spread on top of each piece of fish. Sprinkle more asiago to taste over each. Mix the panko and olive oil together and top the fish with the mixture.

Bake in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes then broil 3-4 minutes until lightly golden.

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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Here's a quick weeknight dinner that's creamy, delicious and vegetarian. Oh, and ready in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsps butter

3 tsps minced garlic

1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (keep packets frozen in freezer for these kind of recipes)

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp chili powder

pinch cayenne

1/8 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp dry basil

1 tbsp cold water

1 tbsp cornstarch

3 tbsp 10% cream (half and half coffee cream)

2 cups or about 10 oz ditali pasta

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Start to cook the pasta as per package directions. Then in a large saucepan melt the butter and add the garlic, heating for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Pour in the pumpkin purée, broth, tomato paste and seasonings. Whisk the cold water and cornstarch together and stir into the pot. Stir together, bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer the sauce 10 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it begins to thicken. You may want to add a tablespoon or 2 of pasta water, but that's optional. Once the sauce has simmered add the cream and heat through. Toss in the cooked and drained ditali. Finally mix in the mozzarella cheese until it's melted.

Serve with more cracked black pepper and basil or parsley.

Serves 3-4

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Cod en Papillote

Perfectly tender steamed fish everytime! Don't have cod? You can always substitute with salmon or halibut.

Ingredients:

5 cod fillets

1 lemon, sliced

5 pieces of pineapple bark (or more lemon)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsps olive oil

2-3 tsps capers

Old Bay seasoning to taste

First, line a baking sheet with parchment and/or foil. If you are using a large enough piece of parchment to completely enclose and seal the fish in then that is fine. Otherwise place a sheet of foil on the pan, then the parchment packet, then another sheet of foil large enough to pinch all the edges together. Usually en papillote would have you making an individual packet for each piece of fish but I figured one big packet would do the trick!

About pineapple bark, I always keep the bark sliced off of fresh pineapple in the freezer for just this use. However, you can use more lemon slices if you don't have pineapple bark. Either way the fish is kept moist and tasty.

Lay pineapple bark or lemon on the parchment, top with the cod fillets. Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together and pour over each fillet, sprinkle capers and Old Bay to taste then top with lemon slices. Cover with parchment/foil and fold all the edges to seal. Bake in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily. The thickness of your fish will impact the cooking time.

Then unwrap and carefully lift the steamed cod onto serving plates for a nice light meal with steamed veggies on the side.

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Rigatoni Chicken Helper

This one pot helper turns a cup of leftover cooked chicken into an awesome pasta plate!

Ingredients:

2 tsps olive oil

1 tsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps tomato paste

4 cups chicken broth

1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp dry oregano

14 oz (6 cups) rigatoni

1 cup cooked chopped chicken

1 cup shredded cheddar (I used jalapeño cheddar)

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot. Add the onion and cook until lightly golden, then add the salt, pepper and garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste, broth, canned tomatoes and oregano and bring to a boil. Add the rigatoni and make sure it is covered with liquid. Cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from heat and add the chicken and cheese. Cover 2 minutes then stir and serve.

Makes 5-6 servings