Asian Garlic Ribs

Mouthwatering pork garlic ribs are oven baked with meat that comes right off the bone! These ribs are a little time consuming as they do need to marinate overnight but are well worth your time!

Ingredients:

7 lbs (2 racks) pork ribs

3 - 341 ml (12 oz) jars garlic spare rib sauce (I use VH sauce)

3 tbsps ketchup

2 tbsps hoisin

1 1/2 tsps 5 spice powder 

1/4 cup honey 

First, and most importantly, remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Peel off a small edge with a knife then grab it with a paper towel. It should come off in mostly one piece. This allows a more tender finished product. Take one jar of spare rib sauce and add ketchup, hoisin and 5 spice powder. Cover the ribs with this sauce and rub it in, then cover and refrigerate overnight. To cook, preheat oven to 375°F, line baking sheets with foil and place a rack on top. Lay the ribs bone side up on the rack and add water to the pan below. Roast for 30 minutes. Mix the second jar of sauce with the honey in a small saucepan and simmer to combine. Set aside. Take the ribs out of the oven and turn them bone side down. Add more water to the pan below if needed and return the ribs to the oven for 30 minutes more. Now cover the pans with foil and place them back in the oven for 45-60 minutes. Check the water part way through. Now uncover the pans, bone side up and baste with the sauce and honey mixture, roasting 10 minutes. Flip them over and baste again roasting another 10 minutes. Rest 10-15 minutes before serving. If making ahead of time, cut into pieces if you like, and cover with foil to refrigerate. When ready to have, bring to room temperature, pour half to all of the third jar of sauce over the ribs and reheat covered for about 15 minutes. Serves 8-10

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Double Batch Red Pepper Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Lasagna can be made ahead and is also freezer friendly. So make up this double batch and have one for supper. Pop the other one in the freezer for an easy, busy day meal. 

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups cottage cheese

1 egg

4 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

4 tsps minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups parmesan, divided

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp lemon juice

500 ml jar (about 2 cups) roasted red peppers, drained (Or homemade. Check out the recipe link at the bottom of this page)

24 lasagna noodles

5-6 cups marinara or meat sauce, plus more to serve

1 cup parmesan 

Combine the cottage cheese, egg, 2 cups mozzarella, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan, nutmeg and lemon juice. If you don't care for the texture of cottage cheese mash it with a potato masher first. Cook the lasagna noodle then drain and rinse with cold water. You'll need 2 large pots or cook in batches. When ready to assemble oil two 9 X 13" baking dishes and spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of each. Next add 4 noodles, slightly overlapping the edges. Spread 1/4 of the cottage cheese mixture on each, then spoon on 1/2 cup of sauce. Again 4 noodles, 1/4 of the cottage cheese and 1/2 cup sauce. Now add a layer of roasted red peppers, then noodles, sauce and top it all off with 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan on each. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven for 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. For leftovers bring to room temperature then cover and put in a 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165°F. If cooking from frozen, defrost in fridge overnight. Heat extra sauce and serve on the plate with the lasagna. Makes 18 servings.

Recipe for homemade Roasted Sweet Peppers:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2014/09/roasted-sweet-peppers.html 

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Cheesy Everything Bagel Mashed Potatoes

Creamy make ahead mashed potatoes with a fun bagel flavour! 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs (about 7 cups) Yukon gold potatoes cut in 1"cubes

900 ml (about 4 cups) chicken broth

1 - 10 1/2 oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup

1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups plain Panko

2 tbsps butter, melted

1 - 2 tbsps Everything Bagel seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat potatoes and broth together, bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth for this recipe then drain off the rest of the broth and keep for another use. Mash the potatoes with cheddar cheese soup, cream cheese, 1/4 cup broth, salt and pepper. Spoon into an oiled 9 X 13" baking dish. Stir Panko, butter and seasoning together and sprinkle on top. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. This can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just keep it covered and refrigerated before baking and only top with Panko etc right before going into the oven. Serves 12  

Original recipe from: cookwithcampbells.ca 

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Roasted Dijon Carrots and Apples

Savory sweet carrots, melty apples all in a perfectly tangy maple Dijon sauce.

Ingredients:

8 large carrots (2 lbs) cut in 1/4" thick slices

4 large firm apples (1 lb) cut in 1/2" wedges (use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)

2 onions, diced

1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

5 tbsps Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsps fresh thyme leaves 

Whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, pepper and thyme together. Add the carrots, apples, onion and garlic and toss to coat. Roast in a 425°F oven covered with foil for 10 minutes, then uncover for 15 minutes. Toss then return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until carrots are cooked to your liking. Easily made ahead. Just make it and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Serves 12

Adapted from: alternativedish.com

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Loose Meat Sheet Pan Burgers

This type of burger can be made for a crowd, although this particular recipe is for 4 people. Instead of frying up a number of burgers, just cook up some well seasoned beef ahead of time and you're good to go! 

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dry minced onion

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup diced onion

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 burger buns

4 slices processed cheddar cheese

pickle slices

Bun coating:

2 tbsps butter, melted

salt to taste

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard 

sesame seeds (optional) 

First brown the beef and onion with garlic powder, dry minced onion, salt, pepper, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside to cool. This can be a make ahead step to come back to later in the day. Next lay the buns opened on a lined baking sheet. Spoon beef mixture onto the bottoms and give each a firm press with your hand. Add a slice of cheese and some pickles on each them put the bun top in place. Mix the coating ingredients together and brush on top. If you don't use sesame seed buns you can sprinkle sesames seed on top. Bake at 375°F for 15-18 minutes. As I said earlier this recipe serves 4 but may be doubled or made for as many as you need to feed. 

 Adapted from a Turano bread recipe

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Drumsticks

This is a large recipe. You will need a 7 quart slow cooker to cook all this yumminess!

Ingredients:

Topping:

24 chicken drumsticks

4 tsps smoked paprika

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 tbsps smoked paprika

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 1/2 tsps salt

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, diced

1/2 - 1 cup stuffed green olives (optional)

Combine the topping ingredients and coat all the drumsticks. Then, in the slow cooker crockpot, mix all the sauce ingredients and nestle the drumsticks in. You will probably need to layer them and that's ok as long as they are mostly covered in sauce.

Place the onions, bell peppers and olives (if using) on top. Cover and set on low for 6 hours. (You can see here just how full this 7 quart crock is!)

And it's ready to serve with your favourite rice or pasta!

Serves 10

(The leftover sauce can be boiled down for a hearty pasta sauce too!)

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Summer Seafood Pasta Salad

The perfect make ahead meal for family gatherings and picnics that's ready when you are! A colourful mix of veggies, a combination of seafoods and a light olive oil dressing to keep it healthy!

Ingredients:

6 cups large shell pasta

200g (almost 1 cup) crab or crab flavoured pollock 

120g (about 1/2 cup) solid white albacore tuna

227g (8 oz) cooked shrimp

2 large bell peppers, diced

1 medium red onion, diced 

1 English cucumber, diced 

2 celery stalks, diced 

1 cup roughly chopped marinated artichokes 

1 cup stuffed green olives 

200 ml (5 oz) canned sliced black olives

1 cup diced feta

A few fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 

And some fresh chopped parsley too

Dressing:

1 1/3 cups light olive oil 

4 tsps dry basil

4 tbsps parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pieces sundried tomatoes, chopped 

6 tbsps white wine vinegar 

4 or 5 chives, chopped 

1 tsp sea salt 

1/2 tsp dry oregano 

2 pinches of sugar 

Using a food processor, whirl the dressing ingredients together until well combined and set aside.

Cook the pasta then rinse with cold water and drain. Prepare all the veggies. Drain the can of tuna and break into chunks. Slice the crab (flavoured pollock). And for the shrimp I simply defrosted a shrimp ring and removed the tails.

Add the pasta, veggies and seafood to a very large bowl, pour in the dressing and toss to combine coating everything with the dressing.

Chill at least 1 hour for the flavours to develop or even make it a day ahead of time. Just take it out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving, give it a toss and it's good to go!

Makes 10-12 servings

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Garden Green Beans

Green beans picked fresh from my garden. They are coming to an end now but have "bean" my best producer this season!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans, whole or cut lengthwise if bigger

1 yellow pepper, cut in strips

1 onion, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsps minced garlic

14 oz canned diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1/2 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp dry oregano

Boil the beans in salted water until just tender and drain.

In a large skillet, sauté yellow pepper and onion in olive oil until tender then add the garlic for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and seasonings and heat through. 

May be made ahead a few days and re-heated when needed.

Serves 10-12

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Garlic

Ok, mashed potatoes must be the most boring, bland looking vegetable ever!  But with a little help bland can turn to BAM!

Ingredients:

5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes (worth the extra $$)

1 garlic head, roasted and mashed

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup half and half cream

2 tbsps Lowney's chicken broth powder (this is already salty so don't overdo adding extra salt)

1/2 cup regular or roasted red pepper hummus (store bought or homemade... see below for both the hummus recipe and a quick "roasted" garlic recipe link)

🠋Booooring 😞😴

Once you have boiled your potatoes, drain and mash them. Then add the remaining ingredients and mash together until well combined and smooth. Add more cream if you like. Yum!

Serves 10 people

"Roasted" Garlic in the Microwave:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2017/11/roasted-garlic-in-microwave.html

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/07/roasted-red-pepper-hummus.html