Pizza Pot Pie

Baked in a pie crust rather than pizza dough, this dish (as the name suggests) is a cross between a pot pie and a deep dish pizza. Very cheeeeesy!

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp dry oregano

3/4 lb Italian sausage

250g cream cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 cup sweet bell pepper, diced

18 slices pepperoni

2 tbsps sliced black olives

pie dough for 2 crust 9" pie

1 egg and 1 tsp water for egg wash

9" cast iron pan

In a large mixer bowl blend the cream cheese, mozzarella (reserve 2 tbsp mozzarella for later) and oregano together, then set aside.

Cut the sausage in pieces. Brown in a skillet until almost completely cooked breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onions, sweet pepper and black olives and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the meat to the cheese mixture and fold in the tomatoes.

Roll out half the pastry on a floured counter and place in a 9" cast iron pan. Add the filling then top with half the pepperoni. Roll out the top crust, put it on and pinch the edge all around. Make a few slits for steam to escape then brush with egg wash and sprinkle some oregano. Place the rest of the pepperoni slices making sure not to cover the slits in the pastry, then add the reserved 2 tbsps mozzarella.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

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Apple Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Easy and decadent at the same time. I used the last of this year's garden rhubarb in this creamy and crunchy pie.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped rhubarb

1 cup sliced apple

1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved or sliced if large

3 eggs

1/2 cup baking mix like Bisquick (or homemade see below for the recipe link)

3 tbsps melted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

Streusel topping:

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 tbsps brown sugar

sprinkle of cinnamon

Mix 1/4 cup sugar with the prepared fruit and place in the bottom of an oiled 9" cast iron pan or pie plate.

In a blender combine the eggs, baking mix, melted butter, salt, cinnamon, 1 cup sugar, vanilla and milk and pour over the fruit. 

Combine the streusel ingredients and distribute over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 375°F for 50-55 minutes.

Cool before slicing then enjoy with coffee or a nice dessert wine.

See below for homemade baking mix recipe 🠋

Homemade Bisquick baking mix recipe:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/03/homemade-bisquick-baking-mix.html

Spanish Slow Cooker Stew

Slow cooking brings out the sweetness of the carrots and red pepper and cooks the beef to rustic, mouthwatering perfection! 

Ingredients:

1 lb blade or stewing beef, cut in 1" cubes

10 oz canned diced or crushed tomatoes

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper

3 tsps minced garlic

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dry thyme

salt and pepper to taste

2 carrots, sliced thinly

1 tsp cornstarch

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet and brown the meat 1-2 minutes per side. Then on medium heat add the onions and cook 2 minutes, add the garlic for 1 more minute.

Return the beef to the pan and add the balsamic to deglaze the pan.

Empty the skillet into the slow cooker ...

and add the sweet pepper, canned tomatoes, smoked paprika, worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper and carrots. Cover and cook on high 3 hours. 

Remove 1/2 cup of the liquid from the crock and mix with the cornstarch. Then make a well in the center of the stew and stir the water in, cooking for 15 minutes on high.

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4

Tomato and Tofu Pie

 A savory tofu filling is topped with fresh (garden, if you're lucky) tomatoes, basil and red onion ready to serve as a brunch item, bougie lunch, appetizer or light supper.

Ingredients:

pie dough for a 9-10" pie shell

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar (vegetarian) cheese

2-3 medium sized tomatoes, 1/4-1/2" slices

a few cherry tomato halves to fill in the gaps

fresh chopped basil and leaves to garnish

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 lb firm tofu, shredded

2 tsps worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sodium reduced soya sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

Roll out the pie dough. Lightly spray a 9" tart pan and place the dough in it. Poke several times with a fork then refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready place a sheet of parchment paper over the shell then sit a glass pie plate on top. This is my method since I don't have pie weights. Blind bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

Slice the tomatoes and place on a paper towel. Salt them on both sides and let sit 10 minutes before blotting dry.

In the meantime pat the tofu dry then shred. Or if it has been frozen and thawed, gently squeeze extra liquid out then shred. Mix with worcestershire, veg oil, soya sauce, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.

Mix the cheddar and mayo together.

Spoon the tofu mixture into the pie shell pressing gently, then spred the cheese/mayo mixture over the tofu. 

Top the cheese/mayo mix with 2-3 tbsps chopped basil followed by a layer of tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper. 

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.

And let sit 20 minutes before cutting.

I think it looks pretty awesome!

Quick Refrigerator Red Onion Pickle

Prepare these pickles in the morning and have them with dinner that same night. Mom used to make these on the regular.

Ingredients:

2 medium red onions, thinly sliced

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

2/3 cup water

2 tsps sea salt

3 whole cloves (optional)

Place the sliced onions in a bowl or jar. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Then pour it over the onions.

Cool and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Great on burgers or as a side to beef, pork or chicken.

Subtly Citrus Pound Cake

Just a hint of lemon, orange and lime and this buttery moist cake is perfect with a nice cup of tea! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups sugar

6 eggs (or 5 eggs and 1 chia egg, I'll explain later)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lime juice

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 orange

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp salt

Syrup:

2 tbsps sugar

2 tbsps water

1/4 cup reserved juice from above

Cream the butter and sugar together. Sift the flour and baking powder together then add the salt. Add the eggs to the butter/sugar. (I only had 5 eggs in the fridge so I substituted 1 chia egg for the 6th egg, that's why it might look like poppy seed. If you find you need an egg for baking mix 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsps water. Let sit 10-15 minutes then add to your recipe as you would a regular egg). 

Then, alternating, add some milk, some flour to the to the butter/eggs/sugar until well combined.

Next mix the lemon, orange and lime juices together. Reserve 1/4 cup for syrup.

After reserving juice for syrup add the remaining juice and the zests to the batter.

Line 2 - 8 X 4" loaf pans with parchment paper. Pour the batter in then bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool 10-15 minutes then pierce the cake with a tester or skewer all over (maybe 30 punctures). Heat the syrup ingredients together to melt the sugar and spoon over the loaves.

Cool completely in the pans before removing.

Then slice and enjoy.

You can keep one and give one away or freeze one for later use.

Makes 2 loaves

Asian Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti

Savory Asian flavours and quick cooking time make this meal a weeknight favourite! Another 30 minute meal!

Ingredients:

18 oz shrimp, 16/20 size

12 oz spaghetti

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 red pepper sliced

1 carrot, shredded

1 small red onion, sliced

handful of snow peas

Sauce:

1/3 cup tamari or low sodium soya sauce

3 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps brown sugar

1 tsp sriracha sauce

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp freshly minced ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

basil leaves to garnish

Start by cooking the pasta and while it cooks get the shrimp, veggies and sauce ready.

Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and on medium heat cook the shrimp with 2 tbsps of the sauce for about 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables, stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and add to the skillet. Toss along with the sauce heating through for 2-3 minutes.

Then serve garnished with fresh basil.

Serves 4

Adapted from damndelicious.net