Chewy Chocolate Meringue Cookies

What to do with one leftover egg white. You could make an egg white omelet (yuck) or this small batch of flourless, chewy chocolate cookies!

Ingredients:

 3/4 cup icing sugar

2 tbsps cocoa powder

1 tsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 egg white

1/8 tsp vanilla

sea salt optional

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Mix the icing sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt together. Add the egg white and mix on low to combine then beat on high for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment and sprinkle with sea salt if desired. 

Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

Makes 12

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Sriracha Shrimp and Green Beans

The addictive subtle, spicy taste of sriracha tempered with the sweetness of sweet chili sauce, crispy fresh green beans and plump shrimp stir fried together in a light sauce.

Ingredients:

600 g (21 oz) 16/20 size shrimp, peeled

12 oz fresh green beans

2 tsps sesame oil

1 carrot, julienned

 

Sriracha stir fry sauce:

6 tbsps soya sauce

6 tbsps sweet chili sauce

2-3 tbsps sriracha sauce

1 1/2 tbsps minced garlic

2 tsps fresh minced ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 green onions and black sesame seed to garnish

First blanch the green beans for 2-3 minutes, boiling them then plunging into a cold water bath. Drain. This can be done the day before and saves time when ready to cook but blanching is not a necessary step.

Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat the sesame oil to medium high in a wok or skillet. Stir fry the green beans and carrots for 1-2 minutes or a little longer to tender crisp if not pre-blanched. Aren't these carrots beautiful? I picked them up at an Asian market... they're called fruit carrots and are a very deep orange colour, almost red!

Add the shrimp to the hot pan and cook until they are all pink stirring regularly. Add the sauce and on medium heat cook until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Serves 4-6

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Stir Fry Cross Rib Steak

A little time to marinate but otherwise only about 5 minutes cooking time. Who could complain about that! And it's finished with a drizzle of white truffle oil for a unique taste.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb cross rib steak, thinly sliced

3 tbsps soya sauce

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

2 tsps worcestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

handful of baby spinach leaves

white truffle oil to finish (optional) 

 

Combine the soya sauce, balsamic, worcestershire and garlic powder and mix in the beef slices. Marinate in the fridge for 1-4 hours. When ready to cook heat butter and vegetable oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and place in the pan. Sear for 2 minutes then flip and stir another 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the spinach and, if using, finish with a drizzle of about 1 tbsp white truffle oil for a little extra umami!

Serves 2

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Chop Suey with Ramen

A heaping serving of ground beef, bean sprouts and assorted other veggies in a generously juicy sauce commonly served over white rice, but this time I opted for ramen noodles as the carb. 

Ingredients:

 t tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground beef

2 tsps minced garlic

1 ramen noodle cake (discard flavour packet)

218 ml (7 oz) can sliced water chestnuts 

1 carrot, shredded

3 green onions, sliced and divided white and green

2 celery stalks, sliced

370 g (13 oz) bean sprouts

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

 

Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsps soya sauce

1 1/2 tbsps oyster sauce

1 tbsps mirin or red wine vinegar

2 tsps sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar (if using red wine vinegar)

 

Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil to medium high in a wok or skillet. Add the beef and garlic and cook until no pink remains in the beef. Add the sauce and cook for 1 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, water chestnuts and white part of the green onions. Cook 1-2 minutes. Then push everything to the sides making a well in the center. Add water and place the ramen in the center pressing down to get into the water. (It won't be completely covered by the water, that's ok). Cover and leave to simmer for 1 minute then flip the ramen and cook 1 minute longer. You could use 2 ramen cakes for a more noodly dish but I wanted to highlight the veggies!

Separate the noodles with a fork and add the bean sprouts, green slices of green onion, salt and pepper. Stir together and cook 2 minutes longer.

Serves 4-5

Happy Year of the Dragon!

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Mashed Potatoes au Gratin

Creamy, dreamy, cheesy mashed potatoes topped with crispy slices of Yukon gold. Best of both worlds!

Ingredients for the mashed layer:

3 1/2 lbs potatoes (I used russet here)

1 tbsp salt + 1 tsp salt

6 tbsps butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup cream, at room temperature (whipping or coffee cream)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar

1/4 tsp pepper

 

Au gratin:

1 1/2 lbs potatoes (and Yukon here!)

2 tbsps butter

1-2 tsps minced garlic

1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 tbsps parmesan cheese

Fresh rosemary or chives to garnish

 

Take 3 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into chunks and boil with 1 tbsp salt until knife tender. Drain and let sit in colander 1 minute. To the hot pot add the butter and cream, stir to melt. Return the potatoes and mash. Add the cheese, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Spoon into a buttered 10 X 10" baking dish and spread smooth. The dish can be premade to this point. Just cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature again when ready to continue.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

For the gratin:

Scrub the skin of 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, slice in half lengthwise then slice thinly, into about 1/8" thick half moons. Melt butter, add garlic, salt and pepper and toss with the potato slices. Then mix in 1 1/2 tbsps parmesan. Lay slices cut side down on mashed potatoes at an angle in 3 or 4 rows. Cover with foil and into the 400°F oven for 20 minutes.

Remove foil, add 1 1/2 tbsps parmesan and return to the oven uncovered for 40 minutes. Let rest 15-20 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8

Adapted from: dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk

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Classic BBQ Pork Chops

This classic sweet rub brings out the best in these barbecued pork chops. We used 3/4" thick to ensure a juicy chop. Those thin ones tend to dry out.

Ingredients:

2 - 3/4 - 1" thick pork chops

2 tbsps olive oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

zest of 1/2 lemon

 

Pat dry then brush 1 tbsp olive oil on each chop. Combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder together and rub into both sides of each pork chop. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or up to 24 hours for the flavours to really permeate the meat.

When ready heat the barbecue to 400°F or medium high. Grill the pork for 7-10 minutes per side with the grill lid closed until the internal temperature reads 145°F. Hubby used his handy dandy BBQ light to spotlight his work!

Let the chops rest for 5 minutes before digging in!

Serves 2

Served here with Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash. Get the recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/02/apple-stuffed-acorn-squash.html 

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Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Wouldn't these be cute for Valentine's Day? Brown sugar and cinnamon baked acorn squash filled with luscious caramelized apples!

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

2 tbsps butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsps cinnamon

 

Caramelized apples:

1 1/2 - 2 apples (I used Gala here)

1 1/2 tbsps brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tbsps lime juice

1 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsps honey

Fresh or dried thyme to garnish

Cut the squash in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds and strings. A grapefruit spoon does the trick! You may also have to take a thin slice off each bottom so they can sit flat.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and spread on the cut side and in the hollows. Turn cut side down on a parchment lined pan. I found a loaf pan fit them perfectly. Bake in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes or until the flesh is tender.

Core and slice the apples and place in a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon and lime juice. Toss to coat and let them sit for about 15 minutes to release some of their juice.

In a frying pan heat the butter on high then add the apple slices for 3-5 minutes. Keep them in a single layer as much as possible and flip to caramelize both sides. Remove from heat and add the honey.

Turn the squash halves over and divide the apples between each. You may need to let the apples cool somewhat if you want to handle them and stack them like this. Pour any accumulated juices from the pan over the apples.

If you make these ahead of time just pop them in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes. Then garnish with fresh or dried thyme and serve. Beautiful!

Serves 2

Adapted from: juliasalbum.com

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