Ratatouille for Two

This end of summer favourite (yes summer's almost over) is a classic vegetable stew using the bounty of zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant that this time of year offers. Enjoy it here in a little dinner for two version or serve it as an awesome side dish!

Ingredients:

1 cup diced eggplant

1 cup diced zucchini

1 medium onion

handfull of cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

2-3 tbsps fresh chopped parsley and/or basil

4 tbsps olive oil, divided

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp dry thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbsps olive oil in a medium skillet until just slightly browned. Add the rest of the ingredients, including 2 tbsps olive oil but not the parsley/basil and bring up the heat. Then cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add the parsley/basil just before serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Haddock Piccata

Light and lemony haddock, perfect fish Friday fare! Roasted green beans and zucchini are a bonus.

Ingredients:

400 g (0.882 lb) haddock fillets

1/2 lb mixed julienned green beans and zucchini

4 tbsps olive oil, divided

salt and pepper or Mrs Dash seasoning to taste

2 tbsps flour

spray oil

1/4 cup white wine

2 tsps minced garlic

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsps lemon juice

1 tbsp capers

2 tbsps butter

fresh lemon and parsley to serve

Toss the green beans and zucchini with 2 tbsps olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper or Mrs Dash and roast in a 425°F oven for 10 minutes.

While the veggies cook, mix the flour with more salt and pepper or Mrs Dash and dredge each fish fillet to coat. Spray cooking oil in a large frying pan then add 2 tbsps olive oil and heat to medium high. Sauté 2 minutes per side.

Remove fish and keep warm. Deglaze the frying pan with white wine. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute then add the broth, lemon juice, capers and butter and heat through.

Serve the haddock drizzled with sauce, add fresh parsley and lemon wedges and a side of green beans with zucchini.

Adapted from: bellyfull.net

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Cheese Stuffed Sausage Buns

This might be a knife-and-fork kind of sandwich.

Buns, baked to perfection, then filled with cheese stuffed Italian sausages and tomato sauce. Or you can skip the bun and serve these cheesy sausages with a side of fried onions and peppers!

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups warm water (110-115°F)

2 1/4 tsps rapid rise yeast

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 1/2 tsps salt

1 1/2 tsps olive oil

4 cups flour

Egg wash:

1 egg

1 tbsp water

1 lb (500 g) Italian sausages

1 cup tomato sauce

your favourite block cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, jalapeño Monterey Jack)

oregano, basil, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley

Start with the buns... mix the warm water, yeast and sugar together in a mixer bowl. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave for 10 minutes. Combine the flour and salt. Once the yeast has activated add the olive oil, then add the flour in 2-3 additions. Knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place with no drafts for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Punch down dough and turn out onto a work surface. Cut into 4 equal portions and form into loaves. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper long enough to make 3 creases in it. Place the loaves on the parchment with the creases between each loaf to keep them separate as shown below. Cover with a damp cloth and again let rise until doubled. Brush with egg wash then make a long cut down the center with a razor blade. Put 2 cups of water in a pan in the bottom of the oven. 

Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes.

While the buns bake prepare the sausages. Cut the sausages lengthwise through the middle but not all the way through. Insert a chunk of cheese (you could use cheese string sticks) and bring the sausage meat over to cover. Pinch together. Spoon some tomato sauce into the bottom of an 8 X 8" pan and place the sausages on top.

Drizzle the rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle with oregano, basil and parmesan.

Once the buns are done turn up the oven temperature to 400°F and bake the sausages for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Slice the buns in half down the middle, but not right through, and fill with stuffed sausages topped with fresh parsley. And you can use any leftover sauce for dipping.

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Simple Sesame Noodles

This can't be that easy!?! The instructions literally consist of one line! These flavourful noodles are delicious all on their own or you could add your favourite protein.  Also great as a simple side.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup light soya sauce

3 tbsps honey

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp butter

sesame seeds

400 g spaghetti noodles

Heat the sauce ingredients then toss with cooked spaghetti and top with some sesame seeds. (Too easy!)

Serves 4

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One Pan Mini Meatloaves and Potatoes

Individually portioned meatloaves with roasted potatoes and minimal clean-up afterwards ... my kind of meal on this rainy day.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (or trio: beef, veal, pork)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion or green onion

1 egg

2 tbsps wheat germ

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp minced garlic

4 small-medium sized potatoes, diced

small onion, sliced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp BBQ sauce

Combine the meat, chopped onion, egg, wheat germ, salt, pepper, garlic and 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce. Using your hands, shape into 4 mini meatloaves.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then line one half with foil leaving extra foil on each side. 

Place the meatloaves on the foil and bring the sides of the foil up to keep the meatloaf juices contained. Brush with remaining BBQ sauce.

Toss the potatoes and onion with vegetable oil and BBQ sauce and place on the parchment side of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes. Serve with a side of veggies. Wrap up the foil and parchment and clean-up is done!

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Rhubarb Vanilla Loaf

The simplicity of this cake is what makes it outstanding. No glaze or frosting needed, just a tender crumb cake with stripes of sweetened rhubarb.

Ingredients:

rhubarb stalks, enough to cover bottom of 9 X 5" pan

1 cup sugar, divided

1 cup flour

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

3 eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

Cut rhubarb into lengths that will fit the width of a loaf pan. Place in a baking dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Leave for 1 hour. Butter the loaf pan and line with buttered parchment paper. After the hour, take the rhubarb and place it in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar over the stalks. I had very young, thin stalks here.

For the batter, beat the butter and 3/4 cup sugar together. Then add eggs one at a time. Add half the flour, the sour cream, then the rest of the flour. Add vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the batter into the pan over the rhubarb.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before turning out.

I love the pink and green stripes!

Adapted from: nissingflavor.blogspot.com

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Chicken Pasta Garden Salad

Dinner in no time flat! Just chop, cook pasta and toss with dressing. And leftovers work great for lunch the next day! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked chopped chicken

1 1/2 cups fusilli pasta

3 radishes, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

some cucumber chunks

1/2 cup kernel corn

Salad dressing:

3 tbsps mayonnaise

3 tbsps sour cream

1 roasted red pepper, diced

1/2 cup edamame beans

1 tsp lemon or lime juice

1/4 tsp celery seed

salt and pepper to taste

fresh chopped parsley or chives

While the pasta cooks chop up all the ingredients, so that once you drain the pasta and rinse with cold water...

you can toss everything together along with the salad dressing

And serve on a bed of lettuce

Boom, done!

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