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Chunky Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk and Chives


Ingredients

  • 680 grams uncooked Yukon gold potato(es), cut into 2.5-cm (1-inch) chunks

  • 3⁄4 cup(s) low-fat buttermilk, warmed

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1tsp kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1⁄2 tsp black pepper, or to taste

  • 1⁄4 cup(s)chives, fresh, chopped

Instructions

  • Place potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with enough water to cover them; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes; drain.

  • Return potatoes to same saucepan; add buttermilk and butter. Coarsely mash potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper; fold in chives. Yields about 125 ml (1/2 cup) per serving.

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps


ABOUT:

This is a great spicy recipe.  You will need to adjust the curry to your liking.  Original recipe was 2 tablespoons and it was found to be exceedingly spicy hot.  Courtesy of https://www.averiecooks.com 

It makes between 6-8 servings at
6 weight watchers points per serving (206 calories per serving)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken (I’ve also used ground turkey with good results)
  • 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
  • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce, or to taste (sriracha may be substituted)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, or to taste
  • one 8-ounce can water chestnut, drained and diced small
  • 2 to 3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • butter lettuce leaves, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently to crumbly while cooking.
  2. Add the onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent and most of the liquid has been absorbed; stir intermittently.
  3. Add the garlic, ginger, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
  4. Add the water chestnuts, green onions, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until tender. Taste filling and make any necessary flavor adjustments, i.e. more soy sauce, hoisin, pepper, etc.
  5. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the lettuce leaves to serve. Recipe is best warm and fresh but filling will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days

Summer Corn, Bacon and Potato Chowder


Ingredients

  • 1 medium uncooked Yukon gold potato(es)

  • 1 spray(s) cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)

  • 1⁄2 cup(s) uncooked celery, chopped

  • 1⁄4 cup(s) uncooked onion(s), chopped (or 1 large shallot)

  • 4 piece(s) corn, kernels removed with a knife

  • 1 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), diced

  • 4 oz uncooked Canadian bacon, diced

  • 2 cup(s) fat free skim milk

  • 1⁄2 tsp table salt

  • 1⁄4 tsp black pepper

  • 1⁄8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Instructions

  • Puncture potato in several places with a fork; microwave on high power until tender, turning over once, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool; peel and mash.

  • Meanwhile, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add celery, onion, corn and red pepper; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. (Note: Feel free to substitute your favourite fresh vegetables like asparagus and broccoli for the red pepper. Or to save time, substitute 2 cups of frozen corn and 1 cup of frozen, diced bell pepper for the fresh corn and red pepper.)

  • Stir bacon and milk into saucepan; stir in mashed potato and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; stir to combine. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (do not allow to boil). Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving. 6 points per serving

Easiest and Tastiest Dill Pickles


This one to Bev Romane from my Credit Union days.

20170822_224459
​You will need a number of 1 quart jars, lids and rings.

  • 3 large cloves of garlic per jar.
  • 1 large head of dill (the size of the palm of your hand) per jar

Put the above items in each jar then pack each jar loosely with pickling cukes

Add the following to each jar20170822_221350

  • 1/2 cup pickling vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of pickling salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar

Fill each jar with water leaving 1/4 inch at top of the jar.  Put on lids.

Put jars in canner.  Fill canner with luke warm water to cover jars.

Put on high heat until water in the canner just comes to a boil.

Once water boils remove jars, tighten lids & shake to ensure salt & sugar are dissolved.

Leave 6 weeks then enjoy.

Auntie Peggy ‘ s Peach Cobler


Made with fresh Okanagan Peaches

I show my appreciation to my love slave by preparing desserts for him made from his favourite fruit, PEACHES!!! And it just so happened that with our hot hot summer, peach season is Peach Cobbler Finished Productabout a month early.  So I needed to dust off my recipe folder and find my Aunt Peg ‘s Peach Cobbler recipe.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Peach Filling

  • 1 & 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 cups sliced peaches
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Directions for Peach Filling

  1. Combine cornstarch, cinnamon/nutmeg, brown sugar and water in saucepanFresh Peaches from the Tree
  2. Cook and stir until thickened
  3. Add peaches, lemon juice and butter
  4. Cook until peaches are hot (about 5 minutes)

Topping

  •  1 cup sifted all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg (beaten)

Directions for Topping

  1. Sift together all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
  2. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs
  3. Combine mile and beaten egg in a bowl
  4. Add to dry mixture, stir until just moistened

Putting It All Together

  1. Pour peach filling into 8 & 1/4 x 1 & 3/4 inch round baking dish.
  2. Immediately spoon on biscuit topping in 6 mounds.
  3. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 -25 minutes.  (topping should be golden brown)

Enjoy

Tuna Tataki with Citrus Ginger Sauce


I tried this recipe recently and it was fantastic!  I need to give kudos to http://www.grouprecipes.com/people/luisascatering for sharing!

Ingredients

  • 3 very fresh albacore tuna fillets
  • 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
  • canola oil for searing

Citrus-ginger Sauce :

  • 2 tablespoons honey (or more to taste)
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • a few drops of sesame oil
  • juice of one orange
  • juice of half a lemon
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons saké (or mirin)
  • 2 thin slices of ginger

Salad Garnish:
shaved cucumber, sliced avocado, frisee lettuce, thinly sliced green onions (I used red onion)

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients for the sauce; set aside (the sliced ginger will infuse the sauce).
  • On a shallow plate, pour the sesame seeds. Season the tuna with cracked black pepper and salt. Coat the tuna in the sesame seeds, pressing lightly so they stick to the tuna.
  • Place a saute pan over high heat. Add the oil and sear the tuna on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
  • In a bowl combine the cucumber, green onions and frisee. Toss with some of the citrus-ginger sauce.
  • Slice the chilled tuna across the grain, faning it out into 3-4 pieces per plate. Place some of the dressed greens on 4 plates. Top with sliced tuna, garnish with avocado and drizzle with some more of the citrus-ginger sauce

Starbucks Copycat – Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade


20141116_125615 (1)I give full credit to Deseree Kazda for this lovely copycat recipe from http://www.lifeambrosia.com

It breaks down as follows:

Lemonade Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of water (divided into 1 & 2 cups)
  • 1 cup sugar (I used Xyla)
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Ice

Blackberry Mojito Green Tea

  • 4 cups of water
  • 5 green tea bags
  • 6 ounces black berries
  • 8-10 mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare a syrup by heating 1 cup of sugar/xyla with one cup of water until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and chill
  2. Mix 1 cup of lemon juice with 2 cups of water and chill
  3. Brew 5 green tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water.  steep for 10 minutes and then chill
  4. Purée blackberries in a food processor.  Strain through mesh sieve to remove seeds.  Add Purée and diced mint leaves to brewed tea.  Mix well
  5. Add lemon and water, sugar syrup to brewed tea.  Mix well and chill
  6. Serve over ice

Refreshing green tea mojito lemonade for quenching your thirst.

Sharing the Love (aka good websites)


Hi Everyone,
Its been awhile since I posted, however, I found this fantastic site for busy peeps like me. It gives you 20 freezer slow cooker recipes and the shopping list (for Costco) Now as we know not all Costco’s are created equal so some of the ingredients may not be available in your local store. But give it a try it might be well worth checking out:

http://www.5dollardinners.com/gluten-free-slow-cooker-freezer-packs-costco-meal-plan/

Sloppy Joes, slop sloppy joes


Sloppy JoesHoagies and Grinders, Hoagies and Grinders. Remember Adam Sandler’s tribute to the lunch lady?

Well this is actually a recipe for the best sloppy joes I’ve ever had.  So simple, so quick and so tasty.  This recipe comes to you courtesy of one of my favourite cook books: The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 16-ounce can of pork and beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
6 8-inch-long rolls

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large skillet,over medium-high heat, cook first 3 ingredients for 10 minutes until ground beef is well browned.
  2. Stir in next 4 ingredient; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  3. Halve rolls horizontally.  Add 2/3 cup of ground beef and pork and beans mixture and enjoy.

Nuts and Bolts/Bits and Bites Recipe – My party/camping standby


I have to admit my frugal side cannot bear to spend almost $3.00 a bag on nuts and bolts/bit and bites at the store when for about $20 I can make 12 bags that are double the size of the $3.00 bag and they taste SOOO much better

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 to 2 cups of vegetable oil
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
7-8 drops of Tabasco sauce
optional: 1/4 tsp tumeric and 1/4 tsp cumin

1 Medium size box each of Cheerios, Shreddies & Crispix (I also add Bugles)
1 Bag of Pretzels
Optional: Peanuts or Mixed Nuts

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix cereal, pretzels (Nuts) in a large roasting pan with a cover.
  2. Mix above ingredients and slowly pour over cereal mixture.
  3. Mix well to ensure roaster fill of ingredients is well coated
  4. Bake (covered) in an oven at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes

I bag them in dollar store clear cello gifts bags.

Enjoy!!! (They never last long in my house)