All posts by Sonte

Beef

Tater Tot Casserole

September 17, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

After a very long weekend of preparing fruit for the freezer, a toddler underfoot and 2 great big dogs demanding attention I had run out of energy but still needed to get dinner on the table to feed said Toddler. If left to my own devices? A bowl of cereal would have been sufficient!
Alright, so Kid-Friendly food, requires no effort on my part and yet will satisfy the adults in the house? hmmm, I had seen Tater Tot Casserole on Pinterest, it came through my Facebook feed…might as well give it a go. I googled it and came up with a gazillion recipes! When inundated with responses like that I search out recipes from my Tried and True sites: Kraft (not that I use a lot of their product but I like their site’s format), Canadian Living, Taste of Home, Food Network. I went with the Kraft one as it was the top Hit; after reading some of the reviews I made a couple of little changes: added McCormicks Beef Stock cube and a layer of Fresh Spinach (to up the nutritional value!) and a handful of halved Grape Tomatoes for colour. Head on over to Kraft for the original version of Tater-Topped Casserole.
The verdict? Toddler didn’t like the taters! Or the Spinach…to which Grandpa said that perhaps Benny needed to start watching Popeye to learn the value of Spinach! Hah! Grandpa thought it tasted like Hamburger Stroganoff and Ryan said it was a coronary waiting to happen and I wasn’t to make it again because it tasted so good he could have eaten the entire casserole on his own! It had ground beef in it so I didn’t have any…will have to give it another go using Yves Just Like Ground Round just so I personally can see what all the fuss is about.

Everyone has to try Tater Tot Casserole at least once!

1 lb Ground Beef
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
6 large Mushrooms, sliced
1 McCormick’s Beef Stock cube, crumbled
1 (10 3/4 oz) can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2 – 4 cups Fresh Spinach – 2 big handfuls of Fresh Spinach
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 lb Frozen Tater Tots, or enough to cover casserole

Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly spray 9″x13″ Pyrex casserole dish with vegetable oil spray.

In large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and sautee onions for a few minutes.
Reduce heat to medium, stir in garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Add ground beef, breaking it up and browning evenly.
Add crumbled beef stock cube, mushroom soup and sour cream; stir and cook until heated through.
Pour into prepared baking dish.
Top beef mixture with a layer of fresh spinach followed by a layer of tater tots.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, top with shredded cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese; return to oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes.

Serves 6 – 8

Tater Tot Casserole with Roasted Cauliflower and Garden Salad

Side Dishes

Cashew Rice Pilaf

September 16, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

This recipe came through my Facebook feed from Budget Bytes the other day and I thought I might have all the ingredients in my pantry; only had to make a few substitutions and have another on deck for the next time I make this.
Now maybe my pilaf fell a little flat because I used Basmati rice instead of Jasmine but I am more likely to have Basmati rice in the pantry over Jasmine so I will just make that work by adding a McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube the next time I make it. Also, try as I might, I simply cannot grown a kitchen herb garden! Every time I buy fresh cilantro it goes off before I have a chance to use it so I just left it out. I threw in a bit of fresh chopped parsley (Because who can’t grow that stuff!?) which added lovely colour but not a whole lot of flavour.

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
2 cups Basmati Rice
1/2 chopped Cashews
1/4 cup dried Currants
3 cups Water
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 Bay Leaf
A few sprigs Cilantro, chopped

In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat.
Cook onion for 2 minutes then stir in minced garlic, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring often.
Add the rice, turn the heat up a notch; cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Add the cashews, currants, water, vegetable stock cube, salt and bay leaf; stir to combine.
Turn the heat all the way up and bring the pot to a boil; reduce the heat as soon as it comes to a full boil, put the lid on and turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes, with lid on.
Remove lid, fluff the rice with a fork.
Gently stir in chopped cilantro.
Serve hot.

Serves 6

About, Seafood

Salmon Burger

September 16, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

Earlier this year I made Salmon Burgers using raw salmon which went over very well with the meat eaters in our house but my Aunty Ginny recently gave me some canned salmon so thought I would try a Salmon Burger using that…As the Cook, I preferred using the canned salmon over the raw! Those that consumed the Burgers liked both versions, helpful Souls that they are when it comes to critiquing my fare!

Rather than googling a recipe I resorted to my tried and true source and found, “Savoury Fish Patties” Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook, Everything you Need to Know to Cook, 8th Edition, A Simon and Schuster Macmillan Company, New York, NY, Macmillan, 1996, 188. Print
I made a few slight changes: I always have bread crumbs in the pantry/freezer so used the measured amount over the two torn slices of bread, substituted dill for the marjoram and forgot the dry mustard altogether.

3 cups canned Salmon
1/2 cup chopped Onion
1 1/3 cup Bread Crumbs
2 large Eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon dried Dill
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Pepper, to taste

Olive Oil, for frying

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Shape into 6 large patties.
Heat oil in a 10″ Skillet over medium heat.
Cook patties in oil for about 5 minutes, carefully turn over and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Remove to serving platter.
Serve with Boathouse Lemon Dill Dipping Sauce.

Serves 6

Vegetarian

Vegetable Pie

August 12, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

I have been making this recipe so long that the recipe page is now sandwiched between two layers of packing tape so that it will not deteriorate any further! I got the recipe from a Tupperware dealer when Ultra21’s were all the rage! I loved those so much! I have long since lost the Ultra 21 and now use a 10″Springform pan instead. I like how easy it is to serve from a Springform pan and how easy a Springform is to clean!

: My Very Favourite Vegetable Pie

Crust:
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain Yogurt
Filling:
3 cups finely chopped Broccoli (it is important that all your veggies [use a combo of Broccoli, Cauliflower, Peppers, Grated Carrot, Mushrooms] are finely chopped with the exception of zucchini)
1/3 cup diced Onion
Topping:
1 cup Grated Cheddar, or a combination of cheeses: Monterey Jack, Mozza, Swiss, a sprinkle of Parmesan, loosely equal to a cup of grated cheese
2 medium Tomatoes, sliced
1/3 cup Mayo combined with 2 Tablespoons plain Yogurt
8 fresh Basil leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Basil

Preheat oven to 450F. (230C)
Prepare a 20″ Springform pan by spraying with Vegetable Oil Spray and lightly dusting with cornmeal. Or use the same size Quiche pan.
In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yogurt and stir until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into prepared baking pan and, if using a springform pan, halfway up the sides.
Layer filling over crust in order given.
In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup Mayo and 2 Tbsp Plain Yogurt; spread this over the Vegetable Filling.
Top with grated cheese(s).
Arrange sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves on top. (If using dried basil, sprinkle on top of cheese(s)

Bake at 450F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350F (175C) and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, let stand for 15 minutes, serve.

Serves 6 – 8

Vegetarian

Lentil Loaf

August 12, 2013 Sonte Leave a comment

The Lentil Loaf recipe that I found eons ago in a Canadian Living magazine is a versatile staple in my Vegetarian lifestyle: sometimes I bake it in a loaf pan, make a Cashew Nut Sauce to go with it; sometimes I scoop the mixture into a muffin tin for single serving portions, wrap ’em up, freeze ’em and use ’em when I need ’em; and finally, my fave, I use it as a base for Shepherd’s Pie.

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, crushed

1 1/2 cups Red Lentils, washed and well drained

3 cups Vegetable Broth

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2/3 cup Bread Crumbs

1 Tomato, chopped

2 + teaspoons Basil

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Egg, lightly beaten (optional)

1/4 cup Water

5 – 6 potatoes

Heat olive oil in a medium size saucepan with tight fitting lid.
Cook onion in heated oil for 2 – 3 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking for another few minutes.
Stir in lentils until coated.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender.
Remove from heat, stir well, mashing any whole lentils remaining.
Stir in lemon juice, bread crumbs, tomatoes, basil and salt, water and egg, if using.

If making Shepherd’s Pie, Cook potatoes now to make your favourite Mashed Potatoes
Preheat oven to 350F now.

Prepare an 8x4inch loaf pan; spray lightly with vegetable oil spray.
or
Prepare Muffin tin; spray 12 large muffin cups with vegetable oil spray

Prepare 4 Ramekins: spray lightly with vegetable oil spray

Scoop Lentil Mixture into your baking dish(es)
If making Shepherd’s Pie, top Lentil Mixture with a layer of Frozen Peas or Frozen Mixed Vegetables and top with Mashed Potatoes.

Bake in 350F:

Loaf – 1 1/2 hours, until knife inserted comes out clean
Muffin Tin – 40 – 45 minutes, until pick inserted comes out clean

Shepherd’s Pie – 35 – 45 minutes, until Lentil layer is Bubbly and Potato topping is golden.

For an unconventional Shepherd’s Pie, coz my Aussie Husband dislikes Mashed Potatoes! (shakes head, who doesn’t like mashed potatoes??)
I parboiled some baby potatoes, drained, sliced and threw them onto a layer of Frozen Peas on top of the Lentil Mixture. Before baking for 30 minutes, I lightly brushed the potatoes with some melted butter and sprinkled the whole thing with fresh ground Pepper and a bit of dried basil.

Aysontespli's Kitchen