Category Archives: About

Gardener’s Shepherd Pie

I love that Canadian Living posts dinner ideas. I often click on their suggestion and think “Ah, yea, that would be good!” But invariably I am missing some ingredient or another but tonight I had everything, and more, to come up with this version of Gardener’s Pie. ( http://www.canadianliving.com/food/quick_and_easy/gardeners_pie.php)

Gardener's Shepherd Pie
Comfort food extraordinaire for a cold Winter's night: Gardener's Shepherd Pie

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Carrot, grated
6 medium Mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Tablespoon dried Basil
1 pkg Yves Ground Round Original
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Water
1 McCormick’s Vegetable Stock cube
2 Tablespoon Catalina Dressing (or 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste)

Potato Topping
8 Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup Milk
1 1/2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Light Cream Cheese
2 Tablespoons Butter

Preheat oven to 400F.
Lightly spray a 9X13 casserole dish with vegetable oil spray; set aside.

In medium saucepan cook the potatoes until tender; about 10 – 15 minutes depending on how small or large you cut your potatoes.
Drain potatoes and return to pot.
Mash with milk and butter.
Stir in parmesan cheese and cream cheese.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
Cook onion for about 3 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking for another minute or so.
Add grated carrot, basil, frozen mixed veggies and mushrooms.
Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Add water, Catalina Dressing and vegetable stock cube.
Bring to a boil, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat and continue simmering until the potatoes are ready.

Once potatoes are ready to go, pour the “meat” mixture into prepared pan.
Spread mashed potatoes over top.
Dot with scant dollops of butter.
Bake in 400F oven until hot through, about 20 minutes.
Serve with Salad and Crusty Rolls.

Serves 6

 

 

 

 

 

Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce was the first Main Meal I ever cooked. I was 10 years old, home alone, starving and knew my mother would be tired when she got home from work. I thought I would surprise her and make dinner! Oh, what a disaster! I did everything right except, and it is big EXCEPT, instead of using canned tomatoes or tomato sauce I used 3 cans of tomato paste!!!! It was rather rich! Despite my rather large error,  it was game over after that; I was hooked on cooking.

Garden Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce
A wonderful combination of fresh vegetables, herbs and spices.

2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
3 -4 cloves Garlic, minced
3 ribs Celery, chopped
1 – 2 Carrots, grated
1 each, chopped: Green Pepper, Red Pepper, Yellow or Orange Pepper
1 Zucchini, grated
4 – 6 Mushrooms, sliced
1 (800gm) can Dice Tomatoes
1 (800gm) can Crushed Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon each: Basil, Oregano, Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan; add diced onion and saute for 3 minutes.
Add garlic and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.
Stir in celery, carrot, chopped peppers, mushrooms and  zucchini.
Cook until vegetables are slightly softened.
Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste; stir well.
Reduce heat to minimum to simmer for about an hour ( I like to put a pot of Spag sauce               on the stove around 1pm and have it simmering until ready to serve at 5pm)

Stir in brown sugar, herbs and spices and let the simmering begin.
Give it a stir every now and again while it simmers away on the stove, making your house smell like an Italian Restaurante!

Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Serves 6

Spaghetti Sauce
Spaghetti with Garlic Toast

 

 

Confetti Rice

I don’t remember when or why I started making this rice but I just love it! It reminds of me of the Chicken Fricassee that O-Mommy used to make.

Confetti Rice
Confetti Rice brings back memories of meals my Grandmother used to make.

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 ribs Celery, chopped
1 Carrot, grated
3 cups Long Grain Rice
5 3/4 cups Water
3 McCormick Vegetable Stock cubes

In medium saucepan saute onion for about 3 minutes.
Add garlic and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Stir in chopped celery and grated carrot; cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in rice to coat; add water and vegetable stock cubes.

Bring to a boil over high heat then immediately reduce heat to low.
Place lid on saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes.
Fluff with fork and serve immediately.

Serves 6

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies have to be one of my absolute favourite cookies! They are the perfect cookie for our house because my husband loves Choc Chippers and I love Peanut Butter cookies!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
The ultimate combination of Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 generous teaspoon Vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
a pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 360F
Prepare baking trays: spray lightly with vegetable oil spray

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until well combined.
Add brown sugar and continue creaming for a minute.
Add peanut butter and continue creaming
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add Vanilla and cream the whole lot for a few minutes scraping sides and bottom of bowl a couple of times.
Using a wooden spoon or mixing paddle on the mixer, stir in the dry ingredients; pour in milk chocolate chips and continue  stirring until cookie dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Using a 2 (or 3) ounce Pampered Chef scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto baking trays allowing room for expansion!
Slightly flatten just using your finger, pushing down  through the middle of the cookie to make a slight indentation.

Bake in preheated 360F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. If baking two trays at a time, rotate mid way through baking time to ensure even browning: top to bottom, bottom to top, front to back.

Remove from oven and let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Rum Balls

I only make these at Christmas time…the only trouble is? I can never make enough!

Rum Balls
Family Tradition - Rum Balls

 

1 cup Milk
2 cups Sugar
2/3 cup Butter (125g…coz I usually measure third cups on the scale…no convenient third                                  cup line markings on the pounds of butter!)

6 Tablespoons Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Some Rum! I never measure, I just pour in the Bundy Rum!
6 cups Quick Rolled Oats
2 cups Fine Coconut
1/2 cup chopped Raisins
1/2 ground Walnuts <—I rarely add these coz my kids won’t let me use them

2 cups Fine Coconut for coating Rum Balls.

In medium mixing bowl combine rolled oats, coconut, chopped raisins and ground walnuts; set aside.
In large saucepan melt the butter; stir in sugar, cocoa and milk.
Stir constantly until bubbly.
Remove from heat and stir in Rum and combined dry ingredients.
Shape generous teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls; roll in coconut.
Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Yield: 4 Dozen Rum Balls