Caribou Cocktail

 This is a popular Quebecois drink - but is very potent!

To make 2 drinks, mix 3 oz red wine, 1 oz rye and a dash of maple syrup in a cocktail shaker.  Shake then strain into red wine glass full of ice, Top with soda water and garnish with candied ginger.

Greens, Eggs and Ham Breakfast Sandwich

 I can eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner!  So simple and yet so good.  Make sure you let your eggs have runny yolk!  I always put some vinegar in the water when I poach my eggs.  It keeps the white together better and adds a little flavour.  I got this from Food and Drink magazine, but honestly it is such a simple recipe.  Switch up the bacon for peameal, the arugula for spinach or the poached eggs for whatever way you like them.  

4 English muffins, split
2 tbsp (30 mL) mayonnaise
1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 mL) sriracha (to taste)
1 large ripe avocado, sliced
1 cup (250 mL) baby arugula or other spicy baby green
6 slices applewood bacon, cooked to crispy, torn into thirds
4 large poached eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Toast English muffins.

2. Combine mayonnaise and sriracha. Set aside.

3. Line the bottom halves of the English muffins up on the counter. Divide avocado slices between them and use a fork to roughly mash onto toast. Top avocado with arugula, bacon and poached egg. Season with salt and pepper. Spread inside of English muffin tops with sriracha mayonnaise, place atop bottoms, and enjoy!

Serves 4

Chicken Nuggets with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

 I love making my own chicken nuggets but this recipe (from Food and Drink Magazine) has a little twist with Sesame seeds in the breading.  If Cilantro is not your jam, just use a Spicy Thai or Plum Sauce.  

DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup (250 mL) packed fresh cilantro
½ cup (125 mL) packed fresh parsley
5 cloves garlic
¾ cup (175 mL) vegetable oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) red-wine vinegar
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

CHICKEN
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) salt plus more for seasoning
3 eggs
1½ cups (375 mL) dry bread crumbs
½ cup (125 mL) sesame seeds
3 to 4 chicken breasts, 2 lbs (1 kg) in total
Vegetable oil, approx. 8 cups (2 L) for frying or ¼ cup (60 mL) for baking

1. Prepare sauce by whirling cilantro and parsley in a food processor. With motor running, drop in 
garlic cloves. Slowly pour in oil in a slow steady stream. Whirl in vinegar. Season with salt. Sauce will
 keep well, covered and refrigerated for at least 12 hours.

2. For coating, place flour and salt in a shallow dish. Beat eggs in a separate shallow dish. In another
 shallow dish, stir bread crumbs and sesame seeds.

3. Cut chicken into 1½ to 2-inch (4 to 5-cm) chunks. Season with salt, if you like. Working with a 
few pieces at a time, dip and coat in flour then egg. Next, coat in sesame-bread crumb mixture. Set 
on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all chicken is coated.

4. To fry, fill a deep fryer or large deep pot with 2 inches (5 cm) of oil. Set over medium-high. Heat 
until a thermometer reads 350°F (180°C). Working in batches, carefully add chicken. Cook about 6 
pieces at a time. Adjust heat as needed to maintain temperature. Fry until deep-golden and chicken 
is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Serve immediately.

5. To bake, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange dipped chicken pieces over 2 parchment-lined 
baking sheets. Brush all sides with oil. Bake until chicken is crisp and cooked through, 20 to 22 
minutes.

6. If making ahead, cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Reheat by preheating 
oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake cooked chicken on a baking sheet until crisp and warm, about 8 
minutes.

7. Serve hot nuggets with dipping sauce.

Makes approximately 36 nuggets and 1 cup (250 mL) sauce

Bahn Mi Bowl

 Simple to make and has all the Umami!  From Food and Drink Magazine.

QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 carrots, sliced into long strips using a carrot peeler, down to the core

3 radishes, thinly sliced

1 pkg (500g) medium rice stick noodles

VIETNAMESE SAUCE

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp fish sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

SPICED PORK PATTIES

500g lean ground pork

2 tbsp minced cilantro, plus extra for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 green onions, minced

1 tbsp sriracha

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half moons

1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly torn

2 tbsp crushed salted peanuts

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat rice vinegar, sugar and salt, stirring until dissolved. Cool to room temperature (will be almost syrupy).   Add prepared carrots and radishes and toss well.  Refrigerate for half hour.

2.  Boil a kettle of water.  Pour over noodles to cover and let sit for 10 to 12 minutes, or follow recommended package instructions.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Drain well and set aside.

3.  Make noodle sauce by combining lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce water and sugar.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Set aside.

4.  For spiced patties, in a medium bowl, mix together ground pork, cilantro, garlic, green onion, sriracha, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper.  For into 8 equal oblong patties.  Drizzle oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat, then cook patties for a few minutes on first side, flip then cook on the second side for 3 minutes more or until completely cooked through.

5.  To assemble pour sauce over noodles and toss well, then divide equally among 4 bowls.  Top with patties and pickled veggies.  Garnish with cucumber, fresh mint and peanuts then pour any extra sauce over top.

Serves 4

Mexican Chocolate Cookies

 These chocolate cookies are easy to make and have just a bit of chill heat.  Decorate seasonally with white or coloured icing or melted chocolate.

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa, salt, cinnamon and cayenne.  In a separate bowl, cream butter using an electric mixer.  Beat in sugar and vanilla; mix in egg and yolk.  Add flour mixture and stir to combine.  Bring together in a ball and flatten slightly.

3.  If dough is sticky, lightly dust surface with cocoa, roll out dough a scant 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out using your favourite cookie cutters and re roll trims.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm to the touch.  Cool on a rack.

Focaccia Grape and Sausage Stuffing

 This recipe came from Food And Drink Holiday 2016 and I thought it worked really well.  The Focaccia Bread can be switched up with any of your favourite breads, but the texture of focaccia is a nice addition to this recipe.  If you are not a fan of grapes, try cranberries or apricots. 

500 g red grapes, halved (about 3 cups)

5 tbsp olive oil, divided

3/4 tsp salt, divided

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

500 g mild Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 loaf (390g) day old rosemary focaccia, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1.  Preheat oven to 275F

2.  Toss grapes with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt.  Turn out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and slow roast for 2 hours; cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake stuffing.

3.  While grapes are roasting, melt butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium low.  Once foaming, add onion, 1/4 tsp salt, stir and cover for 5 minutes to wilt onion.  Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, for 25 minutes longer or until onions are deeply caramelized.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to proceed.

4.  When ready to finish stuffing, heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; fry sausage, breaking apart with a fork until no longer pink.  Add to a large bowl along with grapes, onions and the focaccia.  Sprinkle rosemary, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper on top.

5.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and stock; pour over bread mixture and toss to combine.  Turn out into a 12 cup oven proof dish and bake in a 350 F oven for 30 minutes or until top is golden and stuffing is hot.

Mushroom, Walnut and Chicken Stuffing

This has such a great variety of flavours!  Try it for your next holiday dinner    

1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 leek, white and light green part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

500 g ground chicken

1 1/2 tsp salt, divided

1 tbsp dried savoury

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp dried rubbed sage

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 baguette, whole grain, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup toasted walnuts finely chopped

3 eggs

2 cups chicken stock

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated medium cheddar

1.  Heat up 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium low heat.  Cook leeks and mushrooms until mushrooms have given up their moisture and leeks are tender, about 10 minutes, turn out into a large bowl.

2.  Return skillet to stove, increase heat to medium and melt remaining 1/4 cup butter.  Add garlic and ground chicken to pan, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, savoury, 1 tbsp thyme and sage.  Break up with a fork and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.  Pour white wine over and reduce until virtually no liquid remains, combine with leek mixture in bowl.  Add bread, walnuts and toss to combine.  

3.  Preheat oven to 350F.

4.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, stock, pepper and remaining 1/2 tsp salt,. pour over bread mixture and combine.  Turn mixture out into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Top with cheese and remaining 2 tsp thyme and bake on lower rack for 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is golden and stuffing is hot.

Serves 12