Hamburger Casserole

From Company's Coming Casseroles, this is a simple and family friendly recipe.

2 cups cooked small egg noodles
500 g ground beef
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic clove
2 x 213 ml tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1. Prepare noodles as directed on package.  Drain.  Measure.  Spread in bottom of 1.5 L casserole.
2. Scramble-fry beef in cooking oil until brown.  Drain and discard fat.
3. Add onion, garlic tomato sauce, salt and pepper to meat.  Simmer gently for 15 minutes.  Pour over noodles in casserole.
4. Spread sour cream over meat, making a smooth, level surface
5. Spoon cottage cheese over top.
6. Layer cheese over top to cover completely.  Bake uncovered in 350F oven for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Serves 6 to 8

Lemony Golden Potatoes with Smoked Paprika and Cilantro

A rich side dish perfect with almost anything!  From Food and Drink Holiday 2014.

1/5 kg small Yukon Gold potatoes, about 8
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 lemons, juiced about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, divided
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Peel and slice potatoes into eighths.
3. In a large ovenproof dish, toss potatoes with olive oil, lemon juice, 3/4 of cilantro, salt and paprika.  Roast, uncovered for 50 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through cook time.  When done potatoes will be golden brown and crispy on the outside.  Transfer potatoes ot serving dish, garnish with remaining cilantro and serve immediately.

Serves 6

Candied Potatoes

These are a family favourite at holiday time.

1 kg potatoes, very small (Parisienne)
50 g brown sugar
50 g butter

Wash potatoes.  Boil in skin then peel.  Put butter and sugar in frying pan and heat over medium heat.  Add potatoes; stir until completely covered.

Curried Hash

A nice curry dish that is simple to make.  Serve this over rice or noodles.

1 tbsp canola oil
600g ground beef - lean
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp curry powder

1. Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat on stovetop.  Brown ground beef and onion, stirring frequently to break up. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil.
2. Stir in flour until well mixed with meat mixture.  Add milk all at once.  Stir as it boils and thickens.  Stir in curry powder.  Add more liquid if needed.  Serve over desired rice or noodles with fresh vegetables on the side.

Blue Maple

An absolutely delicious cocktail!  From Food and Drink Autumn 2011

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 oz blueberry vodka (I used regular vodka) 1/2 oz maple syrup, 1/2 oz lemon juice and 3 oz blueberry juice (I substituted blueberry cranberry).  Stir until icy cold and strain into a martini glass.

Enjoy!

Hoisin Beef and Almonds

A quick meal for a busy family night.

750 beef tenderloin or beef medallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 cups cooked Jasmine rice

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and beef and cook until beef is almost cooked through
3. Add Hoisin sauce and red pepper, cook another 3 minutes until pepper is softened and all beef is covered in sauce.
4. Serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds

Raspberry Parfait with Oatmeal and Scotch

Definitely an adult dessert.  You could switch the raspberries for any in season fruit.  This is very pretty and very easy to make.  From Food and Drink Autumn 2003.

2 tsp quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup soft cream cheese
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup single malt Scotch
2 cups raspberries

1. Toast oatmeal in skillet on low heat for 6 to 7 minutes, until it turns a toasty brown.  Remove from skillet and cool.  Whip cream until soft peaks form.
2. Mix cheese with honey, sugar and Scotch until smooth.  Taste and add more sugar if desired.  Fold in whipped cream.
3. Place 2 tbsp raspberries in the bottom of each glass.  Top with 1/4 cup cream mixture and sprinkle over 1/4 tsp toasted oats.  Repeat, layering as desired.

Serves 4

Dreamy Chocolate Torte

This is decadently rich.  I made this up for a New Years Eve party.  The centre is very soft and it is almost like a molten cake.  The original recipe called for chocolate whipping cream but I just used regular as I thought it would offset the rich cake a little better.

4 oz bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
2 oz milk chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup salted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cups whipping cream
chocolate curls or additional cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Butter a 10 inch springform pan and line with a round of parchment paper.
2. Melt bittersweet chocolate with milk chocolate and the butter in a large heavy saucepan wset over low heat until smooth.  Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and salt, followed by eggs and vanilla.  Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture; stir until combined.
3. Scrape batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until top has a thin crust and the edges pull away from pan.  Cool on a rack for 10 minutes.  Run a thin knife around edge of cake; carefully invert onto a serving plate and remove parchment paper.  Cool completely.  
4. Beat whipping cream until very stiff.  Mound whipping cream onto centre of cake just before serving.  Garnish with chocolate curls or a dusting of cocoa.  Makes 20 servings.

Crispy Chicken with Zucchini Saute

This is a really nice crispy coating.  The original recipe call for Halibut but I changed it to chicken.

1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup panko
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
3 tbsp canola oil
2 small zucchini, cut on the bias into ovals
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 tsp chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Make a dredging station for the chicken: combine flour, chili powder and salt in a shallow bowl.  Beat egg with milk and Dijon in another bowl, and place panko in the third bowl.
3. Dredge chicken first in flour, then in egg mixture and then in panko to coat.
4. Heat 2 tbsp canola oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat.  Add chicken and fry, turning for 2 to 3 minutes or until crumbs are golden.  Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Wipe out pan and add remaining 1 tbsp canola oil and heat on medium high heat.  Add zucchini and fry for 1 minute or until just beginning to soften.  Add tomatoes and garlic; fry 1 minute longer or until they have begun to release juice.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.
6. Serve chicken over zucchini mixture

Pumpkin Harvest

I loved this cocktail!

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice add 1 oz spiced rum, 1/2 oz amaretto, 1 tbsp pumpkin puree, 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice, 4 oz milk or cream.  Shake sharply and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a cinnamon stick.