Mild Mango Salsa

This classic combination of juicy mango, tart lime and hot (ish) seasonings comes together in just a few minutes. It's a healthy condiment that's generally served with fish, but I think can be served with just about any meat or fish. You can even serve it with tortilla chips for a fresh appetizer!

Ingredients:
1 mango, diced
1 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion, white, vidalia or red
1/2 cup diced tomato
2 tbsps fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
1 garlic clove minced
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
pinch of hot pepper flakes

I don't have big cilantro fans here so I use parsley but ideally you want to use cilantro in your salsa.

Mix the mango, red pepper, onion, tomato and parsley together in a medium sized bowl. Then mix the garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes together.
You could use some finely chopped jalapeño in place of the hot pepper flakes if you want more heat.

Toss together and serve right away, but if you have the time refrigerate it for a few hours so the flavours have time to develop.

Then serve it up with just about anything that's grilled!

Lemon Lime Salad Dressing

Finally ... salad weather! And this salad dressing is so light and fresh tasting, you'll want to use it on all your salads!

Ingredients:
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsps olive oil
1/2 tsp tahini
salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp honey

For this salad I tossed the dressing with 1  1/2 cups of chopped kale and let it sit for 1 hour so the kale had time to soften.

Then I added 1 cup romaine, some cucumber, tomato, red pepper and crumbled feta.

Try this dressing on your favourite salad!

Lemon Garlic Asparagus

Add zing to your asparagus with lemon and garlic and this recipe only takes about 10 minutes to make! It's the perfect side dish to a nicely grilled steak!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsps olive oil
a few pats of butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsps panko bread crumbs

Begin by lining a baking sheet with foil, toss the asparagus with oil and spread out on the pan. 
Top with pats of butter, minced garlic, lemon zest and squeeze juice over all.

Mix the parmesan cheese and panko crumbs together and sprinkle over the asparagus.

Bake in a 400 F oven for 10 minutes, then broil for 2-3 minutes for that golden brown finish!

Serves 4

Chocolate and Nutella Schmear Cake

When you need a little chocolate fix with a hint of Nutella...

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 devil's food chocolate cake mix

Add an extra egg than what the mix calls for on the box, replace the oil with melted butter and replace the water with 10% cream. Add 2 tsps vanilla

Frosting:

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1/4 cup Nutella

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

2 tsps meringue powder

2 tsps vanilla or hazelnut extract

2 tbsps heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt (only if using unsalted butter)

1-2 tbsps chocolate oreo crumbs

Bake the cake in 2 - 8" rounds using the extra ingredients listed above then cool completely. Using a length of thread, loop it around the cake, cross it over itself and pull, slicing the cake in half.

For the frosting, melt the chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds. Stir it and return to the microwave for 15 seconds. Continue stirring and adding 15 seconds until the chocolate is almost melted, then stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes and stir in the nutella. Cool another 5 minutes.

Cream the butter in a large mixer bowl and add the chocolate, stir well.

Mix meringue powder and icing sugar together. I chose to use meringue powder in this frosting because with the addition of nutella I wanted to make sure it was stable.

Add the icing sugar mix to the chocolate in 3 additions, mixing well between each addition. Then add the vanilla (and salt if using). Finally on low speed add the heavy cream, then increase to high for 30 seconds.

Now start stacking and icing the cake!

When the cake is completely covered daub nutella randomly around the side.

Then pull a spatula/knife across the side schmearing the nutella over the frosting.

Sprinkle the chocolate crumbs on top and its ready!

Refrigerate, then remove from fridge 1-2 hours before serving.

Pappadelle with Pork, Beef and Beets

YES, with beets! And it's pretty awesome!

Ingredients:
2 tbsps olive oil
3/4 lb inside round steak, cut in strips
1 cooked pork chop, cut in chunks
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cooked or canned beets, sliced
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tsps dry onion soup mix
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
8.5 oz (250 g) pappadelle egg noodles
1 cup reserved pasta water

First off I have to explain the meat... I had one cooked pork chop leftover in the fridge. And I had a small piece of round steak too. They worked really well together and both were tender in this dish. You could just use steak or just use the pork doubling the amounts but it was interesting to use both.

In a large skillet brown the steak in olive oil then remove to a plate.

Add the onions and mushrooms to the same skillet and cook 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic and carrots cooking 1 minute before adding the balsamic vinegar.

Put the rest of the ingredients (beets, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, onion soup mix, celery seed, thyme, bay leaf and pork) and return the beef to the pan.

Cover and simmer on low for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Then cook the pappadelle and 2 minutes before the suggested cooking time remove 1 cup pasta water and drain the pappadelle. Add the pasta water and the drained pappadelle to the skillet and stir together. Simmer 2-3 minutes longer.

The beets lend a rustic taste to the dish...

and give the noodles a pretty pink tint.

Serves 4

Rhubarb and Strawberry Meringue Squares

They say rhubarb is one of the easiest plants to grow, requiring little maintenance, but somehow I have been able to stunt the growth of mine and actually kill some right off! So when I was able to harvest enough stalks to make this recipe I was very happy!

Tart rhubarb reminds me of when I was young(er) and Mom would give me a cup of sugar with a stalk of rhubarb and I'd dip the stalk in and eat the sugar. I mean dip the stalk in a little sugar and eat the rhubarb! (Who are we kidding...it was the vehicle with which to each a cup full of sugar!)

But let's move on to this light and sweet/tart dessert. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup flour

1 tbsp sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tbsps flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup 10% cream

2 cups sliced rhubarb

1/2 cup strawberries

3 egg whites, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp coconut

For this tender shortbread base mix together the butter, 1 cup flour and 1 tbsp sugar and gently press into an ungreased 9 X 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

For the fruit filling beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar together. Then add the flour, salt and cream and combine well. Stir in the fruit.  Pour over hot crust and bake for 45 minutes.

You could literally stop right here and eat it.   

But if you decide to wait for the meringue before eating it beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the vanilla, then add the sugar gradually, beating between additions until stiff.

Pile it on top, making sure to seal it to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with coconut and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.

This reminds me of those toasted coconut marshmallows we used to eat. (Still thinking of sugar highs!)

Once cooled at least 30 minutes cut into squares. A trick for cutting meringue is to use a hot knife. Run it under hot water and wipe dry, then score the meringue before cutting all the way through.

Makes 9 servings

Adapted from: BettyCrocker.com

Baked Lemon and Pineapple Infused Salmon Fillet

I used a wild caught salmon fillet with even thickness for even cooking. Foil wrapped so no dry salmon here! And
bonus...  a darn easy clean-up!

Ingredients:
344 g (3/4 lb)  salmon fillet, skin-on
lemon slices and/or pineapple bark
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
herbed sea salt
celery seed
lemon pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
a few pats of butter

Line a baking sheet with foil then make a bed of lemon slices and/or pineapple bark. Whenever we have fresh pineapple in the house I always put the bark that was cut off in the freezer to use with fish. It gives it a moist and tasty base to cook on.

Place the salmon skin side down on the fruit layer. Sprinkle with the seasonings to taste then sprinkle with lemon juice. Add the butter and place another piece of foil over the top and seal the edges.

Now pop the pan in a 425 F oven or BBQ for 18 minutes.

Open a corner of the foil to check for flakiness. It should be good to go, but if not then fold the foil again and bake for another couple of minutes.

Serve skin-on. It's good for you and this method of cooking makes it so moist you won't even notice it.

Serves 2-3

Boston Custard Bars

Recipes don't always turn out the way that you expect them to. But there is usually a way to save them.

Ingredients:

Blondie base:
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Custard layer:
6 tbsps sugar
1  1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 egg yolks
4  1/2 tbsps cornstarch

Ganache: (This part didn't work for me)
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp corn syrup

Chocolate Drizzle: (did this instead of ganache, see below)
1/4-1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips 
1/4 tsp vegetable oil


For the blondie layer:
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Cream together the brown sugar, butter and vanilla.
Add the egg then stir in the flour.
Press into a parchment line 8 X 8" baking pan and bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes. Cool completely.

For the custard layer:
In a saucepan over medium heat combine the milk and 3 tbsps of sugar. Bring just to a boil.  In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks and the other 3 tbsps of sugar and vanilla. Add the cornstarch and mix until smooth, then immediately add 1 cup of the heated milk to the egg yolk mixture, whisking while pouring.

Pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan, whisking continuously over medium heat until thickened. This happens pretty quickly.

Cool about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spread the custard evenly over the blondie base then place in the fridge to cool and set completely.

For the ganache: (Here's where things started to go sideways)
In a saucepan bring the heavy cream and syrup just to a boil in the microwave 15-20 seconds. Pour in the chocolate chips and just let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. (Now I should have realized something wasn't right as it was pretty runny.)
Pour over chilled custard layer and return the pan once again to the fridge. (I figured it would be ok)

After a few hours on light touch the ganache appeared to be set. I lifted the whole thing out of the pan using the parchment and proceeded to cut into squares.

They seemed a little goopy and when I picked a square up the "ganache" slipped right off the custard!!! Ugh!
So I used the back of a knife to scrape the chocolate off the tops of the squares.

Into oh-my-God-what-am-I-going-to-do-now mode as I was planning on taking these to a friend's house! 

I melted the chocolate chips and vegetable oil in the microwave about 30 seconds. Then spooned the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag, snipped  a corner and drizzled on the chocolate.

Crisis averted ☺

Although if I had drizzled chocolate on in the first place the custard wouldn't have had the remnants of unset ganache all over it. But I do have to say I was pleased with the consistency of the custard for squares.

Original Recipe: spendwithpennies.com

Simple Oven Roasted Sausage Skewers

With the rainy summer they're predicting for us we won't always be able to BBQ so these Oven Roasted Sausage Skewers are the next best thing.

Ingredients:
Assorted sausages...bacon/cheddar, italian, toulouse
Vidalia onion, mushrooms, zucchini, sweet peppers
Balsamic salad dressing

If you're using wooden skewers soak them in water 15 minutes before using them.

Once you have everything on them place in a 400 F oven for 15 minutes.
Turn them over, brush with balsamic dressing and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Of course if the weather cooperates these would be great on the barbecue as well!