Grilled Sausage and Veggies

You can't go wrong with this classic combination of zucchini, red pepper and onions . We used honey garlic sausages this time around but use any sausage you like in this recipe ... hot Italian, brats, Oktoberfest. The possibilities are endless! 

Ingredients:

5 honey garlic sausages, cut in bit-sized pieces

1 small or 1/2 a large zucchini, cut in chunks

1 sweet red pepper, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

a handful of snowpeas

2 tbsps olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Whisk the oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper together in a bowl then add all the vegetables and toss to coat.

Set the grill heat on medium high and cook the veggies in an oiled griddle or basket for about 20-25 minutes until crispy-ish.

Make a space in the center of the vegetables and add the sausage pieces, cooking them about 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

Toss together and serve with rice or couscous.

Makes 4 servings.

Linguini and Crispy Chickpeas

Simple pantry staples make this weeknight meat free meal a hit!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

7-8 fresh rosemary sprigs

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 lb linguini

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

3 tbsps butter

3 tsps minced garlic

19 oz can chickpeas, rinse, drain and pat dry

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 lemon and fresh parsley to serve

To make the rosemary oil: Dry rosemary sprigs with a paper towel, then in a skillet large enough to hold all the pasta, warm the olive oil to medium. Add the rosemary, fry and flip until the sizzling stops, about 3-4 minutes. The leaves should be crisp. Place the sprigs on a paper towel. 

Boil the pasta in salted water and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.

Add butter to the rosemary oil and bring to medium heat. Add the chickpeas and fry to golden and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic for 1 minute. 

When chickpeas are ready set heat on low, add salt and pepper and the pasta. Remove the rosemary leaves from stems and crumble with fingers into the pot along with the fresh chopped parsley. Stir well and add the pasta water.

Serve with lemon wedges and parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Original recipe: itsalislagle

Rice Stuffed Garden Tomatoes

Is your garden overflowing with tomatoes? Then this is the stuffed tomato comfort food you didn't know you needed!

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

1-2 tsps salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 tsp dry basil

1/2 tsp dry oregano

pinch of sugar

2 tsps minced garlic

6 tbsps olive oil

1/2 cup (approximately) tomato sauce

3/4 cup arborio rice

3 medium-large new potatoes, unpeeled and diced

Cut tops off the tomatoes about a quarter the way down and keep them for later. Remove the pulp. I found using this serrated grapefruit spoon for the job was perfect! Blend the pulp in a food processor and sprinkle salt in each tomato shell.

Then, to the pulp, add dry basil and oregano, broth, fresh basil, garlic and 2 tbsps olive oil along with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of sugar. Blend on high then measure and add enough tomato sauce to make 2 cups. (You should need about 1/2 cup tomato sauce, but add more if you need to). Stir the rice in.

Oil a 13 X 9" baking dish. Toss diced potatoes with 2 tbsps olive oil and place them in the baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Snuggle the tomatoes in between the potatoes, fill them with the filling and put their "hats" back on. 

Pour the remaining filling over the potatoes and drizzle everything with another 2 tbsps of olive oil.

Bake at 375°F for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes.

Serve warm with parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves to garnish.

Grilled Apple Blueberry Skillet Crisp

Why does everything taste even better when it's cooked and eaten outside?

Ingredients:

5 cups apples, sliced

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

2 tbsps flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 cup oats

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 tsp salt

Oil a 9" cast iron skillet. 

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss with apples and blueberries. Pour into the skillet.

Mix the oats, brown sugar, butter and salt and crumble over the fruit.

Grill on the BBQ on medium high indirect heat, closed cover, for 30-40 minutes.

Delicious plain or with a big old scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Easy Chicken Pad Thai

Using pre-cooked chicken, this delicious Pad Thai can be on your table in less than 30 minutes. Who needs take-out?

Ingredients:

4 oz spaghetti or rice noodles

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/2 lb cooked diced chicken

1/2 sweet red pepper, sliced

3/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen

2 tsps minced garlic

1 egg

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

2 tbsps sunflower seeds

fresh parsley

Sauce:

2 tbsps brown sugar

1 tbsp low sodium soya sauce

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp natural peanut butter

1 tbsp sriracha sauce

1 tsp minced ginger

black pepper to taste

Prepare your noodles of choice following package directions then rinse in cold water and toss with 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Set aside.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Now you're ready to cook!

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok on medium high heat. Add the pepper and onion and sauté 1-2 minutes. Add the carrot, peas and garlic and cook 1 minute.

Make a well in the center of the veggies and add the beaten egg. Leave 1-2 minutes before tossing and breaking up until cooked.

Add the chicken, noodles and sauce and heat for 2 minutes.

Serve garnished with chopped peanuts, sunflower seeds and fresh chopped parsley.

Serves 2-3

Strawberry Cranberry Coffee Cake

 Just a little somethin' somethin' to get you over the hump this week!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 - 100g strawberry yogurt cups

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup halved strawberries

1 cup frozen cranberries

1 tsp sugar

First mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Add the yogurt and vanilla then, on low, add the dry ingredients just until combined.

Spray a 9" baking dish with oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the dish and arrange the fruit on top. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes checking for doneness at 45 minutes.

Great for breakfast or with a nice caffeinated something or other in the afternoon!

Salsa all'Amatriciana

Like many classic Italian pasta sauces, this Salsa all'Amatriciana is quick, easy and totally delicious!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped spicy capocollo (or guanciale, pancetta)

2 tbsps white wine vinegar

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tbsps olive oil

pinch red pepper flakes

796 ml can San Marzano whole tomatoes

salt to taste

400 g pasta (I used spaghetti)

1/4 cup romano or parmesan cheese

shaved romano or parmesan to serve

This is the first time I have ever used San Marzano tomatoes and I'm sorry but I don't see what the big deal is. They are supposed to be the best, maybe my taste buds aren't refined enough 🤷. Anyways I will make this recipe again sometime with a $1.00 can of tomatoes rather than this product at $5.28 a can and see if it makes a difference. All this to say use whatever canned tomatoes you like!

In a large skillet, sauté the capocollo on low heat for 5 minutes then add the white wine vinegar and cook another 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Traditionally this sauce is made with guanciale and substitutes can be pancetta or bacon but I chose to use a spicy capocollo instead.

In the same skillet add the olive oil, onion and red pepper flakes and cook until the onions are translucent. Purée 2 cups of the tomatoes and add to the skillet.

Cook sauce on medium low heat for 10 minutes then add the capocollo. Simmer to slightly thicken then chop the remaining tomatoes and add to the sauce along with the salt.

Cook pasta to al dente, then drain and add to the sauce tossing to coat. Stir in the 1/4 cup romano or parmesan cheese.

Serve topped with shaved cheese and maybe a nice Chianti 🍷 

Serves 4

Adapted from sugarlovespices.com

Tomato and Cuc Salad for Two

This easy salad for two can be served on it's own for lunch or as a starter with dinner.

Ingredients:

Salad greens enough to half fill 2 bowls

2 tbsps edamame beans

1 tomato, cut in chunks

1/2 garden cucumber, sliced in quarters

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp - 2 tsps red pepper flakes (to taste)

pinch sea salt

1/8 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp light olive oil

feta to crumble on top

So... pretty simple. Once the two bowls have their greens in them, combine the edamame beans, tomato, parsley and cucumber and divide in half. 

Mix the garlic, red pepper flakes (I'm a wimp and only used 1/4 tsp), sea salt, rice wine vinegar and olive oil together. Pour half over half the tomatoes etc. and toss, them dump it on top of the greens. Repeat with the second bowl.

Crumble the feta on top and serve right away!

Baked Fish and Cherry Tomatoes with Orzo

Try this flavourful dish tonight! It's bursting with garlic, sweet juicy tomatoes and the tang of lemon and capers!

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsps olive oil

1 lb white fish fillets

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tsp capers

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tsps balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp cold butter

1 lemon

fresh chopped parsley and basil to garnish

Lemon Garlic Orzo:

2 cups water

1 cup orzo pasta

3 tbsps lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tsps minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup cooked green beans, cut in 1" pieces

salt and pepper to taste

Begin by oiling a 9 X 13" baking dish. Arrange the fish fillets in the dish so they are not overlapping then brush with some olive oil and add salt and pepper. Combine the tomatoes, capers, garlic, 2 tbsps olive oil and balsamic and pour over the fish. Put a couple of pieces of butter on each fillet along with a slice of lemon.

Bake at 425°F for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

While the fish bakes prepare the orzo. Boil water in a medium saucepan and add the orzo. Cook according to package directions. Mix the lemon juice, zest, garlic, parsley, green beans, salt and pepper and toss together with the cooked orzo.

To serve spoon some orzo onto the plate and top with a fillet of fish. Add fresh chopped parsley and basil. So colourful and bright!

Adapted from: mvmagazine.com

Pizza Pot Pie

Baked in a pie crust rather than pizza dough, this dish (as the name suggests) is a cross between a pot pie and a deep dish pizza. Very cheeeeesy!

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp dry oregano

3/4 lb Italian sausage

250g cream cheese

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 cup sweet bell pepper, diced

18 slices pepperoni

2 tbsps sliced black olives

pie dough for 2 crust 9" pie

1 egg and 1 tsp water for egg wash

9" cast iron pan

In a large mixer bowl blend the cream cheese, mozzarella (reserve 2 tbsp mozzarella for later) and oregano together, then set aside.

Cut the sausage in pieces. Brown in a skillet until almost completely cooked breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onions, sweet pepper and black olives and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the meat to the cheese mixture and fold in the tomatoes.

Roll out half the pastry on a floured counter and place in a 9" cast iron pan. Add the filling then top with half the pepperoni. Roll out the top crust, put it on and pinch the edge all around. Make a few slits for steam to escape then brush with egg wash and sprinkle some oregano. Place the rest of the pepperoni slices making sure not to cover the slits in the pastry, then add the reserved 2 tbsps mozzarella.

Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂