Fish with Fresh Papaya

Pan fried white fish with an unexpected pairing of sweet and slightly musky scented papaya.

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup diced fresh papaya

black pepper to taste

2 tbsps slivered sundried tomatoes in oil

1/2 tsp hot sauce

2 basa (or other white fish) fillets

2 tbsps pineapple juice (or chicken broth but the juice gives it a nice sweetness)

 

Heat oil to medium high and add the onion, browning for 2-3 minutes. Then add the sundried tomatoes, papaya and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 2-3 minutes.

Push the mixture to the sides of the pan and add the fish to the center. Cook 2 minutes then flip, add black pepper to taste. Pour juice or broth around the fish and cook 3-4 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork

Serves 2

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Sausages with Apples

These Empire apples were the perfect sweet, tart compliment to cheddar apple sausages! You can use any sausage you like and any apple, as long as it's a cooking apple that holds it's shape as well as the Empire.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, sliced 

 6 sausages, 375g

 2 Empire apples, cut in wedges (or other cooking apple)

 

1/2 cup chicken broth

 

1/4 tsp dry thyme 

Brown the onion in olive oil on medium high heat 2-3 minutes. Then push them aside to make space in the center of the pan. Add the sausages and brown on all sides 5-6 minutes.

Scatter the apple wedges around the sausages and sprinkle with thyme.

Pour the broth in and cover. Cook on medium low to low heat 7-8 minutes or until apples are tender.

Serves 2

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Lentil Stuffed Pepper Squash

Nutty lentils, sweet pineapple and tender, colourful pepper squash combine for a fiber rich vegetarian dinner.

Ingredients:

1 pepper squash

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup red lentils, rinse and drain

3/4 cup water

1/4-1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple below

1/4 cup green peas

1 small onion, diced

2 canned pineapple rings, cut in chunks 

2 tsps butter or coconut oil

1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 

First cut the squash in half and clean out the seeds. I found using an ice cream scoop works well for this job. Brush the flesh with olive oil then add salt and pepper to taste. Lay cut side down on a lined baking sheet and roast in a 400°F oven for 30 minutes or until fork tender.

 

While the squash cooks microwave the lentils and water 8-10 minutes. Once cooked add the curry powder, garlic powder, pineapple juice and green peas. Set aside.

In a frying pan heat butter to high and add the onion and pineapple chunks to brown for 4 minutes, then toss and cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the ginger and red pepper flakes.

 

Fill the squash halves with the lentils/pea mixture and top with the onions and pineapple.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. 

(And yes, you can eat the skin too!)

Serves 2

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Chicken Ramen Stir Fry

This quick and simple meal is loaded with fresh, crisp veggies and tender, juicy chicken fillets! 

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast fillets

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1 cup thick sliced mushrooms

2 tbsps vegetable oil

2 celery stalks, sliced

3 oz (85g X 2 pkgs) ramen noodles, discard flavour paquets

3 tsps minced garlic

2 tbsps soya sauce

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth

3 green onions, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsps sriracha

2 tsps cornstarch

2 tsps water

Cook the ramen noodles as per package directions, drain and set aside. Toss those flavour paquets out!

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan to medium high. Add chicken fillets and brown on all sides. Add carrots, red onion, garlic, soya sauce, sriracha, salt and pepper. Stir fry 5 minutes.

Next add the broth, green pepper, mushrooms, celery (and it's leaves if you have them) and green onions. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir the cornstarch and water together. Make a well in the center of the pan and pour in. Stir together then add back the ramen and cook 1 minute to thicken.

Serves 4

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Cowboy Beans and Potatoes

Don't let it's plain appearance fool you. This dish is deceivingly delicious! And since it's got Italian sausage in it maybe it should be call Spaghetti Western instead of Cowboy Beans!🤠

Ingredients:

2 hot Italian sausages, casings removed and broken up

1 onion, cut in wedges 

4 small potatoes, cut in 1" cubes

1 tsp olive oil

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste 

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

19 oz (540 ml) canned mixed beans, drained (red kidney, chick peas, Romano and Northern white beans)

Toss the crumbled sausages, onion wedges, potato cubes and olive oil together and spread out in an oiled 10 X 10" baking dish. Bake in 425°F oven for 25 minutes or until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, ground cumin, smoked paprika and mixed beans (you could just pick one kind of bean but this mix was interesting).

Return the dish to the oven for another 30 minutes until piping hot.

Makes 2-3 servings

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Cranberry Walnut Crumb Bars

Nutty, buttery shortbread topped with tart cranberry and a tender walnut crumble. 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

6 tbsps brown sugar

2 tbsps ground walnuts

1 cup + 2-3 tbsps cold butter

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

1 cup cranberry sauce (whole berry store bought or homemade - see link below)

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with cooking oil and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, brown sugar and ground walnuts in a food processor. Then add the butter, egg and almond extract. Pulse to a crumbly texture.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture then place the rest in the prepared pan. Press evenly with fingers then use the bottom of another baking pan to help even it out. Bake 10 minutes.

Dollop the cranberry sauce over the shortbread and carefully spread evenly. Combine the 1 1/2 cups of reserved crumble mixture with 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and sprinkle over top of cranberry sauce. Gently press. Return to the oven to bake another 25-30 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting.

Makes 24  

Here is the link to the recipe for the cranberry sauce I used:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/12/cranberry-sauce-for-baking.html 

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Cranberry Sauce for Baking

This cranberry sauce has less water than the one usually served with turkey so it's more spreadable to use in bars and cakes.

But here's the link to the sauce I usually make for dinner if that's what you're looking for:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2015/10/orange-cranberry-sauce.html 

Ingredients:

3/4 lb whole cranberries

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

Optional: zest of 1 orange, 1/4 tsp allspice or 1 tsp cinnamon

Roughly chop the cranberries by pulsing in a food processor. Some berries may still be whole, that's ok. Then add everything to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on medium for 10-12 minutes.

Stir regularly until any remaining whole berries burst. Remove from heat and chill.

Makes 2 cups 

Use it in these Cranberry Walnut Crumb Bars:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/12/cranberry-walnut-crumb-bars.html 

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Garlic Shrimp and Farfalle

This time of year everyone is busy. Never mind 30 minute meals... you can have dinner on the table in 10-15 minutes with this shrimp and pasta dish! 

Ingredients:

3/4 lb (320g) 51-70 size shrimp

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cups farfalle pasta

3 tsps minced garlic

 2 cups chopped kale or spinach

1/4 cup parmesan

2 tbsps butter

2 tbsps lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

salt and pepper to taste

 

Boil and drain the farfalle then set aside.

While the pasta cooks heat olive oil in a pan. Add the shrimp and cook for 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and kale and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parmesan, butter, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper. Then toss with pasta over to warm burner to heat through.

Serves 4

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Old Fashioned Pecan Date Balls

These old fashioned pecan date balls are a "somewhat" healthy snack. Dates and pecans are good for you but temper that with the fact that there is a high amount of sugar. So enjoy responsibly!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 

1 1/2 cups sugar 

17 oz (500g) pitted dates, finely chopped 

2 cups ground pecans (I used a coffee bean grinder)

2 tsps vanilla 

4 cups Rice Krispie cereal (holiday edition or plain)

1/2 - 3/4 cups granulated sugar for rolling

Heat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and dates in a saucepan on medium low heat until dates are softened and in a paste consistency. 

Remove from heat and add the vanilla, pecans and cereal. Stir well to combine then, when cool enough to handle, scoop up 1" balls and roll in hands to form firm balls. Roll in sugar to coat and place on lined sheets to set. They can also be rolled a second time if more sugar is desired. 

Store in airtight containers 5-10 days at room temperature or refrigerate up to 1 month.

Makes 86

Adapted from: browniebites.net

 

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Beef, Kale and Bean Sprout Stir Fry

This healthy stir fry is made even easier when you prep all the veggies ahead of time. Keep them in a container and when you're ready to cook just dump them in the pan. Dinner will be ready in literally minutes!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

4 mushrooms, sliced

1 large carrot, sliced

1 cup chopped kale

2 tsps fresh grated ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

370g (13 oz) bag bean sprouts

1/2 - 1 tsp hot sauce 

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup soya sauce 

2 tbsps cornstarch 

In a wok or large frying pan brown the ground beef. When no pink remains add the onion, celery, mushrooms and carrot. Cook covered for about 5 minutes, then add the kale, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper and bean sprouts. Stir to combine.

Next mix the hot sauce, broth and soya sauce together with the cornstarch. Make a well in the center of the pan and pour in the liquid. Stir everything together. Cook on medium heat a couple of minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.

Serves 3-4

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Crack Cookies

Crack because they are just that addictive!

Start off with graham cracker/toffee/chocolate crack a.k.a. heaven. Combine that with a buttery cookie dough for the most decadent cookie ever!

Ingredients:

For crack/heaven:

1 cup butter 

1 cup brown sugar 

1 sleeve of graham crackers

1 cup chocolate chips 

For the cookie dough:

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 1/4 tsps baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature

1 1/3 cups brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 tsps vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 egg white

First, make a pan of crack/heaven.

Boil the brown sugar and butter together in a saucepan. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper then lay out the graham crackers side by side to cover the pan. Pour the hot toffee mixture over the crackers. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes. Then uncover and spread the melted chocolate with a silicone spatula. Pop in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set. When cold break into small pieces (try not to eat too much of it while you do that!)

For the cookie dough, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Add the vanilla, eggs and egg white and beat until frothy. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and mix until combined. Now, if using a mixer bowl, empty the contents into a much larger bowl (my Kitchen Aid bowl wouldn't cut it! Not big enough!) 

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crack/heaven then fold the rest into the cookie dough. Roll into plum sized balls adding more crack from the reserved stuff with a piece or 2 on the top.

Place on parchment lined sheets 2" apart. 

Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes.

Makes 54

 

Here's my original link to the Heaven recipe with more pictures: https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2016/10/heaven.html

Hmmm, SO good! 

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Cheesy Pork Chop Skillet

Golden, seasoned pork chops with a medley of tender vegetables smothered in melty cheese.

You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops however boneless is preferable so you're not looking for the bone through the veggies and cheese when you dig in to eat.

Ingredients:

2 pork chops 1/2-3/4" thick

2 tsps olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp celery seed

1/4 tsp savory

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 celery stalk, cut in 1" pieces

3 or 4 mushrooms, sliced thick

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup (or more) shredded cheese (gruyère, mozzarella, etc)

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Brush the pork with olive oil. Combine the garlic powder, thyme, smoked paprika, celery seed, savory, salt and pepper and sprinkle on both sides of the meat. Heat a 9" cast iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil to medium high. Brown pork chops on each side for 2 minutes. Then scatter the carrots, celery, mushrooms and onion in the pan and pour the broth in at the side. Top with cheese and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and return the pan to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes. The internal temperature of the pork should be 145°F.

Serves 2

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