Peeps Easter Cookies

Easy, gooey Easter treats and just 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

16.5 oz (468g) tube of sugar cookie dough

8-10 marshmallow peeps

coloured sprinkles

Spray an 8 X 8" square baking pan with cooking oil and preheat oven to 350°F. Divide the cookie dough and press just a little more than half into the bottom of the pan. Add sprinkles and sit the peeps on top. Add the remaining cookie dough in blobs between the peeps and add more sprinkles.

Bake for 8 minutes. Spray a silicone spatula with oil and swirl it through the peeps without going through to the cookie bottom. Return the pan to the oven for 12 minutes. Then cool before refrigerating for 1 hour. Once cold cut into squares.

Makes 16 squares.

Store in refrigerator.

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Deluxe Homemade Hamburger Helper

This deluxe hamburger helper features lean ground beef and lots of veggies, without a bunch of things you can't pronounce like what's in the packaged stuff.

Ingredients:

2 cups egg noodles

1 lb lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced

1/2 red bell pepper cubed

3 tsps minced garlic

2 cups (6 oz) fresh green beans, cut in half

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 cup flour

2 cups beef broth

black pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsps white truffle oil (optional)

 

Start cooking the egg noodles as per package directions.

Now, on medium high heat brown the beef for 5-7  minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. There may still be a small amount of pink showing when you add the onion, bell pepper and green beans. Cover and cook on medium 8-10 minutes. The meat should now be cooked through. Add the garlic, worcestershire, oregano and black pepper. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup broth whisking in the flour.

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Add the rest of the broth and stir together, cooking for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Drain the cooked noodles and add to the pan stirring to coat.

Remove from heat, and if using, stir in the truffle oil.

Serves 4

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Donair Chicken Drumsticks

Juicy, tender chicken drumsticks marinated in a simple and sweet donair sauce. You can make the donair sauce below or if you have sauce leftover from your donair use that.

Ingredients:

16 chicken drumsticks

garlic powder, oregano and ground coriander to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cup broth or water

 

Donair sauce:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

 

Place drumsticks in two 13 X 9" baking dishes.

Mix the donair sauce ingredients together and slather over the chicken. Sprinkle a good amount of seasoning over top. Refrigerate for about 8 hours to give the flavours time to marinate through the meat. Bake in a convection oven at 425°F for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 175°F. Pour the broth or water into the dish with about 5-10 minutes remaining in the cooking time.

Before serving, toss the drumsticks over in the pan to coat with the sweet sticky sauce.

Serves 8

Recipe for donair:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/03/halifax-donair-and-donair-pizza.html

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Air Fryer Potato Wedges

So easy! Crispy "fried" potato wedges for 2!

Ingredients:

4 small potatoes, cut in 6-8 wedges

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

lemon pepper, oregano and garlic to taste

 

Toss everything together in a bag. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 2 minutes then place the potato wedges in the basket in a single layer. Fry 10 minutes, give them a shake then return for another 5 minutes.

Serves 2

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Halifax Donair and Donair Pizza

This spiced ground meat sandwich may look like a gyro but the spices are a little different and it's made with beef not lamb. The thing that really makes it distinctive is the sweet donair sauce. I don't think there is anything like it! This meal is best prepared the day before. And don't forget to scroll down to the end of this recipe for a donair pizza tester.

Ingredients:

1 lb beef 

1 1/2 tsps coriander

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp oregano

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsps pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne powder 

 

Donair sauce:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 tsp garlic powder (or more to taste)

1/8 tsp salt

 

pita bread

chopped tomato and onion

 

Yes, that sauce ingredient IS sweetened condensed milk! I was skeptical at first, but it does make a unique and interesting sauce for the donair. Mix the sauce ingredients together and store in the fridge until ready to use, preferably overnight.

For the donair itself, add all the ingredients to a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for 5 minutes or until it's smooth and somewhat gummy.

Line a loaf pan with parchment. As you can see this is a half loaf recipe. It can of course be doubled. Pack the meat in so that there are no air pockets.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 90 minutes. Cool then refrigerate overnight.

Once chilled the meat can easily be sliced thin then given a quick fry in a pan with vegetable oil or bacon fat before assembling the donair. Steam or microwave pitas to warm then add the meat slices, tomato and onion. Give them a good drizzle of donair sauce (or spread sauce on the pita first) them wrap 'em up!

Serves 4

This donair recipe was adapted from theeastcoastkitchen.com

And since there was a considerable amount of sauce left I thought I'd try it on pizza. (I just tried it on one small section, but now that I've had it I could've done a whole pizza!) Spread some donair sauce on the pizza dough. Add some oregano and garlic powder, onion slices, strips of donair and mozzarella. Bake your pizza as usual. I do 510°F for 10 minutes.

And those Air Fryer Potato Wedges were great too! Here's the recipe link:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/03/air-fryer-potato-wedges.html 

 

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Air Fryer Hot Dogs

Fresh off the grill? Nope, not this time! These juicy, crispy dogs came straight out of the air fryer! May be the best hot dogs we've ever had! 

4 weiners

4 buns

Toppings of your choice

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes. Place weiners in the air fryer basket, more than 4 if you want as long as you have space between them. You can make a couple of slits if you like but it's not necessary. Cook 2 minutes then roll them over and cook another 2 minutes. Pop the weiners into buns and return to the air fryer for 30 seconds to 1 minute for toasty buns.

Top them your way!

Serves 2

 

You may want to try them topped with Montreal Hot Dog Coleslaw. Here's the link to the recipe: https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2015/06/montreal-hot-dog-coleslaw.html 

 

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Blackening Spiced Chicken Thighs

Crispy, spicy coating seals in the juicy chicken. Usually making blackened chicken involves a good bit of butter. But I opted to skip the 1/4 cup of butter this time for a baked blackened option.

Ingredients:

 6 bone-in chicken thighs

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

2 tsps onion powder

2 tsps garlic powder

2 tsps smoked paprika

2 tsps chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne

 

Combine all the spices and liberally coat the chicken.

Place chicken on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165°F.

Serves 3-6

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Asian Inspired Air Fryer Pork Roast

Air fryer roasted pork is so easy and quick to make I may never go back to oven roasted again! And any leftovers cut thinly makes for an awesome sandwich!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin roast

2 tbsps soya sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil 

2 tbsps brown sugar

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh chopped ginger

2 tbsps ketchup

1/2 tsp 5 spice powder

 

Mix everything together, coat pork loin and place in a ziplock plastic bag. Marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil, place the roast in the basket and air fry at400°F for 18-20 or until the internal temperature reads 145-160°F.

Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 4

Served here with my Braised Celery and Black Olives. Here's the link to the recipe:

https://www.hotandcoldrunningmom.ca/2024/02/braised-celery-with-black-olives.html 

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Teriyaki Sauce for Meatballs

This teriyaki sauce will elevate any meatball you pull out of the freezer. Mix it up in next to no time. Make some rice and stir fry veggies, dunk the meatballs in the sauce and you're good to go!

Ingredients:

2 tbsps cold water

2 tsps cornstarch

2 tbsps soya sauce

2 tbsps packed brown sugar

1 tsp fresh minced ginger

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp honey

1/2 cup water

Makes enough sauce for 1/2 lb store bought or homemade meatballs. Always handy to keep some meatballs in the freezer for a quick meal.

Mix the soya sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger, minced garlic, honey and 1/2 cup water together in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Whisk 2 tbsps water and cornstarch together and pour into the saucepan whisking everything together. Simmer a few minutes until thickened. Pour over cooked meatballs and serve.

Sauce for 2 servings of meatballs

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Air Fryer Toad in the Hole

Iconic British toad in the hole, crispy on top with a tender interior. Serve with some fruit for breakfast or some fave veggies and gravy for a light supper. Totally toad free!

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsps vegetable oil

4 breakfast sausages

120 g (1 cup) flour

180 ml  (3/4 cup) milk

2 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

 

Add oil to a 1.6 L baking dish and place in air fryer at 400°F for at least 3 minutes or until piping hot.  Add the sausages and air fry for 5 minutes until golden.

While the sausages cook, prep the batter. Whisk the flour, milk, eggs, salt and pepper together. Once the sausages are cooked, quickly pour the batter in over the sausages and return to cook for 12 minutes.

Let rest 2-3 minutes then serve.

Serves 2

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