Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese

 

I went to a party last month. It was a chic, industry, big-city party with open bar and and a caterer. I was sooooo out of my element, heck, I had my 5 month old baby with me! Thankfully everyone was so lovely, Will was taken out of my hands almost as soon as I walked in the door to be oooo'd and awwww'd over and I was pointed in the direction of the wine and food.

I grabbed a glass of red and wandered over to the spread of appetizers. I was nibbling on a celery stick when a server came by and offered me a "plate" (it was the size of a coaster) of Mac and Cheese. I think it took me all of 17 seconds to inhale it. It was AH-MAZE-ING. I tasted a hint of sweetness and it was definitely not made with Velveeta. I sought out another server and had 2 more plates before I started wondering if everyone was looking at me like "who's the girl eating all the Mac and Cheese?!". 

If you live in or around Toronto, check out Cheesewerks on Bathurst, they know their Mac and Cheese. If, like me, you live no where near Toronto, you need this recipe! I've come up with my own version that's pretty damn good if I do say so myself! I kept it simple using ingredients I had in my fridge and pantry, but feel free to switch up the cheeses and noodles to create your own version!


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Caramelized Mac and Cheese

6 medium onions, sliced thinly
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
450g uncooked macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend of mozzarella, asiago, parmesan and provolone)
1/2 cup aged white cheddar, shredded
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
Salt to taste


1. Put the 3 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a heavy bottom frying or sauce pan and put over medium heat until the butter is melted and oil is glistening.
2. Add the onions. Stir to coat all the onions in oil.
3. Cook onions over medium-low heat (I had my burner set at 3) stirring ever 5 minutes or so. 
4. After 15 minutes add the salt and stir. Continue to stir occasionally not letting the onions burn.
5. Add the brown sugar and continue to slowly cook, stirring and moving the onions around as needed until they're soft and golden brown. This could take up to an hour.
6. In the meantime, cook the macaroni to under al denté. (you want them slightly under cooked so they don't go mushy)
7. In a large saucepan heat the butter over medium-high heat until melted and then add the flour. Stir with a whisk to incorporate and continue to stir for 3 minutes to cook the flour.
8. Add the milk and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Add the cheeses and stir until the cheese has melted. 
9. Pour the cooked noodles, cheese sauce and onions into a slow cooker and mix. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 4 hours. Serve hot.

(You can do this on the stove as well, just cook your noodles to al denté, mix your cheese sauce and onions with the noodles in the pot and serve)

Maple Pecan Squash Casserole

Thanksgiving is upon us, and I don't know about you but it seemed to me to pop up out of nowhere this year! Wasn't it just summer? Not that I'm complaining mind you, I could eat turkey and stuffing and pie every day of the year!

Our friends Devin and Laurie had our family over for dinner last fall and Laurie made this amazing squash dish that had me going for thirds and fourths. The sweet, smooth squash is topped with a crunchy sweet crust packed with pecans that will make your toes curl it's so good! I made it for dinner last Thanksgiving and made a few batches for the freezer to pull out whenever I had a craving! As soon as I noticed Thanksgiving was coming up I ran out for more butternut squash to make another batch since my freezer was all out.

 I changed her recipe (which I understand she got from her mom who found it on the internet a few years ago) slightly to incorporate maple syrup which just hits this dish out of the park! Try this for your Thanksgiving dinner this year, you'll be thanking Laurie!

 

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Maple Pecan Squash Casserole

1 butternut squash, cooked and mashed (about 3 cups)
3 tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter

1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and innards. Place cut side down in a casserole dish with 1/4" of water and bake at 350˚F for about 40 minutes or until the squash is cooked and soft.
2. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then scoop out the cooked squash and add to a blender or food processor.
3. Add the butter, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla and blend until smooth.
4. Spread the squash mixture into a casserole dish.
5. In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, flour, pecans and butter until the mixture is crumbly.
6. Sprinkle topping mixture over squash and bake at 350˚F for 45 minutes.

Meatballs and Marinara

There is just something so comforting about a plate of spaghetti and meatballs isn't there? And man-o-man did I ever need some TLC this week! The flu hit our house pretty hard. My little germ magnet, Emily, brought the flu home with us from our trip to Great Wolf Lodge (a 2 year old getting sick at a water park... why didn't I see THAT coming?) and passed it on to me. I very rarely get sick so it hit me like a ton of bricks. After I had it it went to my 4 year old and then the baby. Needless to say it's been a rough week of laundry, carpet scrubbing and bathroom bleaching.

When I was finally feeling well enough to eat something other than toast I wanted my favourite dinner, spaghetti and meatballs. I know what you're thinking, meatballs are time consuming to make, what with the mixing, kneading, rolling, frying in small batches, etc... Pfft! Who needs all that, I've simplified the whole process to make it fast and less messy and greasy! (And less painful, I never fail to burn myself when splattering grease is involved.) You can make these as spicy or mild as you like and serve them with whatever kind of pasta your family likes.  Buono appetito!

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Meatballs and Marinara

for the meatballs:

1/4 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp cream (I use half and half, but heavy or light would work)
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp hot pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 lb lean ground beef

for the marinara:

2 med carrots, diced small
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced small
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c tomato paste
1 16oz can of diced plum tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl mix the bread crumbs, egg, cream, parmesan, hot pepper flakes, garlic and salt and pepper until combined.
2. Add the ground beef and mix using your hands jut until everything is incorporated. (Over-mixing makes tough, dry meatballs)
3. Roll meatball mixture into 1" balls (or use a 1" scoop) and place balls on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350˚F oven for 20-30 minutes.
4. In the meantime, sautée the carrots, celery and onions in a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for 5 minutes.
5. Add the chicken broth and simmer over medium heat for another 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
6. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer over low heat.
7. When the meatballs are done. remove from the cookie sheet and add to the tomato sauce.
8. Serve over cooked pasta of your liking and top with parmesan cheese.

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enjoy!

Easy-Peasy Stove Top Mac & Cheese

I am so depressed. It was looking like spring was just around the corner, then I woke up to a fresh foot of heavy, wet snow that shut down the highways and closed the schools the last day before March Break (are you kidding me?!). And then to top it off, my oven has broken. Something is wrong with the thermostat, it just keeps getting hotter and hotter and burns everything (wah!). The only cure for this: comfort food. Bring on the Mac & Cheese!

I am waaaay too impatient for the "in the oven with bread crumbs on top" kind (perfect considering my oven has gone on strike). When I want Mac & Cheese I want it fast, so I make a stove top version that's creamy, cheesy and makes my husband look at me with that "look", you know the one. The one that says "Go buy any pair of shoes you want... with my credit card.". (where did you think I was going with that? This is a FAMILY site! Geez!)

I start with a basic béchamel sauce (don't be scared) and melt a few different cheeses into it to make a rich, velvety soft cheese sauce. My kids prefer macaroni for this but any short pasta like penne, rotini or "scoobi-doo" noodles will do.

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Easy-Peasy Stove Top Mac & Cheese

3 c uncooked macaroni (or other short pasta)
1/4 c butter
1/3 c flour
1 c milk
1/2 c Cheez Whiz
1 c Velveeta
1 c shredded cheddar (I use marble)
pinch of paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta to package directions.
2. In a large pot or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook flour/butter mixture, stirring frequently with a whisk, for 3-5 minutes or until flour has developed a light golden colour.
4. Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, whisking constantly until everything is incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
5. When the béchamel has thickened to the consistency of cake batter, add the Cheez Whiz and Velveeta. Stir with a spoon until cheese has melted.
6. Add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted.
7. Season with paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Add cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and heat through. Serve with a side salad or fresh, crusty bread.

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enjoy!

Greek Feast! Chicken Souvlaki, Rice Pilaf & Greek Salad

I am not Greek. Not even a little bit (Irish, yes. British, yes. And there was something about Russian Gypsies but my Grandma was a little tipsy when she told us that story so who knows). But every now and then I get a craving for Greek food that's so over-powering I feel the need to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding and drink Ouzo (maybe even roast a lamb on my front lawn, bah ha ha, classic!). Such a craving hit this week and being that I don't live in a city, my ability to get Greek Take-Out is less than slim.

A quick scouring of Google for recipes had me mixing and matching ingredients to recreate the flavours of some of my favourite Greek restaurants. I in no way claim this is an authentic Greek recipe, but the taste is spot on to any Greek food I've ever had and it was so easy!

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Chicken Souvlaki, Rice Pilaf & Greek Salad
This made 5 skewers and a huge pot of pilaf

Souvlaki:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
wooden skewers soaked in water

Rice Pilaf:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1 med carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 c long grain white rice
3 c water or chicken stock
kosher salt to taste

Salad:
1 romaine heart, washed & chopped
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1 c grape tomatoes
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
sliced black olives (as much as you like)
feta cheese, crumbled (as much as you like)
your favourite Greek salad dressing

1. Marinade: combine the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano and thyme. Place chopped chicken in a bowl or a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over. Marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours (I did 6).
2. Skewer marinated chicken and grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
3. Rice: While chicken is marinating/cooking heat oil in a pot and add the onion, carrot, celery and zucchini and sautée for a few minutes. Add the oregano and thyme and salt.
4. Add the rice and stir to brown for 2 minutes. Add the water or stock and cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is light and fluffy (about 20 minutes).
5. Salad: Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta and dressing right before you're ready to eat so the lettuce doesn't get soggy.
6. Serve the souvlaki over the rice, either on the skewers or removed, with a side of salad.

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Optional: Tzatziki is a traditional condiment for this meal, I have never been a fan so I didn't make any, but there are hundreds of recipes out there!

enjoy!

Pub Style Beer Battered Fish & Chips

My husband's second favourite meal, after a huge juicy steak, is fish and chips. Shortly after we met I made this homemade version for him and I'm pretty sure that's why he proposed.

My grandma never bought frozen fish sticks or frozen french fries. She was a "from scratch" kind of lady. I inherited her love of making food the old-fashioned way, so when my family wants "fish sticks" this is what they get (no complaints so far!).

Don't be scared to attempt this recipe, it's not that complicated and as long as you're not making it 3 times a week it's a nice treat.

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Pub Style Beer Battered Fish & Chips
serves 4

Beer Batter
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 beer, any kind, you won't need it all, just enough to get a pancake batter-like consistency

Fish
2 lbs. Haddock Fillets (or 4 of generous size)
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
lemon

Chips
6-8 med. potatoes, peeled and cut into fries, I use Russett for fries with a fluffy inside

Instructions:

1. Preheat deep fryer to fish setting temperature, or if using a pot, to 320˚F
2. Blanch fries in hot oil for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. While the fries are blanching, mix the first 5 ingredients together to incorporate.
4. Add beer a little at a time until a pancake batter-like consistency is reached. Drink rest of beer.
5. Pat fish dry with a paper towel and dredge in the 1/4 c. flour making sure it's well coated. Shake off excess flour.
6. Dredge the floured fish in the beer batter coating well.
7. Add the coated fish to the hot oil 1 at a time slowly lowering them in. Depending on the size of your deep fryer or pot and of your fillets, only cook 2-3 pieces of fish at a time so that they don't stick together.
8. Fry for approximately 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Line a cookie sheet with paper towel and place a cookie rack over top.
10. Remove fillets from hot oil and place on cookie rack to drain excess oil. They will stay piping hot for quite a while, do not put in hot oven or cover as the coating will get soggy.
11. when all fillets are cooked turn temperature of deep fryer up to french fry setting, or 375˚F.
12. Return french fries to hot oil and cook until golden brown.
13. Remove from oil and put on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
14. Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over fish and serve with tartar sauce.

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Tip - Out of tartar sauce? You can make some quickly with 1/2 c. mayo, 2 tbsp relish, 1 tsp lemon juice and a dash of paprika!

enjoy,

"Soup-er" Easy Chicken à La King

Some nights I like to get all retro, thrown on my bell bottoms and fringe jacket* and make a retro dinner that reminds me of my youth. One of my faves: Chicken à la King. The name alone conjures up images of tupperware parties in my head!

This super simple recipe came from my mom. Anytime we had a roast chicken (always on a Sunday), on the following Tuesday we'd have this made with the leftovers. If I have leftover chicken I use it, if not, I grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. They're the same price as buying an uncooked chicken without all the hassle! Just rip it up, and if you have too much make some chicken salad sandwiches for lunch, it's the meal that just keeps on giving!

My mom always served Chicken à la King two ways: over white rice (more retro deliciousness, who needs whole grain?) and over puff pastry cups (mmmm Pepperidge Farm!), both ways are totally yummy.


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"Soup-er" Easy Chicken à La King
serves 4

2 c. cooked, chopped chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 small can of peas and carrots (or 1 c. frozen)
1 can of milk (use empty soup can and fill with milk)
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to a pot.
2. Simmer over med-low heat until hot and bubbly.
3. Serve over cooked rice, or puff pastry.

How easy was that!?

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* Okay, I don't have a fringe jacket, but if I did I could totally rock it!


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Crockpot Pulled Pork

Crockpots (or slow cookers if you will) are the greatest invention for busy families and over-worked moms. You can throw a bunch of ingredients in it before you rush out the door in the morning, and when you come home 8 hours later dinner is ready and waiting for you (with minimal dishes to do, bonus!).

Even as a stay-at-home mom I appreciate the slow cooker cause every day around here isn't all sunshine and lollipops. Some days having dinner cook itself without me needing to be standing at the stove is a Godsend.

This is a popular recipe around these parts, hubs likes anything on a bun and the kids will eat anything that has barbeque sauce on it. Now, if you're feeling all energetic (more power to ya, I'm tired) you can make your own barbeque sauce and use that, but I find the jarred stuff just as good as any home made sauce I've had.

Try this recipe mid week and you'll be kissing your crockpot when you get home. (but don't really cause it's hot!)

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Crockpot Pulled Pork
1 pork picnic shoulder (around 2kg or 5lbs) untrimmed (do NOT remove the fat cap)
2-3 tbsp Amanda's No-So-Secret Dry rub *recipe below*
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 c of your favourite barbeque sauce (I use a 1/2 cup Bull's Eye Hickory and a 1/2 cup of Diana's Chicken and Rib)

Amanda's No-So-Secret Dry Rub (great on chicken, pork, steaks and burgers!)
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp smoked chipotle powder
2 tbsp seasoned salt
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tbsp ground ginger

1. Rub the pork shoulder with 2-3 tbsp (or enough to fully cover the shoulder) of the dry rub and allow to "marinate" over night wrapped up in the fridge.
2. Slice the onion (can be done the night before to save time in the morning) and spread out rings over the bottom of your slow cooker.
3. Place the pork shoulder on top of the onions and pour barbeque sauce over the meat.
4. Cover and set your slower cooker to low and allow to cook for at least 8 hours.
5. When the meat is fork tender (it falls apart when you stick a fork in it) remove the shoulder from the crockpot and place on a cutting board. Remove the fat cap, any string and other large pieces of fat and discard.
6. Using 2 forks pull the meat apart into stringy sections and return to the crockpot.
7. Lightly butter rolls and grill or toast until light brown.
8. Top buns with pulled pork, cooked onions and a bit of additional barbeque sauce and serve!

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enjoy,

Cinnamon Buns (Clone of a Cinnabon)

Well it just figures my first post of 2011 would be something like a Cinnamon Bun, especially since my New Year's Resolution was to lose my baby weight! But look at that thing, who could resist it? Cinnamon Buns are one of the only "dessert" type food (aka anything sweet) that my hubs will eat, so I like to indulge him now and then.

I never attempted to make Cinnamon Buns before hubs got me a bread maker for my birthday, not that I thought I couldn't do it, I'm just lazy that way (I've got 3 kids eh!). With a bread maker this recipe is crazy-easy. It does all the kneading and rising and all I have to do is watch!

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it claims to be a clone of the Cinnabon Chain Cinnamon Buns, and it totally is. I made a couple of modifications to make it easier and I found the original cream cheese frosting way too cream cheesy tasting. What I got is AH-MAZE-ING.

On a Sunday morning there's nothing better than a warm from the oven Cinnamon Bun to go with my skinny latte (I'm watching my weight yo), but this recipe is so easy you could have them any day of the week!

I made big ones for me and hubs and little ones for the kids
picture taken with my iPhone, excuse the quality!

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Cinnamon Buns (Clone of a Cinnabon) adapted from allrecipes.com

Dough
1 cup warm milk (110˚F/45˚C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 c margarine, melted
4 1/2 c bread flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 c white sugar
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

Cinnamon Spread
1 c brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/3 c butter, softened

Frosting
1/2 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

2. After the dough has doubled in size (when the cycle is done) turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a tea towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until combined.

4. Roll dough into a 16" x 21" rectangle. Spread dough with the butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture leaving a 1" strip along the edge furthest from you bare.

5. Roll up the dough and cut into 12 rolls.

6. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.

7. Preheat your oven to 400˚F (200˚C).

8. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

9. While rolls are baking, beat together the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

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enjoy,

Smartie Bars

I'm on a candy (bar) theme this week it seems (have you seen my Toblerone Shortbread and Snicker Squares?) and I'm okay with that. I have a pantry full of those little boxes of Smarties left over from Halloween (my weirdo kids have decided they don't like Smarties anymore) and they were driving me nuts. So I googled "Smarties" and came across this recipe from Chelsea Sugar.

The recipe is like a chocolate macaroon cookie topped with more chocolate and smarties. Uh... yum! The bottom is soft and coconutty (oh yeah, I'm trademarking that one) and the top is chocolatey and crunchy. The perfect balance.

It's festive looking and appeals to kids and adults alike... I'll bet even Santa would love them!

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Smartie Bars adapted from Chelsea Sugar

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg, beaten
1 c. shredded coconut
3/4 c. flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c. chocolate chips
2 packs Smarties (50g each)

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line an 8" x 8" pan with waxed paper.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Take off the heat and cool for 5 min.
3. Stir in egg and coconut.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together and stir into the mixture. Mix thoroughly. Pour into the pan and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 15-17 min or until just firm when touched in the centre. Remove from the oven.
6. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Return to the oven for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the Smarties over the chocolate, then press down lightly with the back of a spoon*. Return to the oven for 5 min. Place the pan on a rack to cool. When cold, cut into squares.

* Make sure you press down all the smarties into the melted chocolate otherwise they'll fall off when you cut the squares.

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enjoy!

Fudge Dipped Triple Chocolate Brownie Biscotti

I've started my holiday baking! I LOVE holiday baking I love everything to do with the holidays really (except the inevitable panic that hits me every Christmas Eve at about 10pm when I start to think I forgot someone on my gift list). The shopping, the wrapping, the Boney M Christmas album (if you don't have it you need to go to iTunes RIGHT NOW and buy it). Every year my tree goes up earlier and earlier.

I'd like to say the majority of my Christmas baking gets shared but sadly, I end up eating most of it, which is why every January it seems I'm buying a new piece of gym equipment... a small price to pay for cookies! This year I couldn't get the thought of Biscotti out of my head. I went looking for a recipe and found the one I based this recipe on. Chocolate, chocolate, and ... oh yeah, more chocolate. You can wake me from my sugar coma on January first with a mimosa and a Bowflex cause I'm going to have a hard time sharing these!

Like crispy little brownies, these cookies are great served with coffee or hot chocolate (spiked or virgin). They're not too sweet and have a rich chocolate flavour. They can be made with plain ol' chocolate chips but if there's a store that sells President's Choice products within 100km of your house I highly recommend you use the Fudge melts, they're to die for!

I'll be posting more Christmas cookie and treat recipes over the next few weeks, come on back for some more yummy holiday nibblies!

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Fudge Dipped Triple Chocolate Brownie Biscotti

1/3 c butter
2/3 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 c PC fudge melts (or chocolate chips)
1/2 c white chocolate chips
1/4 c chopped almonds
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tbsp water

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking powder; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Dough will be stiff, so mix in the last bit by hand.
4. Mix in the almonds, white chocolate chips and a 1/2 c of the fudge melts.
5. Divide dough into two equal parts. Shape into 9x2x1 inch loaves. Place onto baking sheet 4 inches apart.
6. Brush with mixture of water and yolk.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in a 375˚F preheated oven, or until firm.
8. Cool on baking sheet for 20 minutes. Using a sharp knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1 inch slices.
9. Return the slices to the baking sheet, placing them on their sides.
10. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until dry.
11. Cool completely.
12. Melt the remaining fudge melts in the microwave. Dip 1 end of the biscotti in the melted fudge and sprinkle with quinns, crushed candy cane or leave plain.

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enjoy!

Stacked Meatloaf with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Caramelized Onions

Say 'meatloaf' out loud. Doooo iiiiiit. What happened? Did your kids run screaming from the room? Did your husband/wife? Did your dogs ears perk up? Meatloaf doesn't exactly have the best reputation. Most kids hate it before they even try it. It's the name. Meat Loaf. Not exactly yummy sounding. Some people can't get past the taste. Crazy!

I grew up LOVING meatloaf. My mom hated it though so I only ever got it at my grandma's house. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts was my favourite dinner at grandma's... yes I was a weird kid, quit making fun of me! My husband however, not a fan. I usually only make meatloaf when he goes away on his semi-annual golf trips, and then I gorge myself on it. (Seriously, gorge.) But I've grown tired of only having it once a year so when I was watching a restaurant review show on TV and they showed a picture of a meatloaf dish from a restaurant that was beyond your standard loaf smothered in ketchup I knew I had just witnessed the answer to my husband's meatloaf snobbery. (Yeah, that's right, I said it. Snobbery. He thinks he's too good for meatloaf.)

A thick slice of garlic bread, topped with a thick slice of juicy meatloaf, a dollop of roasted garlic & cream cheese mashed potatoes, rich gravy and caramelized onions take meatloaf Monday to a whooooole new level. Not only does this dish sound delicious, it IS delicious, and it's so pretty it's fancy enough to serve at a dinner party! I put this bad boy down in front of my husband and he said "THIS is meatloaf?". He gave me his best "okaaaaay, I'll try it for the kids" look and then proceeded to have two plates of it. A forkful of bread, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and onions is just the definition of comfort food in my books.

Even if you've never liked meatloaf in the past, give this a try, it's unlike any other meatloaf you've ever had before! (Just ask my husband.)

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Stacked Meatloaf with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Caramelized Onions

For the meatloaf:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1 c bread crumbs (I use seasoned)
1/4 c shredded parmesan
1/4 c ketchup
salt & pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

For the potatoes:
1 bulb of garlic
1 tsp olive oil
5-6 medium sized potatoes
1/2 pkg garlic & onion cream cheese
milk
salt & pepper

For the gravy:
2 c beef stock
1/4 c flour
water
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
(or you can use your favourite canned/powdered gravy mix)

For the onions:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced

For the Base:
Sourdough Bread (or any other dense bread you like)
garlic butter

Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Cut the top off a bulb of garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap it in tin foil. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes or until the cloves are soft.
2. For the meatloaf: In a bowl combine the egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, ketchup, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
3. Add the ground pork and beef and knead with your hands until just combined. Place meat mixture into a loaf pan and shape into a loaf.
4. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes, then remove from oven, drain excess fat and return to oven for another 15-20 minutes.
5. While the meatloaf is baking, peel and boil potatoes until fork tender.
6. For the gravy: Heat the beef stock in a small pot over medium-high heat until just boiling. Combine flour with a bit of water to form a runny paste and whisk into the stock stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Reduce to low heat and season with worcestershire and salt and pepper and allow to simmer. (You may wish to add a gravy browner to enhance the colour of the gravy)
7. For the caramelized onions: Slice onions into rings. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onions. Cook on medium heat stirring often until they reach a rich caramel colour. Remove from the heat before they start to go too dark as they become burnt tasting.
8. When potatoes are done cooking, drain the water and return the potatoes in the pot to the burner for a minute to evaporate the excess water.
9. Remove from the stove. Squeeze the cloves of garlic from the roasted bulb into the pot with the potatoes and add the cream cheese, milk, salt & pepper. Whip until creamy.
10. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and drain any additional excess fat and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
11. Slice the bread and place on a cookie sheet. Place under the broiler until the top side is lightly browned. Flip the bread slices over and butter with garlic butter. Return to the oven garlic butter side up and allow to brown lightly.
12. Assembly (not a necessary step but it sure is purdy!): Place a slice of garlic bread on the plate. Top with a thick slice of meatloaf, then a dollop of mashed potatoes and ladle on some gravy. Top with the caramelized onions and serve.

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enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

Yesterday it snowed in my home town. Snowed. It's October. I don't like how fall seems to be being skipped this year. Fall is my favourite season! The colours, the smells, the fact that I can put on a chunky warm sweater and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate. Bliss!

Another of my fall faves is soup. I love a pot of homemade soup on a wet, cold, fall afternoon. A creamy soup is always a bonus. Now, what some of you may not know about me is that for a year I worked as a sous chef in a restaurant. It was a great experience and I stole learned a lot! This recipe is one we came up with as a special when we got a double order of red peppers.

You can use jarred red peppers or if you're feeling ambitious you can roast your own. Read my tutorial on how to roast red peppers here!

Tomatoes, red peppers, cream... it's a bowl full of yum!

Sautée onions, celery and carrots in butter and season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Add chicken stock and simmer until the veggies are tender.

Add crushed tomatoes. If you have fresh great, but canned are just fine.

Simmer on med-low until the soup is heated through.

Pour soup into a food processor or blender and add the roasted red peppers. Purée until smooth. (Do small batches as the hot mixture can splatter and burn you.) If you plan to freeze this is where you'd portion out the soup and prepare for freezing. If you're eating the soup right away, return the puréed veggies to the pot and add the cream. Heat through and serve.

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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

1 med. onion, diced
2 med. carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 tbsp butter
salt
pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
3 c chicken stock
1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
3 whole roasted red peppers (or 1 jar)
1 c 10% cream

Instructions:

1. Sautée onion, celery and carrots in butter over medium heat. Season to taste with salt, pepper and thyme.
2. After about 5 minutes add chicken stock and simmer until vegetables are tender.
3. Add tomatoes and heat through.
4. In small batches, add soup mixture to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
5. Return purée to pot and add cream. Stir to incorporate and heat through. Serve with croutons, baguette and/or a swirl of cream.


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Granny's Banana Bread (with a twist)

I don't like cooked bananas, but one of my favourite things to make is banana bread. The smell is heavenly and it's a great way to use up bananas that are about to go bad cause my kids have gone on a sudden banana strike after I bought 6 of them. (Infuriating!)

Luckily the kiddos and most of my extended family loves banana bread and are only to happy to take it off my hands once it comes out of the oven. Banana bread is one of the smells I always associate with my grandma's house. She always had some on hand. So naturally I use her recipe when I make a loaf. I used to make it exactly as she had it written but over the years I added my own spin on it: a few extra spices, a cinnamon-brown sugar topping and occasionally, chocolate chips if my 4 year old happens to be helping (she wants to put chocolate chips in everything... I taught her well).

This is a great back-to-school lunch box addition. Give it a try and tell me if it's not totally yummy... I dare you!

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Granny's Banana Bread

2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla

brown sugar topping

1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Mix together the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
4. Add the mashed banana and mix to combine.
5. Pour into a greased loaf pan.
6. Melt the butter in the microwave and add to the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the batter.
7. Bake at 350˚F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

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you have to eat it with a little schmeer of buttah!

enjoy!