I didn’t eat ribs until I met my husband. The thought of gnawing meat off a bone with nothing but my bare hands and teeth kind of creeped me out. It was too messy and quite frankly, a little too “caveman” for me. Then one night we went to my sister-in-law’s for dinner and she made ribs. I’m not one to not eat what’s put in front of me at a dinner party, it’s rude (unless of course I’m allergic or have a severe aversion). So I rolled up my sleeves and resigned myself to the fact I would make a huge mess and probably look ridiculous. But my sister-in-law’s ribs were so tender the meat slid right off the bone and they totally changed my perception of ribs. I got her secrets for super tender ribs and started making them at home. Now they’re my husband’s favourite dinner and we serve them often when we have dinner guests as they’re so easy and incredibly tasty.

I use a mixture of bottled barbeque sauces to save time, if you make your own sauce more power to ya! This is not the traditional way to make ribs, and I’m sure a lot of barbeque aficionados would scoff at my methods, but give it a try and I swear you’ll fall in love with these ribs! (If you want to do these on the grill you could do them in a foil pan and then transfer directly to the grill when it comes time to coat in the BBQ sauce)

Braised BBQ Ribs

Dry Rub

2 tbsp seasoned salt

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp dehydrated onion

1 tsp smoked chipotle powder

Ribs

2 racks baby back pork ribs

dry rub mixture

1 1/2 cups Bull’s Eye Barbeque Sauce

1 1/2 cups Diana Chicken and Rib Sauce

Instructions

1. Mix together the spices for the dry rub and set aside.
2. Place the ribs in a large pot and cover with water (I cut them into servings of 4-5 ribs to fit the pot). Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the ribs from the pot and place in a shallow pan reserving the water.
4. Sprinkle some of the dry rub onto each section of ribs making sure to coat them well.
5. Add some of the cooking liquid to the pan, enough to cover the bottom.
6. Cover the pan with tin foil and place in a preheated 350˚F oven.
7. Bake for 2 1/2 hours checking once or twice to add more cooking liquid as necessary (you don’t want to boil them again, but you don’t want to pan to go dry).
8. Mix together the two barbeque sauces. Remove the tin foil and pour about 2/3 of the sauce over all the ribs to coat. (if the pan goes dry at this point it's fine, don't add more water)
9. Return to the oven uncovered, after 20 minutes baste the ribs with the remaining sauce.
10. Cook for another 10 minutes and remove from the oven and serve.

Caesar Salad with Scallop Croutons

 Most of my recipes are homey, stick to your ribs, "the kids will love it" recipes. But every now and then I like to fancy it up. Ya know, get out the good china (that's not chipped from "helpful" kids loading and unloading the dishwasher) and silverware and eat in the company of other adults.

I had this salad at a restaurant over 10 years ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since. I've been wanting to try to make it for years but it never crossed my mind when I was actually planning dinner parties. A couple weeks ago it popped back into my brain and right then I emailed my friend Laurie and asked her if she wanted to come over for lunch the following week, I wanted to use her as a guinea pig. To my amazement she said yes! I think she said yes because she knows I'm not a seafood fan and couldn't believe I wanted to make something with scallops, and just had to see me eating them with her own two eyes to believe it. I'm a complex gal.

So Laurie came over and helped me prepare this yummy, hearty salad for lunch. The bay scallops are breaded in panko and fried (how can that NOT be good?) and placed atop a caesar salad made with homemade dressing and act as the crunchy croutons... with a soft, slightly sweet centre.

This recipe would make 8 appetizer size salads or 4 meal size salads, and would be an elegant addition to your next dinner party.

 Caesar Salad with Scallop Croutons

dressing

1 egg

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 c. oil, vegetable or canola olive oil really changes the taste

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

scallop "croutons"

1 lb bay scallops  (the wee ones)

1/4 c flour

2 eggs

2 c panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

salt & pepper
oil

salad

1 head romaine hearts

1 small container mixed baby greens

6 strips bacon, fried crisp and chopped

parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions:

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse egg and lemon juice until combined.

2. Lightly mince your garlic and add to the egg and lemon.

3. With blade spinning, slowly stream in the oil and allow to continue blending for 1-2 minutes.

4. While the mixture is blending add the vinegar and cheese and salt and pepper.

5. Transfer to a bowl or pitcher and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (1-2 hours is better) so the dressing has a chance to set and thicken and the flavours to develop.

6. In the meantime, fry the bacon until crisp and allow to drain on paper towels. Chop  into 1/2" pieces.

7. Set up a breading station by putting flour (seasoned with salt and pepper), eggs and panko in separate shallow dishes.
8. Rinse the scallops and dry on paper towels.
9. Dredge the scallops through the flour, then eggs then roll in the panko to coat thoroughly.
10. Heat oil to 365˚F. Carefully drop the scallops into the hot oil making sure not to over crowd. Cook until scallops are golden brown.
11. Drain excess oil off by removing scallops and placing on paper towels.
12. Rinse and dry the lettuce and tear into bite size pieces. Toss with bacon, dressing, parmesan and the scallops and serve.

BLT Pasta Salad and a Giveaway!

Our barbequing has been kicked into overdrive the past two weeks. Temperatures are soaring and no way am I standing in a hot kitchen over a boiling pot of anything! I do not enjoy sweating. Thank the good people at Napoleon that our grill has a side burner, it allows me to make this amazing pasta salad outside and not turn my kitchen into a sauna.

I can't wait to take this salad to a picnic or barbeque at someone else's house, I mean, who doesn't love bacon? It'll be the most popular salad on the buffet table! This salad is also great for quick lunches and if you add some grilled chicken  you've got an easy, and totally yummy dinner salad.

I don't recommend adding the lettuce until you're ready to eat as it'll get soggy and you lose the great crunch factor of a nice head of iceburg lettuce.

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BLT Pasta Salad adapted from Betty Crocker's "it's Summer" 2010

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
4 c cooked rotini
1 1/2 c grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 head iceburg lettuce, thinly sliced
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c ranch dressing
fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
chives

Instructions:

1. Cook your pasta to al denté in salted water and rinse lightly.
2. Cook your bacon until crispy and chop into 1/2" pieces.
3. Mix the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, salt and pepper together.
4. Combine the pasta, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and dressing in a large bowl mixing to coat the salad evenly.
5. Garnish with chopped chives and keep chilled until ready to serve.

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And now for a fantastic Summer Giveaway from my good friends at General Mills Canada!

Planning on hosting a Barbeque or picnic this summer? Or do you just like to grill for your family? Either way you're gonna love this Summer Prize Pack from General Mills!

Prize Pack Contains:
Barbecue Utensil Set
Paper Plates
Colourful Napkins
General Mills goodies from:
    Old El Paso
    Cheerios (including NEW Chocolate Cheerios!)
    Fibre 1
    Betty Crocker
    Nature Valley

Here are the rules:

All you have to do is head over to http://www.lifemadedelicious.ca/ and then come back here and tell me what your favourite LMD summer recipe is!

Contest is open to Canadian Residents only (We have a crazy postal strike and food items can't be shipped internationally).

Please include a way to reach you if you win (link to blog or website, email address, etc...).

A winner will be picked on July 7th. Good luck and happy Barbequing!

enjoy,

Amanda

please see my disclosure page for information on my Life Made Delicious Partnership.

Sundried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

 

As much as I love chicken, sometimes I get bored with it (kinda like Glee... OMG simmer down gleeks and put away your pitch forks!). We were having company the other night and I'm trying my hardest to keep my grocery bill down this month so I looked in the freezer and found two chickens which is plenty to feed 4 adults and 4 kids. Chicken is really versatile, it takes on the flavours of whatever you pair with it, but for the most part I'd say we have it the same 5 ways all the time (that's what happens when you have ankle-biters). I considered beer can chicken *yawn*, or cutting it up and grilling it *double yawn*. 

Not sure what I was doing with it,  I opened the fridge... and that's when inspiration hit me (and a precariously placed jar of olives cause no one puts anything way properly in this house), garlic and herb cream cheese! Immediately I added sundried tomatoes in my head and imagined shoving the whole mess under the skin next to the meat. I know you're thinking "Whaaaaa?" Just go with me here.

If you take a wooden spoon and work the handle under the skin, you create a wonderful little pocket in which to shove flavour (lemon slices, thyme, pesto...). You can even work the spoon handle over to the drumstick and thigh with a little flick of the wrist! I used a small spatula to push the cream cheese concoction into the pocket (and when I was done I realized piping it in with a pastry bag probably would have been easier and less messy!) and then used my hands to squish it around to make sure it was evenly distributed.

Next I did my favourite trick to keep chicken really moist, shoved it full of celery! Again, ya gotta trust me, it works like a charm! Then I coated the whole thing in buttah. I cook with butter, don't be scared. If margarine or olive oil is more your thing, go for it. I like the flavour the butter imparts. Then I sprinkled on a little kosher salt and some fresh cracked black pepper. This is what I got...

 

 ... are you drooling?

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Sundried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

1 whole chicken, giblets removed, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 container of garlic and herb cream cheese (about 2/3 cup)

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

3-4 stalks of celery

1/4 c or 1/2 stick of butter

salt and pepper

1/2 c chicken stock

1. Preheat your oven or grill to 350˚F.

2. Using the handle end of a wooden spoon, work the spoon under the skin of the breast and drumstick & thigh to separate being careful not to tear or poke through.

3. Combine the tomatoes with the cream cheese and using a spoon or a piping bag, push the cheese mixture into the pocket between the skin and the meat.

4. Cut the celery stalks to size and shove them into the cavity of the bird making sure to fill it.

5. Spread the butter all over the exterior of the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6. Place in a pan and add the chicken stock.

7. Roast covered for approximately an hour* and then remove the cover and cook until the skin is golden brown.

8. Allow to rest covered on the carving board for 10 minutes before slicing.

*Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken. Cook until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink.

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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!

Amanda's Chicken Parmesan

I may or may not have a cheese addiction. And by "may not" I mean I totally do. This weekend I asked my twitter peeps what they'd like to see more of on my blog. I got some great requests and suggestions. One of them was for more pictorial posts for those not so adept in the kitchen (thanks @Avalea!), and another was for me to post my weekly meal plan (as per my meal plan post) every week so that some hard working moms could follow it. I'm always happy to oblige.



This is one of my favourite pasta recipes. I LOVVVVVE Chicken Parmesan. Noodles, breaded tender chicken breast, and cheese... mmmmmm. Comfort food at it's best. I have a pretty busy week ahead and I wanted to start it off right with this dish. It sounds complicated but it's pretty simple.

(Please excuse the pitiful photography, my kitchen is pretty dark in the evenings and I haven't mastered the fine art of cooking with one hand and shooting with the other yet!)

Start by placing your chicken breasts (one at a time) between some plastic wrap and pounding the living daylights out of it until it's an even thickness. This ensures even cooking, also, it's a great stress reliever after a hard day.
Ignore that sticker on my mallet, that sucker just won't come off!

Next, pat your chicken breast with some paper towel to dry them off. Wet meat doesn't bread well.

Now you're gonna need to set up a little breading station. In one shallow dish you'll need flour, which I season with some sea salt & freshly ground pepper. In the 2nd you need some eggs that are lightly beaten and in the 3rd, bread crumbs. I like to use seasoned Italian bread crumbs to which I add a little hot pepper flake action. Piccante!

Now to bread, don't worry, you can do this. First put your chicken in the flour turning to coat both sides. This gives the egg something to stick to. Then dredge the floured chicken in the egg mixture. Then move your floured/egged (is that a word, egged? it is now) chicken to the bread crumbs. Place in the bread crumbs and press down lightly to get the bread crumbs to really stick to the chicken, Then flip it over and press down again.

Heat a little extra-virgin Olive Oil in a skillet and brown your chicken cutlets until golden. They're not fully cooked yet, but don't worry, they'll finish in the oven. I'm not trying to get anyone to eat under-cooked chicken!

Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and cover with your favourite pasta sauce. Homemade or bottled, your call. Then top with some shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Mmmmm. Cheese.

Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes. In the meantime cook some of your favourite pasta to al dente.
Top your cooked pasta with more pasta sauce and a cheesy, saucy chicken cutlet. Now mangi!(that's supposed to be eat in Italian, hope I got it right!)

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Amanda's Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts
1/2 c flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot pepper flakes
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c shredded parmesan
3 c pasta sauce, your favourite
4 c cooked pasta, your favourite, I enjoy spaghetti or buccatini with this

Instructions:

1. Start by placing your chicken breasts (one at a time) between some plastic wrap and pounding it until it's an even thickness. This ensures even cooking.
2. Pat the chicken breasts with paper towel to dry them off.
3. Set up a little breading station. In the first dish put the flour, seasoned with some sea salt & freshly ground pepper. In the 2nd put the eggs and lightly beat. In the 3rd put the bread crumbs and add the hot pepper flakes. stirring to mix.
4. One at a time, put the chicken in the flour turning to coat both sides. This gives the egg something to stick to.
5. Then dredge the floured chicken in the egg mixture.
6. Then move the chicken to the bread crumbs. Place in the bread crumbs and press down lightly to get the breadcrumbs to really stick to the chicken, Then flip it over and press down again.
7. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet and brown the chicken cutlets until golden.
8. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and cover with the pasta sauce. Then top with the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
9. Bake at 350˚F for 20 minutes.
10. In the meantime cook some of your favourite pasta to al dente.
11. Top the cooked pasta with more pasta sauce and a chicken cutlet.

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enjoy!

Sausage and Pepper Penne

Pasta is my absolute favourite dinner. There are dozens of varieties, shapes, colours, whole wheat, whole grain, etc... And then there's all the sauces that you can add: cream, tomato, rosé, smooth, chunky, spicy, etc... The combinations are endless and you're only limited by your imagination.

My husband's favourite pasta dish is my Sausage and Pepper Penne. I used to make it pretty spicy but ever since the kidlets came along I've toned it down to their palate cause they love it too (also, the heartburn was killing me!). Tons of colourful peppers, delicious thin slices of Italian sausage and loads of tomatoes and you've got a huge put of yum!

This is a great, easy, no-fuss dish you can make on a hectic weekday night or for a dinner party with friends. Mmmmm, pasta!

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Sausage and Pepper Penne

4 Italian Sausages, Mild or Hot (your call!), sliced thinly
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 med. onion, cut into 1" chunks
1 green pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 orange pepper, cut into 1" chunks
1 red pepper, cut into 1" chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. mushrooms, quartered (I forgot to put them in this time, pregnancy brain!)
1/2 c. beef stock
1 26 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 c. crushed tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. uncooked penne pasta (any pasta will do really)

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, cook the sausage slices until done.
2. Remove the sausage and set it aside. Drain the fat from the pan.
3. Add the olive oil to the pan. Add the veggies and garlic.
4. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and salt & pepper.
5. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
6. In the meantime, cook your pasta (according to package instructions) until al denté.
7. Drain your pasta and top with sauce and serve.

Note: This recipe usually makes enough sauce for 2 dinners for 4 people (unless you like a lot of sauce on your pasta!). I freeze leftover sauce for another time.

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enjoy!
Amanda

Ranch Style Deviled Eggs

Yeah, I could have put the yolks into a piping bag and made it look pretty, but who has time for that?

Whoever coined the phrase "necessity is the mother of invention" must have been familiar with my kitchen! I often start recipes only to discover I'm missing 1, or 2, or 7 of the ingredients. That's when I hop in my car and make the mad dash to the grocery store, where I invariably still manage to forget an ingredient. (Note to self: get checked out for Alzheimer's)

This past weekend was Easter and we always gather at my sister-in-law's for a big family dinner with my husband's side. Everyone brings something and this year we supplied the turkey and I made my famous Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. But Easter Sunday morning I woke up with a craving (I'm pregnant yo!) for eggs, deviled eggs. So a dozen eggs went into a pot of water on the stove and I went to get ready.

When I went to assemble the eggs I discovered that not one, but BOTH of the kinds of mayo I keep on hand were empty! Argh! I had only minutes before J lost his mind cause I was taking too long and he wanted to get on the road, so I scanned my fridge. I could scrape out about 1 tbsp of mayo but it wasn't enough, and that's when I had what Oprah calls a light bulb moment. Ranch dressing! It's white, and creamy... did I dare?

Oh mylanta, those were some tasty deviled eggs! I ate two before anyone else even got there and then heaped my plate at dinner time. All 24 of those tasty little treats were gone before the call for seconds was made.

Give these a try for your next BBQ, picnic or shower!

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Ranch Style Deviled Eggs

12 large eggs, boiled hard, peeled and halved
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp. Ranch Dressing
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. chives, minced

Instructions:

1. Boil your eggs in lightly salted water (it helps with the peeling) until hard, 10 minutes, and then allow to cool or immerse in cold water.
2. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and scoop the yolks out into a bowl.
3. Mash the yolks and add the mayo, dressing, salt, 1/2 tsp of the paprika and the chives.
4. Stir the mixture until thoroughly combined. If the mixture is a little dry, add a bit more dressing at a time until it is smooth and creamy.
5. Fill the egg whites with an equal amount of the yolk mixture and sprinkle with the remaning paprika and diced chives.

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enjoy!

Amanda

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Our family Easter dinner was this past weekend and as usual I wanted to bring a dessert. My nieces and nephews all adore this cheesecake recipe so I made it again for them, cause you know, they didn't get enough chocolate already.

I got this recipe from Kraft years ago, but recent searches for it on their website fail to find it. Weird. Anyways, I have mentioned before how much I love chocolate and peanut butter so I won't bore you with that again, but seriously, this cheesecake is TO DIE FOR. It's very rich and creamy and tastes like heaven.

I like to garnish it with chocolate covered peanuts, peanut butter cups or, since it was Easter, I put some Reese Eggs on top. Give it a try for your next dinner party or book club meeting!

(Sorry about the less than stellar picture, The kids dug into it so fast I didn't have a chance to take any pretty pictures, I shot this one with my iPhone as the vultures were coming back for seconds!)

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Kraft

2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. smooth peanut butter
2 eggs
1 9" graham pie crust
4 squares Baker's chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until combined.
2. Add the eggs one at a time mixing in between.
3. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until the centre is set.
4. Heat cream and chocolate over low heat until the chocolate has melted.
5. Pour the chocolate ganache over top the cooled cake.
6. Top with whipped cream, chocolate covered peanuts, melted peanut butter, peanut butter cups or anything else you like!

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enjoy!

Amanda

Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies

I think I was Italian in a former life. Pasta calls to me. If I could have it every night without my husband rolling his eyes and saying "Pasta, again?", I would.

I'm always looking for new ways to dress up noodles so I watch a lot of Bobby Flay and Mario Batali and Giada DeLaurentiis on the Food Network. One afternoon Giada was on and she made this incredible baked pasta dish full of roasted veggies. I was licking the TV screen by the time she pulled it out of the oven. I rushed right out and got the ingredients. Then, being me, I added some of my own and changed some quantities and what resulted was A-MAZE-ING. My husband had seconds... and then thirds, both my kids ate it up like I hadn't fed them all day, and I felt like I really gave my family something nutritious and satisfying for dinner.

More cheesy than saucy, this pasta bake is full of veggies and the recipe makes enough for leftovers. It's easy, it's filling, it's vegetarian (I snuck that one by my husband!) and it's delish!

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Cheesy Baked Penne with Roasted Veggies adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
1 green pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
1 yellow pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash (yellow zucchini), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or Club House Roasted Garlic & Peppers Seasoning
1 pound penne pasta
1 jar (3 cups) marinara sauce (store bought or homemade, I use Classico Garden Vegetable)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Cook to just under al dente since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven.
4. In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, pasta sauce, garlic, cheeses, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
5. Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

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enjoy!

Amanda

Mediterranean Risotto with Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese

This was supposed to be my Valentine's Day Post. A semi-fancy dinner for the loved one in your life. However, if you follow me on twitter you'd know that just before Valentine's Day I found out I was pregnant with our 3rd little one! A fabulous Valentine's present for sure, but it's come with some unpleasant side effects, like extreme exhaustion, a queasy stomach and an aversion to almost everything food related. Not great for a food blogger!

I've wanted to post this recipe weeks but just looking at the pictures made my head spin. Thanks to a life-time supply of Peppermint gum I'm able to sit here and write about one of my family's favourite dinners.

My local grocery store has a little magazine they put out a few times a year and usually the recipes in it involves some sort of frozen, partially prepared, or unhealthy food item so I rarely give them more than a 2nd glance, but last spring they had a recipe for risotto that caught my eye. The pictures look sooo tasty and I'd always wanted to try making risotto.

Risotto can be intimidating. It's a seemingly tricky dish that, if you watch Hell's Kitchen, you'd think is impossible to get right (those chefs screw it up almost every episode!). But there's no need to be scared to try it, as long as you keep an eye on it, this dish will turn out perfectly, every time!

I'm trying something a little different with this post as I suspect some of you would appreciate some step-by-step instructions with this recipe. So taking a page from The Pioneer Woman (not that I do her any justice, I still need to master the art of taking pictures of food through steam!), I've taken a ton of pictures in hopes this will help you to try making this tasty dish. Fear not the risotto, you can do it! (The recipe with quantities will follow the photo tutorial)

Start by melting some butter into some extra-virgin olive oil

Brown some quartered mushrooms in the butter/oil combination

Add some diced red onion and sauté for about 3 minutes

Add the arborio rice and stir to combine. I like the cook it for a minute or two to develop the nutty flavour of the grain.

Add 2 cups of boiling water and 1 tsp. of sea salt and stir and then cover.

In the meantime, brown some chicken breasts in extra-virgin olive oil.
Okay, they're not quite brown here, I like to keep them a little pale, they look fancier that way.

When the water is almost all absorbed add another cup of boiling water and stir and cover. Keep a close eye on the risotto now, stirring every minute or so and adding a little more boiling water until the rice is tender. Tasting is encouraged.

When the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked fully it'll look like this... yum!

Add some spinach that's been julienned

... and some roasted red peppers. This is the product that inspired the recipe, if you want to save time by all means use it or a jar of roasted red peppers chopped up works as well. If you're feeling a little extra ambitious, roast your own red peppers! Not sure how to do that? I'll tell you how after this recipe.

With the red peppers add your balsamic vinegar (not pictured, hey, I'm new at this!) and give it a good stir.

Crumble in your goat cheese and stir lightly to mix. Slice up the chicken breasts and serve over top the risotto for a fancy meal for two or a family meal on a regular ol' Tuesday night!

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Mediterranean Risotto with Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese adapted from sobeys.com

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 c. white mushrooms, quartered
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 c. arborio rice
1 tsp sea salt
2 c. boiling water
1 c. fresh spinach, julienned
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade or roasted red pepper, diced
1/2 c. goat cheese, crumbled
4-5 chicken breasts
2 tbsp herbs de provence or a Mediterranean spice blend (thyme & oregano work in a pinch)

Instructions:

1. Melt butter into the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned on all sides.
3. Add the diced onions and stir and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onions start to soften.
4. Add the rice and stir to mix. Cook stirring frequently for a minute or two.
5. Add 2 cups of the boiling water and stir and cover immediately. Quickly stir every 2-3 minutes recovering the pot after each stir.
6. In a frying pan brown chicken breasts sprinkled with herb mixture until cooked through.
7. Add more water as the rice absorbs the liquid until the rice is tender.
8. Add the spinach, red peppers, balsamic vinegar and stir to combine.
9. Crumble goat cheese into the risotto and stir lightly.
10. Slice the chicken breasts and serve over the risotto immediately.

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Enjoy!
Amanda

How to Roast a Red Pepper

Turn on the broiler and place red peppers directly on an oven rack at the highest level in your oven.

Turn the peppers around as they blacken so every side becomes dark.

Once blackened on all sides remove the peppers from the oven and place into a paper bag and close for about 2-3 minutes. The steam helps loosen the skin for easy removal.

Remove the charred skin by peeling or scraping it off with your fingers or a spoon. Using a knife cut around the top of the pepper and remove the center with all the seeds.

And voilà! Perfectly roasted Red Peppers, perfect for sauces, soups, your antipasto platter or a really yummy risotto...