Fresh 'n Minty Choco-Cupcakes

One of Mike's favorite types of ice cream is mint and chocolate chip. This inspired me to make some minty cupcakes that provide some chocolatey goodness. They are super fast and easy too because everything is plopped into one bowl... and they bake up just like decadent brownies! I didn't frost them, but you could do a simple chocolate ganache-type coating for the top.

Enjoy.

2 cups chocolate chips- (1.5 cups semi-sweet chips and 1/2 cup mint chocolate chips)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350

1. Prep a 12-spot muffin tin with paper liners

2. Over a pot of boiling water, in a large bowl, melt the chips and butter (double boiler).

3. When melted remove from heat, whisk in sugar and salt, and 3 eggs until well-blended.

4. Add sifted cocoa powder and flour mixture.

5. Add peppermint extract.

6. Scoop into your cupcake liners and bake for 35 minutes !

Moolicious 'n Minty!

Marguerita Pizza

Before Christmas meal madness on the 24th and 25th, I like to do a pizza. Something classic. So last night, on the 23rd, I made a simple pizza using: crust, fresh mozzarella ball, homemade sauce and fresh basil....with the colors of Christmastime in mind.

For the sauce: Simmer 1 can San Marzano tomatoes with a handful of fresh basil leaves, 3 cloves smashed garlic- (to be removed before spreading the sauce), salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. When the liquid has reduced, add a shot of white wine and stir in some tomato paste. Let that reduce, then cool (total time: 20 minutes).

For the dough: I made home made, but you can use one ball of frozen/store bought.

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Roll out dough, and place on pizza stone (or sheet pan) drizzle olive oil.

3. Cook the crust for about 12 minutes, (sans toppings!) then remove from oven.

4. Add sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. Then bake for another 10-15 minutes or so, until the cheese starts melting!

5. Remove from oven, place on a nice wood cutting board and serve right at the table!

This whole pizza was eaten last night! Merry Christmas!

Moolicious!

Marble Loaf Cake

It's our official anniversary today. We had a nice dinner out last night and today I wanted to make a turkey, with green beans, garlic mashed potatoes and stuffing. I also wanted an anniversary cake ...but couldn't decide on chocolate or vanilla, so I went with a mix of both.

Dry:

1 & 3/4 cup sifted cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Wet:

1/2 cup butter- room temp

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup milk

3 tbsps sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate marble part:

Once you have your batter made, in a medium sized bowl, mix together 1 cup of the cake batter, 1/4 cup hot water, 1/3 cup cocoa powder.

-Grease your loaf dish

-Preheat oven to 350

1. Sift together dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. For wet mix, beat butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla.

3. In a seperate bowl, whisk together sour cream and milk until frothy.

4. Add dry to wet mix, alternating with the milk mix.

5. Mix well, then don't forget to RESERVE YOUR 1 CUP of BATTER for CHOCOLATE PART and make it (see above).

6. Add half white mixture to loaf dish, then half choco mix, followed by the rest of the white batter, then rest of the choco part. Use a long skewer to make your marbling pattern.

7. Bake for 1 hour (test with your skewer).

8. Let rest for 5 minutes, then remove from loaf dish and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Serve with fresh/frozen berries ...

Moolicious dessert!

Simply Pork Roast

Sundays used to be roast day in my Mom's house. Sometimes I do it, most times I don't, but I had too much to do today, so I decided: roast in my slow cooker, with a few different, but easy to prepare sides: sweet potato and spaghetti squash. The beauty of the slow cooker is that it does all the work for you and there`s hardly any clean up. There`s some Grey Cup watching to do tonight, so there won`t be time to clean! Go Als Go!

The night before, I brined my pork so that it's extra juicy. In a bowl, add a nice amount of salt, pepper, coriander seeds, rosemary, lemon and limes, and enough water to cover the roast.

For the roast you'll need:

1 small pork loin roast

1 tbsp rosemary

half a cinnamon stick

fresh dill

1 clove of garlic, chopped

a few tsps of beef stock powder

1-2 cups water

flour (to thicken sauce).

1. Whisk water with all dry stuff in your slow cooker pot.

2. Add roast, set on low for 6 hours.

3. With 3 hours left to cook, add chunks of pealed sweet potato.

4. Use the juices from the slow cooker to make a gravy: just strain into a pot and reduce on the stove top, add butter and whisk in some flour if it needs to be thicker.

For the spaghetti squash:

1. Cut in half, clean out seeds and brush with olive oil, salt and pepper.

2. In a lasagna dish, put an inch of water, then put squash flesh side down.

3. Bake at 350 for an hour.

4. Allow to cool slightly, then strip flesh out with a fork. It will look like spaghetti noodles....s & p and voila!

Moolicious!

Baked Fish with a Leek 'n Potato Side

I am making a simple baked fish tonight, so I thought I would throw a potato dish in the oven alongside the fish.

So, here's what to do...In a greased tart dish, layer pealed, thinly sliced potatoes, followed by a layer of cleaned and sliced leeks, olive oil, salt and pepper. Then repeat! Potato, leek, OO, s & p. Bake for 40 minutes at 375.

Now for the fish: In a baking dish, I made a salmon filet slathered with horseradish sauce, lemon zest and juice, salt pepper and dill. For the cod filet; salt, pepper, dill, lemon. Add fish to the oven with 25 minutes left on the potatoes.

Moolicious, lazy and yum!

Pesto Chicken Strips

Here's an easy recipe that kids will enjoy. The pesto also gives in an adult appeal.

1. Prep a soup bowl with one beaten egg and 2 nice dollops of jarred or fresh pesto.

2. Prep another bowl of plain flour

3. Prep a third dish with Panko breadcrumbs.

- Preheat oven to 400

4. Cut chicken into strips, and season well with salt and pepper.

5. Dip in flour, then egg mix, then bread crumbs and lie on a parchment papered baking tray.

6. Bake strips at 400 for 30-35 minutes (depending on size of your strips).

Serve with a marinara dipping sauce, plum sauce, pesto, salsa...the possibilities are endless.

I served these with a slow cooker leek soup.

Moolicious!

Tortillasagna

(Assembling)

I enjoy all things Mexican and spicy. Here is a unique way to make a lasagna, sans noodles.

1. Grease a lasagna dish, set aside.
2. In a frying pan, heat up olive oil and add:
- one chopped onion and garlic clove and a tbsp each cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano- a dash of curry, saffron, turmeric and season well with salt pepper.
3. Add one package of lean ground beef, stir and cook through.
4. Preheat oven to 375.
5. To beef mix in: one pint baby tomatoes, halved, 1 can rinsed black beans, one can corn, one diced orange pepper and season again with salt and pepper.
6. Finally, begin layering- 6 small refrigerated tortillas as the base, meat mixture, marble cheddar and repeat.
- Your top layer should be tortillas covered with more cheese and sprinkled with tomatoes.
7. Bake for 40 minutes or until cheese is golden.


For an optional topping for single servings, I used a mixed salad of cucumber, dill, lime juice and an avocado over a dollop of sour cream.




Moolicious!

Cheesy Potato Strata

My mom used to make scalloped potatoes, which were ok...but I always thought they were missing something. So here, I added my own touch of bacon and really old sharp cheddar cheese.

1. Grease a baking dish.
2. Thinly slice 4 medium sized potatoes.
3. Cook 4 slices of bacon for 4-5 minutes in the microwave, cool and cut into bits.
4. Preheat oven to 350
5. Shred about 1 cup old sharp cheddar cheese.
6. Chop about 1 tsp fresh oregano.

7. Now layer and repeat: potatoes, drizzle of oil, salt and pepper, cheese, bacon, oregano.
8. The last layer should be topped with cheese and panko bread crumbs.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes.


Moolicious!

Roasted Red Peppered Hummus

It's so easy and inexpensive to make your own hummus! Here's a quick recipe for my version.
Lots of flavour indeed.

1. In a 350 oven, roast one whole head of garlic for 45 minutes. To do: slice of the top of a whole head, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, wrap in foil and bake. You can throw it in along side something else you're making.

2. In a food processor add: salt, pepper, one can of jumbo chic peas (a bit of the canning liquid), a squeeze of lemon juice, zest and juice from one lime, a roasted red pepper, 1/4 of an onion, pinch of red pepper flakes and your head of roasted garilc.

3. Mix until well combined- you can drizzle in some olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh pita and salad greens!

Healthy and Moolicious!

Moolicious Beef Bourguignon

Mike and I love this dish.
It's a whole lot of wine and well worth it. Tonight I served it over top of whole wheat egg noodles, but you can use your favorite starch...mashed or boiled potatoes, white rice, any other pasta etc.
Enjoy!

You'll need:

1/2 cup chopped bacon

oil for pot

3 pounds lean stewing beef. (I used the blade roast type and cut all the fat off and cut it in chunky cubes)

1 sliced carrot

1 sliced onion

salt and pepper

2 tbsps of flour (this will thicken the sauce- if you like it thicker, add more)

3 cups red wine

2 to 3 cups beef stock

1-2 tbsps tomato paste

2 cloves chopped garlic (or more if you like lots!)

1/2 tsp dry or fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 package of white mushrooms, sliced

1. Prep (cut, mince, measure etc.) all ingredients before hand. Dry your raw beef cubes on a paper towel (this will help browning).

2. Put oil in your pot on med-high heat and simmer bacon pieces for 2-3 minutes, until brown, then remove and put on a large plate. - Preheat oven to 325

3. Put oil in the pot, then saute beef until brown on all sides. Remove and put it on the plate with the bacon.

4. Next, saute the carrot and onion until softened, maybe 5-6 minutes.

5. Next, put the beef and bacon back in the pot, sprinkle everything with salt, pepper and flour, stir and saute for 5 minutes more.

6. Next, add the red wine (a little for you and 3 cups for the pot!) and beef stock until meat and veggies are covered- use a whisk to get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot!

7. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf and thyme.

-Bring to a simmer, then cover and set in the oven for 2.5 - 3 hours. Open once to stir and add the mushrooms midway through.

Serve with a crusty garlic bread or baguette!!!!

Moolicious!

Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

This pork, rice and asparagus came together quickly for a busy midweek.

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Place 1 pork tenderloin filet on a greased baking sheet.

3. Rub pork with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, zest and juice of one lime, drizzle of soy sauce and 1 minced clove of garlic.

4. Cook for 40 minutes, remove and allow to rest 5 minutes before cutting in.

5. With 7 minutes left, I put asparagus drizzled with oil, s & p and put them on the baking tray along side the pork.

I served it with wild rice and it was....

Moolicious!

Hell Raiser Porcu-Pig Pumpkin!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I hope you like my pumpkin. It's a Moolicious Kitchen original design.

Like every Halloween since I've been little, my Mom has either made a frozen pizza or ordered pizza. With the excitement of it all and helping us get our makeup and costumes just right, she was too busy to cook. So that's what's on my menu this Halloween. I will continue the tradition.

For my toppings tonight, I used: BBQed chicken, orange pepper, roasted garlic, shallot, asparagus, sliced fennel and mozzarella cheese of course!

Halloween Noodle Bowl

This is my take on an Asian noodle soup. I make a big pot and it's good for two days.
The won tons remind me of mini (tasty) ghosts. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you wish.
Aside from making the individual won tons, this soup is quick and easy to make...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

For the broth:

In your soup pot, add 2 boxes chicken stock, pinch of red pepper flakes, grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp sesame oil. Bring to a boil, then put on low heat.

Prep another large pot beside, with boiling water for won tons.

Won ton filling:
Mix together: 1 package ground pork, 3 chopped scallions, freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 dashes of soy sauce, 1 well-beaten egg and some bread crumbs.

- Have on hand, defrosted won ton wrappers, and a bowl of egg wash to seal them.
- I find it easier to place filling on each wrapper first, then sealing and boiling 6 at a time.
- Once they float to the top, place them in the broth.
Other add-ins:
When all the won tons are done and in the broth, I added fresh broccoli, half an orange pepper and some chow mein noodles to the pot. You want your veggies to be nice and crunchy! Let sit for 5 minutes and then dig in!

Slow Cooking Chicken Stew

There are hearty beef stews, so why not chicken stew? I decided to make this for Sunday night supper, so I can also have leftovers in the beginning of the work week. This stew has many layers of hearty, homey flavors and healthy ingredients. Before settling in for the night, and before eating stew and inhaling an apple 'n raz cheese torte, we took a run on Mount Royal and climbed the torturous stairs a few times. Nothing tastes better than a warm stew after being out in the Autumn nippiness. Enjoy.

You'll need:

- 1 large package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs- cubed like stewing beef morcels.
- 2 large carrots, chopped.
- 1 celery stalk, chopped.

- 3 cloves garlic, minced.

- 1 diced onion.

- 2 medium sized potatoes, bite sized.

- 1 package sliced mushrooms.

- 1 can white beans.

- 1/2 a bag of fresh spinach.
- Dumplings (a few handfuls, like gnocci- optional)

Seasonings: flour, salt, pepper, dry rosemary, fresh oregano, dry basil, turmeric, cumin, chicken stock powder, 1 bay leaf- maybe 1 tsp of each and a little less turmeric.

Liquids: half cup white wine, 1-2 cups water (enough to cover chicken) and tomatoe paste.

1. Place chicken in your slow cooker, then coat with flour (this will thicken), and seasonings- combine well.
2. Add white wine and water, onion and garlic and tomatoe paste.
3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours (depending on your slow cooker).

4. With 3 hours remaining, add carrot, potatoes.

5. With 1-2 hours remaining, add mushrooms, celery.

6. With 30 minutes remaining add white beans and dumplings.

7. Wilt in the spinach at the very end, before serving.

Have a fresh baguette close by for the sauce.

Moolicious!

Apple 'n Raz Cheese Torte

Mike and I went apple picking on Friday...so you know what that means...lots of pies and crisps and apple snacks. We were able to climb the trees and pick our own and because it is a little late in the season, the only available kind was Cortland. That didn't stop us from playing hide and seek (and apple target practice on each other with the fallen apples) in an orchard all to ourselves. This apple and raspberry torte is inspired by one of my mom's recipes. Enjoy.

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. The Crust:
- Mix one cup flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, then press evenly into a greased tart dish.

3. The Middle:
- Mix 1/2 cup cream cheese,1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla and fold in one container of fresh raspberries. Add mixture to crust.

4. The Topping:
- Peal and slice two apples, and add them to 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 sugar, and mix well.

5. Place sugar coated apples starting from the outside and work inward.

6. Bake for 10 minutes at 425.
7. Then reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 minutes.

Allow to cool and eat!

Moolicious!

Linguine and a Spicey Meat-a-ballz

Mike wanted something with pasta for supper tonight, so I decided to go with a classic. I didn't have spaghetti, so linguine was just fine. I used some of my frozen, home made tomato sauce and voila, dinner in a jiffy. I usually bake my meatballs instead of frying because it's healthier and I find them to be less grease-infested and oily-tasting.

Here's my take on simple, tasty meatballs.

1. In a bowl, mix together:

1 minced shallot, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp dry basil, salt, pepper, 1 egg, 1 tbsp cornmeal and a package of lean ground beef.

2. Preheat oven to 350

3. Form loonie-sized meatballs, on a parchment papered baking tray.

4. Bake for 35 minutes.

5. Add meatballs to cooked linguine and your favorite sauce.

Moolicious!

Butternut Squash 'n Veg Soup

Oh Yum.

Mike loves it when I buy butternut squash because it can be used in so many ways.

Here, I made a luscious Autumn soup.

What to do...

In a large soup pot:

1. Saute 1 chopped shallot, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 diced zucchini, 1 diced medium sized potatoe, 1 butternut squash for 5-6 minutes, in olive oil.

2. Season with salt, pepper and a dash each of: curry, cumin, fennel seed, celery salt, ginger powder.

3. Add 5-6 cups heated chicken stalk and 1 tbsp tomatoe paste.

4. Bring to a simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5. Once everything is tender, use an immersion blender to make your "potage" nice and smooth.

Quick and Moolicious!

Thankul for Empanadas

Who says Thanksgiving has to be over after one weekend?
I have chosen to stretch it out this year by recreating all the flavors I have to be thankful for, in one special pouch.
Also, the recipe makes over a dozen, so they are great for work lunches and/or freezing for later.
You can substitute this Thanksgiving mixture for one of your favorites - the dough recipe is key to having successful Empanadas every time.
Enjoy.

I did the dough yesterday and kept it in the fridge in plastic wrap...once less thing to do on a busy workday.
For the dough-
In a food processor, blend 4 cups of flour, 2 tsps baking powder, 1 tbsp salt.
Add a few dashes each: dried rosemary, thyme, sage.
Add 3/4 cups cold, cubed unsalted butter and combine.
Finally, slowly add 1 cup of cold water- mix well.
Knead for 30 seconds, and refridgerate.

For the filling-
- Fry up a package of ground turkey, seasoned with sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper- A sprinkling of each is fine...
-Remove from pan and add butter to the empty pan, a few tbsps of chicken stalk, then add 1 cubed stalk of celery, 1 minced onion, 1 cubed potatoe.
-Add s/p and stir until everything softens, 3-4 mins.
-Add the chicken back a handful of each, frozen peas and dried cranberries.
- Allow to completely cool before "stuffing" your dough.

Assembly- I find this order of operations easiest and most efficient.
1. Roll out cold dough on a floured counter, until quite thin, but still workable (maybe 1/4 inch).
2. Make round pieces using a soup bowl, until all dough is done.
3. Next, pile 2 spoonfuls of the mix on one side of the circle, then fold over (without sealing just yet).
4. Preheat oven to 400
5. Now, prep eggwash- (beaten egg) and prep a glass of water and prep two baking trays with parchment paper.
6. Use your finger to moisten the bottom edge of the dough and then seal together with a fork.
7. When everyone is done, place on baking trays and brush each with eggwash.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes and voila!

They will be golden and Moolicious when they're done.

Moo's Pork Wellington

This is my version of Beef Wellington with the assistance of a highly tasty, juicy, on sale, pork tenderloin filet. Enjoy!


1. With a lb piece of pork tenderloin in a large Ziploc bag, add:

- A minced shallot
-2 tbsps grainy Dijon mustard
-2 cloves minced garlic
-A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
-Salt/Pepper.

2. Massage meat so all ingredients are spread evenly and refrigerate/marinate for 2-3 hours.

3. Get your meat when it's ready! Heat up a frying pan with oil at med-high heat, and fry your tenderloin on all sides until they are crispy and coated brown. You just want to brown the outsides, not to cook it all the way through!...Then you ALLOW TO COMPLETELY COOL!

4. Preheat oven to 400

5. Roll out 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry and brush with Dijon, salt and pepper.

6. Place cooled tenderloin in dough and fold (ends first) until you have a nice little dough package.

7. Brush with egg wash and bake for 30-40 minutes.

8. Allow 5-8 minutes resting time before cutting in!

9. I served with a fried potato hash (See Thanksgiving Bonanza potato recipe) and a green frisée salad.

10. EAT!


Moolicious!

Home Made Granola

On Sunday, I like making crunchy granola for weekday breakfasts or snacks. I try different ingredients all the time to add variety...
Today I used a combination of sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and coconut to make a wholesome, healthy granola.

1. In a large bowl put 2 cups large oats, 3 tbsps cracked wheat (optional), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsps vegetable oil, 1 tbsp honey/maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract, dash of cinnamon.

2. Massage the mixture with your hands for about 2 minutes, getting every oat coated.

3. Spread mixture on a parchment papered baking sheet.

4. Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes to avoid burning.

5. With 10 minutes remaining add the sunflower seeds and coconut (your desired amount).

6. When done, and oats are crispy remove and allow to cool.

7. Add cranberries, mix and store in a plastic container for up to 2 weeks.


Moolicious!

Thanksgiving Bonanza

So, I wanted to celebrate the holiday with the traditional food, made in an "untraditional"way. Here's what I came up with~!

For the TURKEY and STUFFING:

- I made a box stuffing and baked it for 20 minutes so it's a little more crispy and not soggy.

- I used turkey scalopini (cutlets), brushed with melted butter, dashed with salt and pepper, filled with the stuffing and rolled up and then pinned with toothpicks.

-Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes turning and basting with butter every 10 minutes.

- Brilliant, because you're still getting your "stuffed turkey" fix.

For the CRANBERRY sauce:

- Boil 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1/2 cup orange juice, 5 large chopped strawberries and 1 small box of raspberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Simmer until cranberries burst, strain, cool and voila.

For the POTATOES:

- Grate 3 medium sized potatoes, mix with 1 egg and 1/2 cup flour and salt and pepper.

-Heat up a pan with oil, make potatoe patties and fry until both sides are golden. Simple, different and tasty!

For the SWEET POTATOES:

- Boil your sweet potatoe (I used 1 for the 2 of us) in salted water with a cinnamon stick until tender.

-Drain when ready, mash with 2 tbsps milk, butter, more salt and pepper and a dash of brown sugar and rosemary.

- Place in small baking dish and top with mini marshmallows. Bake alongside turkey for 20 minutes, or until mallows are getting roasty.

For the rest, I cheated: I baked a pumpkin pie with canned filling, I used a packaged gravy mix too :) I served boiled baby carrots and peas with s & p and butter!

Gobblemoolicious!

Leek Soup with Crispy Pancetta

Oh my God. This was a luxurious, tasty and healthy soup... no cream at all... just pure veggies and chicken stock.

One of our favorite restaurants serves a "potage du jour" which is either carrot, asparagus or leek soup. Delicious....so I have re-created my version of it because leeks were on sale this week at my local grocery store. Chances are, you have all the other ingredients at home in your fridge!

Enjoy.

In a large soup pot:

1. Heat up olive oil

2. Add all at once: 4 cleaned, chopped leeks, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 minced shallots, 1 chopped jarred roasted red pepper, 1 cubed stock of celery, 2 cubed potatoes, 1 tsp dry basil, oregano and pepper and 2 bay leafs. Then saute in oil for 5 minutes until softened.

3. Then add 4-5 cups of chicken broth (enough until all your veggies are covered).

4. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 20 minutes.

5. Remove the 2 bay leafs and with a hand-held or regular blender, puree the soup until it becomes "potage" and all ingredients are well blended. It will have the richest, thickest consistency.

6. Finally, add a few slices of fried, crumbled pancetta and serve.

***Also, before serving, add the amount of salt you think it needs.

Moolicious!

Mexicali Soup!

Mike loves this Mexican-inspired soup. It's such a fast tasty soup and most of your ingredients come out of a can or a box! Also, you have tons of leftovers, so it's a two in one meal deal.

Enjoy

In a large soup pot:
1. Heat up oil on med-high heat.
2. Add 1/2 a fennel bulb, thinly sliced, 3 cloves of garlic, minced and 1 onion, sliced and 1 package of chorizo sausage chunks.
3. Add 1 tbsp dry basil, a pinch of rosemary, 1 tsp fennel seeds, salt and pepper.
4. Stir and soften! (about 15 minutes)
5. Add 1 large can of diced tomatoes
6. Add 1 box beef stock
7. Add 1 chopped red pepper
8. Bring to a simmer, then add some soup noodles (optional) and 1 can black beans and 1 can of corn niblets and some chopped fresh cilantro.
9. Allow all ingredients to get to know one another (maybe 10 minutes) and voila!
10. You can serve with some grated Spanish style cheese on top, like Manchego.


Moolicious!

Orange-Vanilla Pound Cake

This is such an easy entertaining loaf cake. Plus, you can use the same base to make it up so many ways....instead of orange, try chocolate chips, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemon, poppy, marble...etc. Also, all you need is a whisk and a spatula...No need to dirty up a hand mixer or any fancy cake-making equipment!

1. Prep loaf dish with parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 350
3. Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
4. Whisk wet ingredients together** Everything but the oil.
5. Add dry to wet, slowly whisking until all is mixed.
6. Gently fold in the vegetable oil.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes.


You'll need:
DRY:
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder

WET:
- 3 extra large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- zest of 2 oranges
- 1 tsp vanilla extract


FROSTING:
- mix together 1/2 cup softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, zest of 1 orange, 1/2 cup icing sugar (give or take)- and ice your cake when it has fully cooled.


Moolicious!

Spinach 'n Seafood Lasagna

Yum Yum...I have a late night tomorrow, so I figured that this lasagna dish will be great for two days of dinners.

You'll need:

- About 12 med. sized shrimp

- About 12 small scallops

- 1 chopped chorizo sausage

- 2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce

- 1 tub of cottage cheese

- 1 bag of fresh spinach (washed, then cooked and chopped)

- 1 roasted red pepper

- 4 cups of cheese blend: parm, mozarella, provolone

- Fresh, no-bake lasagna noodles.

1. Fry chopped chorizo sausage until almost cooked, then add sauce to your pot.

2. Bring sauce to a simmer and toss in the seafood for 5 minutes, then set aside.

3. In a bowl, mix spinach, cottage cheese and the one chopped red pepper.

4. In a lasagna dish, layer up your ingredients in the order that you wish, until there's none left!

5. Bake at 375, for about 40 minutes.

Moolicious!!!

Sassy Sweet Potato Fries

Mike and I were calling each other "sweet" names yesterday, like sweet pig, sweet hen, sweet relish, etc. and then he called me a sweet potato...which he thought would be insulting, but it inspired me to make these fries for him!

1. I used 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into french fry-type lengths.
2. Pace fries in a bowl and drizzle with vegetable oil and coat well.
3. Add a sprinkling of each: salt and pepper, caraway seed, cumin, chili powder, dried parsley.
4. Place evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
5. Bake at 350 for about 25-35 minutes or until you try one and you say, "yup, they're ready!"
- Note: you can flip 'em around half way through
6. When done, grate fresh romano cheese on top!

*If you're having company, be fancy... take wax paper, make a cone and place the fries on display for your guests to nibble on!


Moolicious!

Dilled Cornbread

I sometimes crave cornbread, and since I'm making a roasted chicken tonight, I decided...why not?!
In a bowl, mix dry stuff:
- Mix 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsps baking powder

In another bowl mix wet stuff:
- 2 eggs
- 6 tbsps butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk


Blend the wet and dry mixtures and add about 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill.
Pour into a parchment paper-lined square baking dish.
Oven at 450 for 25 minutes.


Moolicious!~

Ukie Shepherds Pie

So, I bought a jar of Sauerkraut and everytime I use it, I need to put some sausages in there somewhere. So, I created a dish using a Ukrainian favorite.

In a large pot, on the stove, heat up olive oil and then add:
- 5-6 sausages, out of their casings and in pieces (similar to ground beef)- fry for 5-6 minutes
- Season with: salt, pepper, cayenne, dry basil, fennel seed
- Add half a jar of rinsed Sauerkraut and combine, fry for another 5 minutes
- Add 1 thinly sliced apple to the mix.
- Add 1 minced clove of garlic.
* Put this mix in a lasagna/casserole dish as the bottom layer

For the mashed potatoes:

- Simmer 5-6 peeled and diced potatoes in beef broth and a bay leaf for 25-20 minutes or until tender...then MASH 'EM and:
- Add a finely minced shallot
- Add about 1/2 cup fresh, chopped dill
- Add 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Add milk (for creaminess)
* Put potatoes evenly over the first base
*Sprinkle with paprika, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a thin layer of Panko breadcrumbs...
* Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes and broil for the last two minutes until the topping gets golden!


Mooliciouski!

Race Day Recipes

GREAT JOB DEENA!
Here are a few more pre-run recipes :)
We did it!





CHIC PEA SALAD

In a bowl mix together:
- 1 medium sized diced tomato
- About 1 cup of feta, diced
- 1 can chic peas, rinsed, drained
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 minced shallot
- olive oil, salt, pepper
- zest and juice from one lemon.

EGG WHITE SAMMY

- Fried egg white, lean turkey, romaine, whole grain bread-toasted.







WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

- I mixed al dente whole wheat rigatoni with a plain tomato sauce and freshly grated romano cheese. Simple, hearty and energizing!






Moolicious!

Barley & Quinoa Energy Salad

So, Deena bo Beena and I have entered a run this weekend. For supper, I'll have some plain whole wheat pasta and an egg white sandwhich on hearty grained bread...I may throw in a can of chic peas somewhere too...So all week, I have been trying to eat well, (despite my gummi worm and chocolate cravings) to prepare my body for this run on Mount Royal. It should not be different from any other Saturday morning, but I want to feel light on my feet and as ready as can be. So, this "tabouleh" inspired mix will hopefully help!

It was quite tasty...

I combined the following:
- half of a diced red pepper
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- a sprinkling of cumin
- about 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- about 1 cup of diced zucchini and 1 clove of minced garlic fried for a couple minutes
- roughly 1/2 cup red quinoa and 1/2 barley, cooked and cooled.
- olive oil, salt and pepper for seasoning.

Moolicious!

Hen's Pot Pies

My nickname, "La Hen", inspired me to make individual chicken pot pies...my way :)
I made two small pies and they were gone by the end of our dinner.

- 2 small boneless chicken breasts
- 1 carrot, cubed
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3/4 cup of frozen peas, thawed.
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 heaping tbsp of cornstarch
- 1 tsp chicken soup powder
- 1/2 cup milk
- s and p
-Frozen pie dough...this was leftover from empanadas I had made a few weeks back. Any frozen pie dough will do.
- Egg wash


- Grease pot pie dishes or small to medium sized ramekins, set on a large baking tray and then set aside.

1. In a large pot drizzled with oil, add cubed chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes (med-high heat), while stirring.
2. Add shallot and carrot and cover with oil, cook for 4-5 minutes.
3. Add cornstarch and chicken powder, and let oil/grease absorb
4. Add white wine, allow to bubble
5. Then add milk and simmer until the liquid thickens (maybe 5 mins).
6. Prep pie dough by rolling it out roughly the size of your dishes.
7. Remove pot from stove and add thawed peas, mix well and pour mixture into greased dishes.
8. Don't put the dough just yet! Allow mix to cool, while you preheat the oven to 400.
9. Once the oven dings, brush dough with egg wash, place dough on top of pot pie mix and put in the oven!
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until dough is nice and golden brown.


Moolicious!

Jacob's Reesey Chocolate Brownies

So Jacob's over and he wants to bake something. This usually happens whenever he comes. Last time it was rainbow chocolate chip muffins. Lately he's been watching cooking shows and getting inspired, although he has to branch out from the usual smooshed banana-strawberry yogurt delight.
So we looked through the cupboards and found a few things for brownies...but I wanted something different, so we picked up some Reese's peanut butter chips. They were so decadent because we had added a can of sweetened condensed milk...let me tell you....

Over a double boiler melt:
- 1/2 cup Reese's chips, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tbsp of butter.

Wet ingredients:
- Whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg and 1 small can of sweetened condensed milk.
-Now add melted mixture to the wet and combine.

Dry ingredients:
-Sift together 1 cup cake flour (all purpose is fine too), 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/4 baking powder and 1/4 tsp baking soda.
-Then add to both mixtures and combine well.
-Last but not least!!!!****: Add two large handfuls of Reese chips to the batter, mix and pour into square baking dish lined with parchment paper.
-Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350.


Moooooolicious!

Back-to-School Pizzas!

Well, It's that time of year again... September comes along and we start to feel like we should be layering up for winter by eating fall and winter favorites like stews and hearty stick-to-your-ribs dishes. It's also back-to-school for students, parents and teachers... which means busy schedules, lunches and leftovers! You can still eat your favorites while keeping them healthy too. Here are two different pizza recipes with one type of whole wheat dough. You'll have enough for leftovers, school lunches or midnight munchies! Enjoy!

For the dough:

1. -Oil a large bowl and set aside.

2. -In another large bowl, put 1 1/2 cups warm water combined with 2 packets of active dry yeast.

3. -Wait 5 minutes until the yeast dissolved, then whisk in 1 tbsp of honey, 1 tsp coarse salt, 1/4 cup of olive oil. Mix well.

4. -Add in 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 2 cups of bread flour (or all purpose).

5. -Mix until well-combined (it will be a bit sticky!)

6. - Knead dough for 10-15 seconds on a floured surface then put in the dough in the oiled bowl

7. - Cover the dough and allow to rise (maybe 1-2 hours), then punch down and allow to rise again.

8. When ready, divide the dough in two and then it's time to roll!!!

Prepping the toppings:I always find it much easier to chop or pre-cook the toppings and grate my cheese, and then I store them in large containers until I am ready to go! So this is what I did!

Toppings I used for pizza 1:

-My sauce

-Red pepper, thinly sliced

-Thinly sliced onion pieces (half an onion)

-Hot Italian sausage pieces (out of casings and cooked)

-Mozzarella cheese

- Top with fresh basil

Toppings I used for pizza 2:

-My sauce

-Cooked bacon, in pieces

-Leek pieces, cleaned and thinly sliced

-5 or 6 white asparagus stems, cut in 1 inch pieces

-A hot pepper (jalapeno...but any will do!!!)

-Mozarella cheese

-Top with fresh basil

For the sauce: I usually make my own sauce and freeze it in multiple tupperware containers for busy nights. You can use a store bought can of pizza sauce for this as well.

Oven at 425-450, cook for 30 minutes (or your desired temp and time) for two pizzas. *You can cook them separately too.

Moolicious!

Rustic Parchment Salmon with Leeks

Yummy! I served this salmon with wild brown rice and a bean salad.

Simple and Easy- Healthy and Moolicious.

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Place your salmon on a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray
3. Drizzle fish with olive oil, zest of one lemon, fleur de sel, pepper and lemon juice
4. Thinly slice the white part of a cleaned leek and pour over the salmon, add another drizzle of OO, salt and pepper.
5. Wrap up this soon-to-be-moolicious parcel so that no steam escapes!
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on the amount of fish you are serving.




Let me tell you....Moolicious!

Tea Time Brownies

Mmmmm, these things are rich, but with health in mind. I was invited for tea with Danya today and I decided to whip up some brownies this morning for our social gathering. It's my "modified" version of a classic dessert.
Enjoy!

You'll need/What to do:

1. (in a large bowl whisk together):

6 tbsp melted, cooled (unsalted) butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

2. (melt the following together over a double boiler and add to wet mixture #1):

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (plus more for scattering on top; optional)
2 tbsps molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract

3. (sift the following ingredients together and then mix into 1 & 2 mixture):

1/2 cup all purpose flour (or cake flour)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder

4. Pour into a greased/parchment-papered square baking dish
5. Scatter chocolate chips on top (optional)
6. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes


The final product is so moist because of the sour cream and molasses...no need for large amounts of butter or oil for this one!

Moolicious!

Spicey Lentil Soup with Pork Tenderloin

Slow Cooker Alert!!! You can modify the recipe for a regular stove-top pot too!
This yummy red lentil soup has a nice kick to it with some unique spices. You won't want your typical can of pea soup after trying this.

1. To your slow cooker add:

- 1 onion, diced
- roughly 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander seed- crushed
- dash of curry powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small sized pork tenderloin filet will do, cubed.
- 5 cups homemade chicken stock
- A cheese rind: I used a parmigiana reggiano rind, but you could use any hard type of rind (Gruyere, Romano etc..) So much extra flavor!

2. Mix well and start cooking on low for 5-6 hours.
3. With 2.5-3 hrs of remaining cooking time, add:

- 2 med.sized carrots, cubed
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 2 cups (uncooked) red lentils
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper

4. When ready to serve, top with sour cream & chopped scallions!

Super easy and super moolicious!

Pink Ladie's Lemonade

I had my mom for supper the other (humid!) night and I didn't have any juice to serve, but I did have loads of lemons.
So, when life gives you lemons.....

- Boil 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water- until sugar dissolves; and let cool.
- In your pitcher, add one cup of (freshly squeezed) lemon juice
- Add a handful of raspberries, watermelon and a sliced lemon
- Add 6 cups of ice cold water, followed by the boiled sugar-water combo and stir.
- Let cool in the fridge nicely before serving...

(The raspberries and watermelon turn the lemonade pink... but feel free to use any red fruit you have!)


Moolemonicious!

Tummy Rumbling Ribs

I bought what I thought would be your typical ribs (on sale) last week...you know the ones with tons of fat and hardly any meat? Boy was I wrong. We've been eating these for 3 days, in different ways...
They were so meaty, boneless and after slow cooking for 9 hours on low, the sauce and meat were extremely flavorful.
I served this with a green salad and plain white rice.

* Optional, I prepared everything the night before in my pot and kept it refrigerated. All I had to do in the a.m was stick it in my slow cooker.

Here's what to do:
- I had aaaaaa lot of meat!
1. Trim as much fat as possible off the ribs.
2. In your slow cooker pot add the following (I did not measure, but I can give a rough estimate):

- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup kraft BBQ sauce
- A good guh-spritz of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup grape jelly
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- juice of 2 limes
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1.5 tsp fleur de sel
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsps flour.

3. Mix all your ingredients well- make sure flour is all incorporated.
4. Add your meat and make sure it is all covered with the sauce
5. Add water if you need to (cover the meat).
6. Cook on low 7-9 hours, depending on how much meat you have!

Moolicious!

Quick (healthy!) Crustless Quiche

My moo wanted more than just leftover pizza tonight and there wasn't enough time to defrost anything...You see, he turns into a werewolf if he doesn't get his protein, so I made a fast and easy quiche, inspired by the ingredients in my fridge.

I used: 4 eggs, about 1/4 cup of flour, about 1/2 cup of milk, some sandwhich ham, fresh baby spinach, zucchini, a shallot and some parmesan cheese...s & p, olive oil.

1. Prehat oven to 425
2. Grease a tart dish and set aside.
3. In a med. sized bowl, beat the eggs, add the flour and milk and whisk well.
4. Next, add a minced shallot, diced sandwhich ham, spinach and a handful of parm. cheese.
5. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, mix everything and add to the tart dish.
6. Flatten evenly, and top with thinly sliced zucchini, drizzle with olive oil.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, remove, top with more parm cheese and a drizzling of olive oil and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese gets golden brown.

Moolicious....healthy too!

Brooklyn's Finest

Here's the deal... I want more followers so, in order to receive this recipe for the most amazing pizza you will ever taste, you need to recruit at least 2 people each!
This pizza is inspired by a well known restaurant that we went to with ClareBear and Jessy....under the Brooklyn bridge in NYC.
You want it? Homemade, from SCRATCH- sauce, dough, everything....
You know what to do.


Moolicious!

Tilapia: Two Ways 1. Maple Tilapia 2. Cajun Tilapia Nuggets

I love buying fresh fish. There's nothing like it when you're craving seafood. Here are two fun ways to make Tilapia taste totally different!

1. Maple Tilapia
- Place tilapia fillets in a Tupperware with pure (real!) maple syrup, freshly grated ginger, juice from one lemon, salt and pepper. Let marinate for an hour before cooking.

- When ready, preheat oven to 400

- Place fish on two sheets of foil, drizzle the sauce all over and wrap up tightly.

- Bake for 20 minutes, open foil, and bake for another 5-7 minutes. (I had two generous pieces, so your cooking time can vary depending on how much you use).

- Top with sliced almonds and it's ready to eat!


2. Cajun Tilapia Nuggets

- Preheat a frying pan with canola oil and 1 tbsp of butter on med. heat.

- Prep your crusty coating: In one bowl, beat an egg. In another bowl, mix panko bread crumbs with pepper, salt, garlic and onion powder, paprika and cayenne pepper.

- Cut your fish into nugget-sized pieces.

- Coat each piece in the egg, then the crumbs and fry until each side is golden brown and crispy.

- Serve with Plum sauce (or your favorite dipping sauce!) and lemon wedges.

TIP: Many people have trouble keeping the bread crumbs on their meat when they pan fry... the best thing that works for me is to have my oil and butter screaming hot. Be patient, allow your pan to heat up nicely before frying.

SIDE ideas?
- I served my fish with a blend of whole grain/wild rice boiled in 1 tbsp of beef broth.
- My greens were a mix of baby spinach, arugula, steamed broccoli topped with olive oil, pepper, white wine vinegar and celery salt.

Italian-Herbed Chicken with Quinoa and Green Beans

Slow cooker required! This makes a difference on your energy bill at the end of the month too! Besides, in the heat of the summer, who wants to have the oven on? Enjoy!

To your slow cooker add:

- Boneless skinless chicken thighs- I used roughly 12 pcs.

- 2 tbsps flour

- Equal parts: oregano, basil, paprika, thyme, chili flakes.

- 1/2 cup dry white wine

- 1- 2 cups chicken stock (enough to cover the chicken)

- 1 bay leaf

- 1-2 sliced cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper

MIX WELL!

-----Cook on low for 6 hours----- cooking time may vary depending on your machine and quantity of chicken.

Your sides....

- Add your green beans to the chicken with roughly 45 minutes of cooking time remaining.

- Serve chicken on a bed of quinoa that was boiled in lightly salted water. This usually takes roughly 20-25 minutes, so you can time your meal right! (follow cooking instructions on package).

- Squish a fresh lemon on your meal before serving and be sure to use the sauce!!!

Healthy and Moolicious!