Potato, Shallot and Parmesan Croquettes

Just happen to have some leftover potatoes in the fridge 🙂

Cooking Up The Pantry

These really remind me of my childhood, leftover mashed potato re imagined in a deep fried treat! We used to have larger croquettes but as I made these as part of a nibbles night I made them smaller, just a couple of mouthfuls really.

I use gluten free fresh breadcrumbs, when gluten free rolls or bread are reduced, I buy a few packets and make them into breadcrumbs, due to the cost and being a tight Scot! I don’t cut off the crusts, I use all of the loaf or bread which does make a darker crumb to regular bread, once crumbed they live in the freezer so I have them for future use.

Feel free to use regular fresh breadcrumbs if you don’t need the GF version!

Makes 20 small croquettes.

Ingredients

400g leftover mashed potato

100g Parmesan, finely grated

2 small shallots, very finely diced

salt and pepper

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Goats Cheese and Onion Tart

This looks absolutly delicious!

cathyandchucky

I have been watching a television show called The Incredible Spice Men and love their style of cooking with spice. I’ve had a go at their caramelised onion and goats cheese tart with a few exceptions. I was unable to source caraway seeds at my local supermarket so unfortunately had to leave them out. I also didn’t have any balsamic vinegar but used Apple cider vinegar instead and it was more than fine 😄
Get all your ingredients together first. I had some lovely gluten free pastry left over from a madras curry pie from the other night and didn’t want to waste that. The extra lactose free cheese you see here wasn’t used in the end as it had mould in it 😝 I hadn’t noticed before assembling the tart. I was just going to sprinkle it on top for an extra cheesy taste. It certainly wasn’t needed.

Make…

View original post 560 more words

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Ingredients: 
5 lbs. potatoes; peeled and chopped
1 sm. onion; chopped
8oz. cream cheese; softened
3-14.5oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth (or frozen broth!) 
1 can cream of chicken soup

As Garnishes you can use: 
* crisp bacon; crumbled
* shredded cheddar cheese
* sour cream
* sliced scallions

Directions: 
1. Put potatoes & onion in crock-pot after peeling and chopping. 
2. Combine the cream cheese, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup & the pepper. Add this mix to the crock-pot.
3. Cover & cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
4. After cooking time, mash the potatoes if you want the soup to be thicker.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish! 

Leftovers of this recipe freezes well for another day.

Pulled Pork

Pulled Pork

Ingredients–

2.5 kg Pork shoulder (bone in or boneless)
400 ml Pepsi® original
500 ml BBQ Sauce
1 Onion large, sliced
4 cloves Garlic sliced
1 tsp Chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper

Directions–
Place all spices in a small bowl and mix together.  Remove any string if the pork has been tied.
Rub spice mix onto pork.
Place onions and garlic into a slow cooker and place rubbed meat on top.Add barbecue sauce and Pepsi®.
Cover and cook 6-8 hrs on high or 8-10 hrs on low.Turn off slow cooker and remove meat to a cutting board.  If the pork has a bone discard it.  Using two forks shred the meat into bite sized pieces, discarding any large pieces of fat.
Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and combine with the white sauce.

Recipe notes
Served on soft buns topped with your favourite tangy cole slaw.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

2 small onions, shredded
2 broccoli heads, chopped
4 clove garlic, crushed
2 carrots, shredded
2 celery stocks, shredded
1 tbsp oil or butter (enough to saute veggies)
4 cup milk, warm
1/3 cup Flour
1/3 cup Butter
3 cup cheese, shredded
4 cup chicken stock
Salt/pepper to taste

Directions

In a larger pot add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery saute until tender. Then add broccoli and saute for another minute. Add your chicken stock and cover pot, bring to a boil for about 10 minutes (until broccoli is tender) – this is also a good time to warm your milk.
In another pot melt butter and add flour to make a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes then add warm milk and whisk until mixture thickens. Add your salt and pepper.
As soon as the roux thickens add the mixture to your veggies and stir. Add your shredded cheese.
If the soup is still not to desired thickness you could make a mixture of flour and cold water and add to the soup to thicken up. Keep the pot on low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with some of the celery leaves or parsley

Enjoy 🙂

Note: if you prefer a thicker soup you could substitute some or all of the milk for 10% cream

Southern style Baked Picnic Ham

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: 10 Servings

For New Years dinner we decided to try something new, a delicious Southern style Baked Smoked Pork Shoulder, super easy to prepare Studded with cloves, brown sugar glaze and sliced pineapple as an option, your family is sure to love this any time of the year but, it’s just perfect for the holidays.

Ingredients
9 Lb average Smoked Pork Shoulder
(smoked but not cooked)
1 can of Sliced Pineapple (reserve juice)
1 bottle (Beer) Rickard’s Blonde
1 lemon, juiced and zested
½ cup of Light Brown Sugar**
2 Tablespoons of Yellow Mustard or Dijon**
Whole Cloves – optional
4 – 5 fresh Sage
(** ×2 – optional)

Instructions
Preheat one side of BBQ with smoker chips at medium temp (or oven at 350°)

Line a 2-inch deep roasting pan with Aluminum Foil
Place the whole pork shoulder package in the pan on a wire rack.
Carefully cut the outer plastic packaging and any other packing materials that might be included, discard except the netting on the meat, do not remove at this time.

Place the meat skin side up in the pan.
Add beer and sage to the pan.
Cover the meat with Aluminum Foil.
Place in BBQ on side without heat.
Meat should cook about 18-22 minutes per pound of weight.
In a small bowl, mix Brown Sugar and Mustard, add just a few tablespoons of the juice from the pineapples mix well to form a thick paste.
About 45 minutes before the pork should be done, remove the pan from the BBQ (oven) and remove foil.
Reduce the heat to low (oven heat to 250º.)
Carefully cut away the netting from around the meat. It may stick in some places so be careful.
Using tongs and a knife, carefully remove the layer of skin and fat from the meat, set discard.
Use a sharp knife and score the meat about every one inch and about ½ inch deep. Crosscut again.
If using Cloves, place one clove in each of the squares made from the cuts.
Drizzle half of the glaze over the cooked meat.
Use toothpicks to attach the pineapple slices to the meat and drizzle remaining glaze over the top.
Return the roast to the BBQ (oven), uncovered and cook for about 30-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat reaches a temperature of 170º.

Extra Glaze:
If you would like an extra dose of glaze to the ham, you can mix the mustard, Brown sugar and pineapple juice and apply a thin layer (it’s not necessary, just a matter of preference) after you remove the toothpicks, pineapple and cloves.

Turn up BBQ to high
(If oven method, Set your oven to BROIL.)

Return the shoulder, uncovered, to the oven and Broil for about 10 minutes longer or, until it’s a nice brown color. Sugar should be melted but don’t let it burn. Oven temperatures will vary so, keep a close eye on it during this final step.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-15 minutes before carving.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Note:
If you made extra glaze you could warm it and serve on the side.

Modified from Taste of Southern

Savoury Meat Pies

Source: My wonderful cousin who also aquired it through The Canadian Living Test Kitchen and their Source is Holiday Celebrations: 2007

Ingredients
Double-Crust Sour Cream Pastry
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk

Filling:
1 lb (454 g) lean ground beef
1 lb (454 g) ground pork
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) chopped peeled potatoes
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried thyme
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1/4 cup (60 mL) tomato paste
2 cups (500 mL) sodium-reduced beef stock
1 tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Filling: In shallow Dutch oven, saute beef and pork separately over medium-high heat, breaking up with fork, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to bowl; drain fat from pan. In same pan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper; fry for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; fry, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour in beef stock and Worcestershire sauce; bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Return beef and pork to pan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes start to break down, about 35 minutes. Stir in parsley. Discard bay leaves. Let cool. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold; cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
On lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to generous 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. Fit into 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate; trim even with plate. Brush pastry shell with mustard. Spoon in filling.
Roll out remaining pastry. Whisk egg yolk with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water; brush some over pastry rim. Fit pastry over filling; trim to leave 3/4-inch (2 cm) overhang. Fold overhang under bottom pastry rim; seal and flute edge. (Make-ahead: Wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Brush egg mixture over pastry. Cut steam vents in top of pie. Bake in bottom third of 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (180°C); bake until top is golden, about 1 hour. Let pie cool on rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Peaches and Cream French Toast

Source http://aliceandthemockturtle.blogspot.ca/2012/01/peaches-and-cream-french-toast-make.html?m=1

A sweet caramel made of melted butter and brown sugar is topped with sliced peaches.Add cubed French bread and pieces of cream cheese.
Then pour a creamy mixture of eggs, half-n-half and vanilla over top.
Cover the dish, all the bread and cream swimming in the creamy sauce atop the ooey~gooey caramel, and refrigerate til morning.
Once cooked, the top gets crunchy. . . But when you take a piece, the inside is all gooey goodness.

1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
2 tbsp reserved juice from canned peaches
1 29 oz can of peaches, drained
1 French baguette, cubed
8 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
12 eggs
1 1/2 c half-n-half
1 tsp vanilla

Heat butter, sugar and peach juice in saucepan until bubbly.Pour into a 13×9 inch casserole dish. Scatter peach slices over caramel sauce. Top with bread cubes then pieces of cream cheese.
Place eggs, half-n-half, and vanilla in blender; blend to combine.
Pour egg mixture over bread and cream cheese.
Cover and refrigerate at least an hour but preferably overnight.
Bake, uncovered, in 350F oven for 50-60 minutes.

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National Day Calendar

Click on this link for a full list. …
NATIONAL DAY CALENDAR

Ever wonder what ‘Special Day’ it is weather it be Fun, unusual or Forgotten Designations on our calendar….the check out this page…you will get a complete list!

Layered Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake

SOURCE: Kraft Canada

What you need:
2-1/2 cups Oreo Baking Crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 chopped cup pecans
1/4 flaked cup coconut4 (250 g each) pkg. Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. Bird’s Custard Powder
4 eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
6 oz. Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix baking crumbs, butter, pecans and coconut; press firmly onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and custard powder in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 40 min. or until centre is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Place whipping cream and chocolate in saucepan. Cook on low heat until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring occasionally. Pour over cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 min. or until chocolate is firm. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Kitchen Tips

SIZE WISE
This party-size cheesecake is great for large crowds. Be mindful of serving size.

SPECIAL EXTRA

After chocolate topping is firm, place 2 additional chocolate squares in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM 2 min., stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into small resealable bag; seal bag. Snip off one small corner from bottom of bag; twist top of bag to squeeze chocolate from bag to pipe a special message, such as ” Greetings,” on top of cheesecake.