English-Style Fish and Chips

Serves:4 servings

Prep time:15 mins

Cook time:15 mins

Total time:30 mins

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds fresh cod (thick filets, also called Captain’s Cut, which are closer to the head), however the tail end can be used if that is the only fish available. Haddock is also an alternative to cod.
2 cups flour, divided (1-1/2 c. & 1/2 c.)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup beer (we like a lighter color beer such as Corona, but a dark ale is more traditional)
2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice (or pickled red onions)
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups unsweetened lemon/lime seltzer (this is seltzer water flavored with lemon and lime, not diet lemon lime soda)
2 russet potatoes, skin on and sliced into thick fries or wedges
Canola oil for frying

Instructions

Cut the cod into strips about 8-10 inches long and about 2 inches around. We bought one large 1 ½ pound filet and cut eight equal pieces. (We cut the filet in half so we had two equal pieces and then cut four strips from each piece). Roll the cod strips in a half cup of flour in a medium bowl. Shake off excess and set aside.In a medium to large bowl, place the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, vinegar, Add the honey, beer, and pickle juice. Beat with a whisk as you pour in the lemon lime seltzer until the batter is the consistency of a light pancake batter. Set aside.Roll the cut potatoes on paper towels until dry.Heat oven to 250 degrees.In a cast iron skillet, fill ¾ full with Canola oil. (Whatever is not used can be strained later and reused for another recipe). Heat the oil to 325 degrees using a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. Cook the fries in two batches just until cooked but not browned, about four minutes per batch. Set aside on a plate, they will be crisped later.Bring the oil to 350 degrees.Dip the floured cod into the batter and with tongs, let drip slightly, then lay the battered fish into the hot oil gently. The fish will rise after a few seconds so don’t drop the whole piece in, just hold half in while the submerged half rises, then let the other half gently slip into the oil. Cook on one side and then flip using tongs or spider; about four to five minutes total. Cook in batches so the temperature of the oil does not drop too far. As each batch cooks, place on a sheet pan and hold in the oven.Once the last piece is cooked and the temperature of the oil is back up to 350 degree, drop in half the fries and cook until crisp. Place on the pan with fish and salt as they come out of the oil. Cook the second batch of fries and place with the rest on the pan.

SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS

PREP TIME
5 mins

COOK TIME
40 mins

TOTAL TIME
45 mins

Sweet and sour meatballs, the secret to a great sauce is using ketchup.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 onion, diced

Sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch
1½ cups water
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup ketchup

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the brown sugar, soy,vinegar, water and ketchup in a pot.
Combine the breadcrumbs, egg and ground beef together in a bowl.
Roll the meat mixture into meatballs, whichever size you want. I prefer slightly larger ones, they don’t dry out as quickly.
Pop them into the 375 degrees oven and start them cooking.
Mix your flour or cornstarch in cold water then whisk it into the sauce.
After about 20 minutes, take the meatballs out for a second, and drain the fat out of them.
Now you can cover those meatballs up with sauce.
Finish cooking them until done, and they look oh-so saucy and delish like this!When cooking meatballs I like to insert a thermometer in them and make sure they have reached a temp of at least 165 degrees. With all the beef recalls lately, it’s far better safe than sorry!I love sweet and sour meatballs on rice, especially bad-for-you, white rice!

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork/sausage
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove

3 cups shredded potatoes, drained and pressed
1/4 cup butter, melted
12 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded 
1/2 cup onion, shredded
1 (16 ounce) container cottage cheese
6 Large eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch square baking dish.

Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, and add seasonings (6 following the sausage in ingredients list) until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

In the prepared baking dish, stir together the shredded potatoes and butter. Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the mixture. In a bowl, mix the sausage, Cheddar cheese, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs. Pour over the potato mixture.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the casserole comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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.

Bacon + Potato Breakfast Skillet

I can see this being a huge hit in our house…. we will be adding the whole egg 🙂

Emerging Adult Eats

I have a confession to make. I don’t really know how to say this because as a human being it seems unnatural. I’m just going to come out & say it. Here it goes. I hate eggs.

Like, have to look away and plug my nose type of hate. I must be a mutant or something because everyone in the free world loves eggs.

It’s really tough out there for an egg hater but brunch lover. Like, look at any brunch menu in the world. Eggs benedict, omelettes, egg bakes, they’re just freaking everywhere. I don’t complain as long as the mimosas are flowing, though.

Unfortunately for me, I married a hunk who practically chugs raw eggs for breakfast. So after much trial & error, I’ve found I can tolerate egg whites in small doses.

This skillet satisfies both of our egg requirements. Plus, it’s full of bacon &…

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Grilled Cheese Bacon Crescent Squares

Grilled Cheese Bacon Crescent Squares

Source: Mrs Happy Homemaker
Prep time:  5 mins
Cook time:  15 mins
Total time:  20 mins
Serves: Serves 6-8 
Ingredients
2 cans of crescent rolls
Velveeta cheese – sliced (or substitute your favorite cheese)
12oz or 16oz package of bacon, cooked
flour for dusting (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly flour your work surface or spread parchement paper if you don’t want any crescent roll stickage.
Unroll one can of crescent rolls on your work surface. Using your hands, press the seams together and lightly press & stretch a little into a nice rectangle. Add a layer of cheese (I like a pretty thick layer, & I use Velveeta because I love how it melts) & then add your layer of bacon. Unroll the remaining can of crescent rolls on top & press all the seems together both on top and all around.
Using a pizza cutter or a knife (I prefer a pizza cutter personally) slice into squares. Place the entire thing on your baking sheet using a large spatula, working in batches if you need to. Lay all the squares right beside each other, just as they were before you sliced it. You want all the cut seams to be touching so that your cheese doesn’t leak out.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the top of the crescent rolls are lightly browned. Remove from the oven & cool on a wire rack for 3-5 minutes before digging in. The crescent squares will pull right apart.

Grilled Cheese Bacon Crescent Squares

Serve & enjoy!