Asian Steak Salad with Mango…Perfect Summer Recipe!

I discovered this recipe while I was at the cottage last week and had to try it. It’s the perfect summer recipe because all you need to cook is the steak and you can do that outside on the BBQ without heating up your kitchen. I was worried that my dad wouldn’t be impressed because he thinks salad should be a side dish, not a main course, but even he loved this dish! It was so fresh tasting and delicious I can’t wait to make it again! Enjoy! ♥

Photograph Credit realsimple.com

Asian Steak Salad with Mango

¾ Pound Sirloin Steak (about 1 inch thick)

Salt and Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Grated Lime Zest

3 Tbsp  Fresh Lime Juice

1 Tbsp Honey (I substituted maple syrup because that’s what we had)

1 Tbsp Chopped Pickled Ginger (I used fresh ginger)

2 Tsp Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp Canola Oil

1 Large Head Romaine Lettuce cut into strips

1 Red Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced

1 Large Mango Sliced

½ Cup Fresh Basil Leaves, Sliced

2 Scallions, Thinly Sliced

1 Tsp Toasted Sesame Seeds

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Season the steak with ¼Tsp each salt and black pepper. Cook 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice, honey, ginger, soy sauce, oil and ¼ Tsp salt. Add the lettuce, mango, bell pepper, basil and scallions and toss to combine. Gently fold in the steak and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serves 4, Per serving: 287 Calories

February 2011 Issue of Real Simple Magazine

BBQ Season Is Here!

I was making dinner for my parents and brother and sister-in-law today and since it was such a beautiful warm spring day we decided it was a perfect day to Barbecue! I have to say my favorite food on the Barbecue other than hamburgers is Spare Ribs so that’s what I decided to make. I tried a new recipe today and I think it’s my new favorite! The lemon peel and ginger gave them a very fresh taste that balanced the sweetness of the barbecue sauce and steaming them in the oven made them so tender! I served it alongside a delicious fresh Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad. Enjoy! ♥

Ultimate Ribs
4 Tsp Grated Fresh Peeled Ginger
2 Tsp Grated Fresh Lemon Peel
Salt
4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
4 Racks pork baby back ribs (About 1lb Each)
2 Cups Barbecue Sauce

Best Carrot Cake Recipe

When my brother and I were kids we got to choose a special dinner and dessert on our birthdays that our mom would make for us. We both would choose carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Sounds odd that kids would choose cake with carrots you might think…but our mom made it so delicious and with the cream cheese icing really made it. When I offered to make cupcakes this weekend for my sister in laws birthday I decided to make her carrot cake with cream cheese icing. I don’t have my mom’s recipe so I had to find one of my own and I was thrilled with how they turned out and everyone at the party seemed to agree! This is going to be my go to carrot cake recipe from now on and I wanted to share it with you so you can make it for someone special! Enjoy! ♥

Chicken Fajita Fettuccini Recipe

I like to share a delicious recipe every now and then and here’s an old favorite that I came across again. It’s a new twist on Chicken Fajitas and has the same fabulous flavours! It’s a very easy meal to make any day of the week but could even do for a evening when you have company. Most of the ingrediants are ones many kitchens have on hand and would also be a great way to use up some left over grilled chicken. Enjoy!

Seafood in Parchment Parcels

I’m certain that some of you love birds are already thinking about what to make for your sweetie for Valentine’s Day and I think I might have just the recipe. If you love seafood this is a super easy dinner to make, healthy and has very little clean up. It can even be made earlier in the day so you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing. You can easily substitute the seafood of your choice to include your favorite. Enjoy! ♥

Last Minute Cookie Recipe!

Since I’ve moved recently and most of my life is still packed away in boxes in storage I don’t have my beloved recipe collection. Who knew I wouldn’t be able to find my favorite Chocolate Mint Cookie recipe on the internet! I searched the web and even asked a friend who I always share my favorite recipes with and she couldn’t locate it either. So now determined to make these cookies for Christmas, I found several similar recipes and settled on the one I’m about to share. I just pulled the last cookie sheet out of the oven and can smell the chocolately minty goodness. These cookies are full of chocolate and mint and perfectly chewy. I decided it was best to preserve this recipe here so not only could I share it with everyone but also so there is no way of misplacing it in the future! Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Mint Cookies
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
10 tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Andes mint chocolate baking bits, or any mint-chocolate chocolate bar, crushed (I used York Peppermint Patties chopped up)*From the Cookin’ Canuck Blog

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with the oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, melt semi-sweet chocolate. This can be done by placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water (for a make-shift double-boiler) or in the microwave at 50% power. Stir and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, using a hand electric mixer), beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium at speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add one egg a time to the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat until well combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Stir in mint-chocolate baking bits. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is easy to scoop and fudge-like.

Using 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, switching the position of the sheets and rotating them back to front halfway through baking. The cookies are baked when the edges are set, but the center are still soft. The cookies will still look a little raw in between the cracks, but are done.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Repeat with the rest of the dough, using cooled cookie sheets. Serve the cookies warm or at room temperature.

Makes 25 to 30 cookies.

Now an Appetizer…

Yesterday I posted a drink recipe and today it’s an appetizer I just had to share. I know recipes two days in a row is a bit much but isn’t one of the best part of the Holidays all the new recipes you get to try? I also think that the citrus and vanilla from yesterday’s drink would be an excellent compliment to the sweet richness of this appetizer…you be the judge. I hope you don’t mind if I share many more recipes this month. This one is definitely on my list of things to make for Christmas with the family!

Caramel-Coated Brie

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup water

8” wheel of brie

20 pecans or walnuts (about 1/2 cup)

Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling, until sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush (to prevent sugar crystals from forming), until dark amber. Immediately dip bottom of pan in ice-water bath to stop the cooking.

Place brie on a serving platter. Dip pecans into caramel using chopsticks; arrange around edge of brie. Re-warm remaining caramel if needed and pour over top, swirling to coat and drip down sides. Let stand until hardened. Crack caramel with a knife to serve

Serve with toasted rustic bread or crackers.

*Recipe from Martha Stewart Living

Festive Holiday Drink Anyone?

So if you’ve been following my blog you know that I can’t resist a good recipe every now and then. Today I caught the end of a show on the food network (sorry I don’t know the name of the show) and they were making this amazing sounding drink so I immediately knew I had to share it! Cheers!

Clementine Vanilla Cosmo

3 clementines, plus 1 very thinly sliced, for garnish

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2/3 cup cranberry juice

1/3 cup lime juice

1 1/2 cups vanilla flavored vodka

Cut the clementines into quarters and squeeze their juice into a saucepan. Add the sugar, water and clementine flesh and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Pour into a strainer set over a measuring cup, pressing on the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, cool the liquid to room temperature and pour into a pitcher. Add the cranberry juice, lime juice and vodka and stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Put 6 or 8 martini glasses in the freezer.
 
To serve, pour the mixture into an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until very cold. Pour into the chilled martini glasses and garnish each with a clementine slice. Drink up and enjoy!

Cold Wintery Day…Perfect for a Bowl of Chili!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the US! Just a regular Thursday here in Canada. I know many of you are busy preparing your Turkey’s with all the trimmings but I thought I would share what I’m having for dinner tonight! On a cold day there’s nothing better then a comforting bowl of chili. I love chili but am often not happy with how a recipe turns out so last time I decided to make chili I thought I would use a just a basic recipe. And I was absolutely thrilled with how it turned out! This is an easy recipe to prepare and would be a snap to modify to exactly how you like it. Here it is…Enjoy!

Beef and Sausage Chili

 

1-1/2 lb. (675 g) lean ground beef

1/2 lb. (225 g) Italian sausage, casings removed

1 red onion, chopped

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (19 oz/540 mL) kidney beans, rinsed

1 each red and green pepper, chopped

1 cup Bull’s-Eye Guinness Draught Beer Blend Barbecue Sauce (I’ve also used a smokey flavored variety of barbecue sauce which I actually preferred)

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

 
Brown meat with onions in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 20 min., stirring occasionally.

Didn’t I tell you it was an easy recipe! And it’s delicious topped with a little sour cream and grated cheddar cheese…and even better the next day as leftovers!

I love sharing recipes and finding new ones. Suggestions are always welcome!

*This recipe originally is from www.kraftcanada.ca

Pumpkin and Chocolate…Oh My!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love to try new recipes and I also love to share the ones that are so fabulous they must be passed on! With Thanksgiving weekend just about here I didn’t think anyone would mind if I shared a wonderful new recipe. After all baking is a form of creativity too!

Today’s recipe is for a delicious fall inspired treat that I made a couple weeks ago for some family and it was so successful there wasn’t a crumb left in the pan. The recipe came from October’s issue of Chatelaine magazine.

Pumpkin and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger (I skipped this and it was still wonderful)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 egg

3/4 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp each nutmeg and salt

250 g pkg regular cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tbsp whipping cream (35%)

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-in. square baking pan with parchment paper, letting paper overhang the pan’s edges.

2. In a medium bowl, stir crumbs with candied ginger and butter until evenly moist. Press over bottom of an prepared pan. Bake in centre of oven until edges are golden, about 10 min.

3. Whisk egg in the same bowl (no need to wash). Whisk in pumpkin purée, sugar and seasonings. Cut cheese into cubes. Using an electric mixer, beat cheese into pumpkin mixture, scraping down sides of bowl if needed, until well mixed.

4. Pour over warm crust. Bake in centre of oven until filling is set when pan is jiggled, about 25 min. 5. Cool completely on a rack.

6. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-high until hot, 2 min, or microwave uncovered on high for 1 min. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Spread over cooled filling. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 1 hour.

7. Use parchment paper to lift square out of pan, then slice into 20 bars. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy!