Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

Ingredients * 2 large egg whites, at room temperature * * 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar * 2/3 cup white sugar * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet chocolate ** * 1 cup finely chopped walnuts *** * I used egg whites sold in the carton ** I prefer milk chocolate chips because semi sweet make them too sweet *** I usually leave all the nuts out but you can add them Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not at all dry. (Be careful not to over beat.) Add the sugar gradually, about 3 tablespoons at a time. When 1/2 of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding remaining sugar in batches, until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very shiny and tight. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Working one

Today I took some time to make some Christmas Crunch to snack on over the holidays. The kids are going to love this! I don't have a recipe per say but here is how I made it. Purchase a box of Crispix and don't forget to clip the $5 coupon. Dump out the cereal on your counter on waxed paper. Add pretzels and M&Ms ... don't ask how much because I don't measure... so I will say until it looks pretty! This is what it looks like with white chocolate drizzled on the top!

Sandra made this casserole for Ladies' Day Out and, of course, we all wanted the recipe.  Delicious!! 1 can (19 oz/540 ml) stewed tomatoes, undrained 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pkg. (120 g) Stove Top Stuffing for Chicken 1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 tsp dried basil leaves 1 cup Kraft Mozzarella Shredded Cheese Preheat over to 400F.  Place tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl.  Add garlic and stuffing mix; stir just until stuffing mix is moistened.  Set aside. Pleace chicken in 13 x 9" baking dish; sprinkle with basil and cheese.  Top with stuffing mixture. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Makes 6 servings. From What's Cooking, Fall 2006

This is so simple I don't even look up the recipe anymore! 2 cups chocolate (you can use squares, wafers, bars, left over easter bunnies or foil wrapped balls) 1 cup butterscotch chips (I prefer 1/2 of a cup or none) vegetable oil 2 cup peanut butter (smooth is best but crunchy will work) 2 cup mini marshmallows (coloured looks nice) 1 greased cookie sheet Put a pot on very low heat on the stove empty (this is to ensure there is no dampness in the metal ~ water damages chocolate). Heat pot. Add small amounts of chocolate and stir from the bottom constantly. *** If your chocolate looks grainy, add small amounts of vegetable oil. Cheaper chocolate will need more oil....Just keep adding as needed. Melt thoroughly with the butterscotch chips (if used). Add peanut butter. Turn off heat and stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into a small greased cookie sheet and spread evenly. Place marshmallows on top of chocolate in rows so when you cut into squares each will get a marshmallow. Press i

I love this recipe because it is sooooo easy. In a large pot: 1 whole green pepper 1 whole onion 1/2 bag mini carrots 4 stalks celery s&p 8 cups water boullion cubes or chicken soup mix Bring to a boil. Puree veggies with soup using an emulsion blender (or blend this after it cools down in a blender), making a slightly thicker soup base. (you can hide lots of veggies in there!) Put back into large pot. Add 4 tbsp of curry powder if you want. If someone doesn't like curry, sprinkle on individual bowls at serving time. Add cooked chicken (boneless/skinless) or leftover chicken/turkey....I plan to try this with sausage removed from the casings and fried up too. Bring to a boil. Add 3 cups of rice to pot. Stir until rice is edible.....THIS WILL HAPPEN! the soup part disappears! I just keep adding water. LOL This dish reheats well in the microwave and warms tummies when it is cold. "Bon Appetit!"

3-3/4 cup sugar 1 cup minced sweet red pepper 3/4 cup white vinegar 1-1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional) 1 (3 oz.) pkg. liquid pectin Combine first 4 ingredients in a deep 2-1/2 quart casserole.  Microwave at high 8 minutes, stirring after 6 minutes.  (We cooked the the jelly on the stove to a rolling boil)  Stir in pectin; microwave at high 2 to 2-1/2 minutes.  (We cooked on the stove for 2-3 more minutes)  Skim off foam with a metal spoon. Pour mixture into jelly jars.  Cover with lids; invert 1 to 1-1/2 hours to disperse minced pepper.  Makes 4 cups.

A recipe from wonderful friend Charlotte, this casserole is delicious as a side for ham or roast pork. 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, do not drain 1 cup shredded sharp cheese 1/3 cup sugar 3 tbsp. flour 3/4 cup Ritz cracker crumbs 1/4 cup melted margarine Combine pineapple, sugar and flour. Add cheese. Pour in buttered 1 quart dish. Cover with crumbs and drizzle margarine over top. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

10 ounces pre-washed baby spinach 2 slices bacon, finely chopped 3 ounces Canadian bacon, finely chopped (I just used 2 more slices of bacon) 2 tsp olive oil 1/2 red onion, sliced (1 cup) 1 pound button mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1 cup apple cider 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard salt and pepper Place spinach into a large bowl.  Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until it is just crispy.  Add Canadian bacon to the skillet and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.  Remove meat from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels.  Drain any remaining fat from the skillet.  Add olive oil and onions to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, or until onions soften slightly.  Add mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 more minutes.  Put onions and mushrooms on top of the spinach.  Add apple cider and vinegar to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium-high.  Stir to scrape up any bits that are stuck to the

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten 2-1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x5" loaf pan.  In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.  Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended.  Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 60-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into centre of the load comes out clean.  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Serves 8 Crust: 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 1/4 tsp ground ginger Filling: 1 cup pumpkin puree 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened 1 tsp pur vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or ginger 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter a 7" springform pan and line the bottom edge with parchment paper; set aside. For the Crust: In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ground ginger and melted butter.  Mix well.  Tip crumb mixture into bottom of the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom.  Tamp the crumbs down firmly with the bottom of a glass.  Bake until golden brown and toasted, about 7 minutes; set aside to let cool completely. For the Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/4 cup softened butter and the cream cheese until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the mixer.  Add pumpkin puree and mix to com

So everyone has been there. You open the fridge after Thanksgiving or Christmas and find all the bits no one has finished off. This is what I did. 1 cup of gravy or whatever is left over 1 cup parsnips/turnip/carrots 1/2 cup cream/regular corn 1/2 onion 4-6 cups of mashed potatoes 4-6 cups of liquid water/broth/consomme (equal to the amount of potato)OR milk for creamier S&P Now I put everything in the pot on med heat and mashed together (I used a emulsion mixer)be careful if you have used milk as it burns easier! i mixed in: 1/2 head of par cooked cauliflower florets or brocolli florets 1 cup of peas and 2 cups of ham cubes or turkey cubes Stir and pour into a crock pot. Now take the leftover stuffing (if there is any) and cut into cubes. About the size of croutons! Place on a cookie sheet and bake until crispy. Serve your turkey day croutons with your cream of leftovers soup! "Bon Appetit!"

I made this a while ago, but never got around to posting it.  At least I don't think I did.  If it's a duplicate, I apologize!  But it was really tasty, so here it is: 1 frozen pie crust 1 pound extra lean ground beef (or turkey) 3 tablespoons chopped onion 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs 1/2 cup ketchup 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard (you can use  honey mustard if you have a kid in the house who loves it like in our house!) 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste) 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 tsp garlic, chopped  1/2 teaspoon hot chili sauce   1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions: Thaw one pie crust at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Brown ground beef in fry pan. Add onion and water. Mix well. Add crumbs, ketchup, mustard, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and hot chili sauce. Mix together well. Pour meat mixture into pie shell. Sm

This should have been titled garlic with brussel sprouts. Although not my favourite (I actually LIKE brussel sprouts) this was loved by everyone else. I used 14-16 small brussel sprouts. (although larger ones are easier to work with the smaller taste less bitter) 1 tsp garlic 2 tbsp veg oil leeks or green onions chopped So as usual, you will trim off the bottom and remove the first 2-3 outer leaves. Place in salted water and boil until tender (NOT MUSHY!) Drain and cut in 1/2. In a small pan, place oil and garlic at med/high heat. Toss in onions/leeks. Stir fry for a couple minutes, then add sprouts. Fry only until thouroughly mixed. Then turn off heat. We actually reheated this one and they were VERY well received. Personally I would reduce the garlic to 1/2 tsp. Nice change. "Bon Appetit!"

This recipe appealed to Judy who is currently on a squash kick, but not being a big squash fan, Ididn't expect much. This was lovely. She loved it even more than the squash I stuffed with marshmallows a couple weeks ago! I will give you the easy way and at the end, give you a quick "presentation" idea we did. So peel and seed the squash (we used a butternut but the recipe actually called for acorn). Dice and boil cubes. Drain squash and mash. Now for each squash you have used add: 3 tbsp of brown sugar 1 tbsp butter/margarine 1/2 tsp grated orange rind 3 tbsp orange juice Mash and bake in oven at 350. Top with toasted nuts (they called for pecans, I used almonds....whatever) What we did was hollow out the Squash and used the shell as a serving dish. It looked lovely on the table. "Bon Appetit!"

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 cup milk 2-1/2 tsp lime or lemon juice 1 egg, beaten 2 tbsp lard, melted Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Mix milk and lime juice, add to dry ingredients along with egg and lard.  Mix well, but do not beat.  Pour into a greased 11 x 7 x 1-1/2 inch baking pan. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is brown and tests done.  Cool slightly and cut into squares. About 8 servings.

extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, small dice 3 ribs celery, small dice kosher salt (I just used table salt) 1 pound spicy sausage, casing removed, broken into bit-size chunks (I used spicy Italian sausage) 3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely diced 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 10 sage leaves, finely chopped 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped (fresh from my garden) 10 cups stale cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes (I will be posting my cornbread recipe next) 2 cups dried cranberries 3-4 cups chicken stock (I used homemade turkey stock from my freezer) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and celery and saute over to medium heat.  Season with salt and cook until the vegetables start to become soft and are very aromatic.  Add the sausage and cook until the sausage begins to brown.  Stir in the garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes.  Add the walnuts, sage and rosemary and cook for another minute, then remove fr

If you like heavenly hash ice cream, you'll like these bars.  And if you are cooking with little ones, there are plenty of steps here that little fingers can get involved in. This recipe seems long, but it's really very easy.  Only the bottom crust needs to bake, and the rest is just a matter of waiting (which, I'll admit, was a difficult proposition once I saw how good these looked).   I got this recipe from the King Arthur Flour blog. Crust 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/3 cups (9 3/4 ounces)  Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Topping 3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup (6 ounces) heavy cream 1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) toasted diced pecans 3 cups (half a 10.5-ounce package) mini marshmallows    Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, or line with parchment and grease the parchment.  To make the crust: In a medium-sized bo

My family are all big fans of macaroni and cheese.  And ham.  And butternut squash.  What to do?  Combine the three!  I used a recipe from Jessica Seinfeld's book, Deceptively Delicious, as a spring board, although I don't believe in hiding the fact that there are veggies in the food I am serving to my 3-year-old.  She has learned to appreciate the taste of a wide variety of food because we are upfront and enthusiastic about trying them (and she is willing!), not because we trick her into it.  Anyway, I digress... This recipe was fairly affordable (what's cheaper than macaroni??) and it used up some leftover ham and squash we needed to eat.  The end result was pretty darn great, if I do say so myself. Servings: Serves 4 Ingredients Macaroni and Cheese with Butternut Squash and Ham 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni Nonstick cooking spray 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 cup nonfat skim milk 1/2 cup butternut squash puree (just cut up some squas

The idea of this is you can prep everything ahead of time and clean the kitchen. You will only have a few bowls to wash in the end. In a pot boil enough rice for your diners. When rice is done to your taste, rinse quickly in cold water **This will stop further cooking (and cut down on stach and stickiness). Set aside until dinner time. In same pot you cooked rice, on med heat 2 tsp vegetable oil about 1/2 cup of thin soup noodles 1"ish (or broken spaghetti) about 1/2 cup chopped almonds, cashews, pecans or pistachios Essentially you are going to fry these noodles creating vermicelli! Watch carefully and when you start to see colour, remove from heat or you will have VERY well done noodles....) and cool/drain on a paper towel. Set aside until it is dinner time. On a large plate dice up a cheap steak into small cubes **You can use chicken, pork or sausage as well Set aside until it is dinner time In bowl #1 diced carrots, corn, water chestnuts **Any hard core veggies that need extra

In a bowl: 2-3 cans of tuna, salmon, flakes of ham or flakes of chicken 1/2 chopped onion 4 stalks of celery and enough mayonaise/salad dressing to completely cover S&P Mix well and put in fridge for now. In a large bowl: 4 cups flour 4 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 5 tbsp of shortening, margarine, butter or vegetable oil 2 cups milk Mix well. If too wet, add a little more flour (YOU DO NOT WANT THIS TOO DRY!) If too dry, add a little more milk (YOU DO NOT WANT SOUP!) Pour mixture out onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle. It does not need to be perfectly shaped. Spread tuna (or whatever) mixture onto the dough and roll the longest end into itself forming a long tube. Do not roll the shorter end all the way down the rectangle! Too many layers does not allow the dough to bake in the center. Pinch off the ends of the roll, and make thin slices/poke with fork through the top of the roll to ensure the steam can get out. Beat an egg and a tiny bit of milk and brush all over t

We needed a vegetable last night and this one popped into my head at the last second. It is fast and Judy says she loves this....so, add another veggie to her "like" list. 1 green tomato (we used plum)sliced into rings 1 tsp oil 1/4 tsp garlic 1/4 tsp italian seasoning S&P ***for each person eating In a hot fry pan add oil and garlic. On med setting place rings of tomato into oil. Sprinkle with seasoning. When tender (about 1/2 cooked through) flip and repeat seasoning. Do not cook until mushy. About 3-4 minutes per side max! This was so easy and she said it had the texture and somewhat tase of an onion ring. Next time she wants to try breading them first! "Bon Appetit!"

15 cups peaches 6 cups sugar 6 tbsp lemon juice 3 tsp vanilla, coconut or brandy extract Peel and cut the peaches and place them into a food processor to puree in batches.  In a large stockpot, combine the puree, sugar and lemon juice.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes more.  Add the flavouring of your choice.  Fill sterilized pint jars and then process for 20 minutes in a water bath.  Makes 8 pints. Had pancakes with Peach Syrup for breakfast this morning.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!! From http://wiseanticsoflife.blogspot.com

1/4 cup olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 3/4 cup chopped carrot 3 chopped garlic 4 cups chopped tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes) Put all these ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.  Near the end of cooking time add: 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 jar Original Ragu sauce I think all the ladies at Ladies' Day Out enjoyed this sauce on penne with Parmesan.  I know Hal and I did.

I'm sure this dish has a more sophisticated name, but in our family it is referred to as "Green Glop" or "Body Filler".  Despite the silly names we've given it, this salad/dessert/whatever is delicious and a Must Have at family gatherings. 1 large Cool Whip 1 instant pistachio pudding mix 1 19 oz. crushed pineapple 2 cups mini marshmallows Mix together and chill before serving.

In a large bowl mix 4 cups blackberries 3/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp flour 1 tsp lemon rind Mix together and set aside. Take thawed but cold puff pastry (I used the thawed frozen kind). Roll out on floured serface. I rolled out until I had enough for 3-4 layers of pastry. Beat one egg with a little water and brush on both sides of pastry. In a lightly greased square or rectanguar baking pan, pour in the berries. Lay down layer after layer of pastry brushed with egg. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes. "Bon Appetit!"

4 cups diced rhubarb Place in a lightly greased square or rectangular cake pan. *I used a mixture of fresh and frozen. 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup water 1 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp cornstarch In a saucepan cook until mixture is clear and thick. Pour over rhubarb in dish. 1/2 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup rolled oats 1 cup melted butter Combine and pour over rhubarb. Bake for 1 hour at 350. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Makes 10 servings. "Bon Appetit!"

My favourite part of fried chicken or breaded pork chops is the coating. I love it when it is thick and crunchy. I dug this recipe out of an online site and made it my own. Crush leftover crackers, plain cerreals (rice krispies and corn flakes) and bread crumbs with some Italian seasonings, garlic powder and S&P. Mix into a large bowl. In a seperate bowl, just some plain flour. In another bowl mix 1 cup milk, 2 large tbsp mayo and 1 egg. Mix well. Dredge thawed meat in flour, then milk mixture, then into bread crumbs. I was able to do each piece of meat (5 pieces) twice. Refrigerate for 2-3 hour. At dinner, fry each piece of meat in a small bit of oil until brown. Then bake in oven until dinner is resdy to serve. "Bon Appetit!"

This is a great option to make if you don't want to spend the time stuffing peppers but still want that stuffed-pepper flavour.  It's easy and pretty quick, and makes a big casserole -- plenty for dinner four four with leftovers.   Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey 2-3 green peppers, chopped coarsely 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 750 ml can of  tomato sauce 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup cooked barley (you could use all rice, but we used the 1/2 and 1/2) 1 cup shredded cheese (we used a combo of mozzarella and parmesan) salt and pepper to taste  Preheat oven to 350F Meanwhile, Saute beef with the chopped peppers and garlic until meat is cooked through.   Add tomato sauce, cooked rice and barley, and 3/4 cup of cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine. Spoon into 2-litre casserole dish; top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. We served it with nothing more than some bread. It was delicious and filling and inexpensive to

I spent some time selecting recipes that I felt would be simple enough for a cooking lesson for the grandsons.  They wanted to cook dinner.  Now, like usual with kids, things didn't always go as planned but here goes . . .  Baked Chicken Superb 1/2 cup instant potato flakes 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup melter butter 1 frying chicken (3-1/2 lb), cut up On a piece of waxed paper, combine potato flakes and grated cheese.  Melt butter in large shallow baking pan.  Roll each piece of chicken in butter and then in potato flake-cheese mixture.  Place chicken pieces in pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in 350F oven for about 1 hour.  Serves 4 So I didn't want to buy instant potato flakes, mostly because I don't like them; we used breadcrumbs.  And chickens were expensive, but chicken thighs were on sale at a good price.  Needless to say we bought the chicken thighs.  I skinned the chicken thighs when we got home because I'm not a big fan of chicken skin

Made these for supper tonight.  Super easy and super delicious!  Next time we make them we are going to customize them with different filling items.  Suggestions were red peppers, pepperoni, meatballs...... Ingredients Tomato Sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary leaves 2 ounces diced pancetta 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pizza Pot Pies: 3 cups Tomato Sauce 2 cups diced roasted chicken 2 cups broccoli cut into small, bite-sized pieces 1 1/2 cups diced mozzarella cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds pizza dough  ** Homemade or store-bought, whichever you prefer/have time for/can muster the energy for 1/3 cup olive oil 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan **Note that the recipe calls for six 10-ounce ramekins.  We didn't have those, so we used small French onion soup bowls. They worked perfectly!  Directions For the

1-1/3 cup chickpeas or Garbanzo beans (dried), soaked in water overnight, then drained 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped 2-1/2 slices bacon, chopped 1 potato, peeled, whole 3 cups Swiss Chard or spinach, cut into 2-3 pieces 4 tsp olive oil 2-1/2 cups water to cook chickpeas 1 cup chicken broth salt and pepper to taste 2 cups water to cook the pasta 1/2 cup mezzi tubetti (pasta for soups) 6 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated Prepare the vegetables : coarsely chop the onion; peel the potatoes, leaving them whole; cut the Swiss chard into 2 or 3 pieces (if using spinach, leave them whole). Set aside. Heat the oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and bacon, then sauté 3-4 min, with occasional stirring. Add the chickpeas and potatoes, then cook 1-2 min with stirring. Pour in the water, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, about 45 min, until the chickpeas are softened, but  al dente  (if overcooked, the chickpeas do not fall apart as other leg

Strawberry Ice Cream 1-2/3 cups strawberries 1/2 cup strawberry jam 1 cup whipping cream 35% Prepare the mold (I used a loaf pan) by lining it with aluminum foil. Let some foil protrude over the edge to help unmold the ice cream «block» when ready. Hull the strawberries, halve them lengthwise, then put them in a blender.  Add the strawberry jam and mix at maximum speed until a smooth consistency is obtained. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside.   In another bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the large bowl and fold it into the strawberry mixture using a spatula.   Pour the cream-strawberry mixture into the prepared mould. Wrap it with aluminum foil and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. About 20-30 min before you are ready to serve, unmold the whole ice cream onto a plate and let it sit for a while at room temperature to allow the ice cream to be softer and tastier when serving. Alternativel

If you love Reuben sandwiches you will really love this recipe.  I wish I'd taken photos.  This one was so fun to make with the little grilled Swiss cheese croutons.  The recipe book is called  Company's Coming Meal Salads by Jean Pare .  Excellent book Swiss Croutons: 1 tbsp butter of margarine 6 rye bread slices 3 Swiss cheese slices Deli Slaw: 1 cup grated or julienned carrot 1 cupt grated unpeeled tart apple such as Granny Smith 1 cup shredded red cabbage, lightly packed 1 cup wine saueerkraut, drained 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing 113 g (4 oz.) shaved pastrami or smoked meat, cut into thin strips 1/4 cup chopped dill pickles Spread butter over each bread slice.  Arrange 3 bread slices, butt-erside down, in large frying pan on medium.  Place 1 cheese slice on each.  Top with remaining bread slices, butter-side up.  Cook for about 3 minutes per side until bread is golden and cheese is melted.  Transfer to cutting board.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Cut into 1 inch piece

Deb gave me a fabulous cookbook for my birthday.  I've already made 2 recipes from it.  Here's my favourite so far. 8 cups water 2 lb bag of frozen bite-sized potato and Cheddar cheese perogies 1 cup baby spinach, lightly packed c1 cup chopped English cucumber 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup wine sauerkraut, drained and finely chopped 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion 1-1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill ( or 1/4 tsp dried dill) 4 bacon slices, cooked crisp and crumbled pepper to taste Pour water into Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil.  Add perogies.  Boil, uncovered for about 5 minutes until tender.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water.  Drain well. Combine remaining 8 ingredients in large bowl.  Add perogies.  Toss.  Makes about 7 cups.

Spaghetti Carbonara 160 g spaghetti 1 large egg 3 slices bacon or pancetta, chopped 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste Start cooking the pasta according to package directions. Put the chopped bacon in a nonstick pan and fry until the bacon is crisp.  Set the bacon aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Stir the egg in a serving bowl, add salt and pepper, then beat 1 minute with a fork.  set the bowl aside in the oven at a minimum temperature in order to keep it warm. Pour drained spaghetti into the serving bowl.  Mix rapidly in order to cook the egg and coat the spaghetti at the same time.  Add the bacon, butter and grated cheese. Serves 2. I loved this dish.  Hal wasn't crazy about it.  I guess its all a matter of taste.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Salad 2 tomatoes, sliced 50 g feta cheese, crumbled 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 6 black olives 2 tsp dried oregano ground pepper to taste Cut the tomatoes crosswise into slices approx. 5 mm thick and arrange them in a shallow dish. Crumble the feta cheese over the tomatoes.  Drizzle with oil.  Add the olives and sprinkle with oregano.  Season with freshly ground pepper.  It is not necessary to add any salt, since the feta cheese is already rather salty.  Serve at room temperature.  Serves 2. Hal & I both LOVED this salad.

Sloppy Joe 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp canola oil 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 260 g ground beef, lean ground pepper to taste 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/4 cup ketchup 1/2 tsp brown sugar 2 tbsp water 4 drops Tabasco sauce (optional) 2 hamburger buns Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the onion then cook until it is translucent, about 3 minutes with occasional stirring, paying attention not to let it burn.  Add salt, then reduce the heat, cover and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cayenne pepper then cook with stirring until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the beef then cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it loses its pink colour, about 5 minutes.  It is important not to overcook the meat at this point, otherwise it will end up dry and crumbly. Season with ground pepper to taste, then add the tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar and water.  A few drops of Tabasco sauce may be added for extra spiciness.

So I had many views on how well this would work. I was told (by a butcher) that an inside round would be good. Another butcher said no, that top sirloin would be the right choice. Another said any roast would work, so we are going with both!!! We have bought 2- 3ish ib inside round roasts and 2- 3ish pound sirloin tip roasts. They are spitted and seasoned and ready to go. Under these roasts in a dispoable roasting pan will be 8-10 cups of beef broth (water and boullion), garlic, 1 large chopped red onion and 2 med chopped white onions, fresh chives and roasted pepper mix. For the rub, we used a generous helping of paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper mix with very little salt. We had about 3/4 of a cereal bowl when i was done. I would have added dried chives but we were out. This is to be put on a rotisserie and cooked on medium for 22 min for every lb. Do not open bbq often as this releases the steamed spices that are marinating the meat. This was great! Personally I pr

2 cups salad dressing or mayo 3 tbsp vinegar 3 tbsp sugar 1 squeeze lemon juice a generous helping of celery seed Mix well and add to 2 bags of presliced coleslaw. Refrigerate well before serving. All I can say is yummmmm. Sweet for sure, but yummmmmmm! "Bon Appetit!"

I made this one up from many on line recipes, so I will post what the party goers thought of this tonight. 6-8 garden cucumbers (they were fresh so they were smaller) 6 very thinly sliced radishes thinly sliced onions 1/2 box of grape tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 Refrigerate this concoction for a couple hours before serving. Add sundried tomato dressing. Mix well. I do not like radishes bit really really liked this. "bon appetit!"

Tart and delicious. Rhubarb and Strawberry Sorbet 1-1/2 stalks rhubarb 8 tbsp sugar 1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed 3/4 cup water 1-1/4 strawberries 1 egg white Put a metal or glass bowl into the freezer so that it will be cold when filling it with the sorbet mixture. Wash the rhubarb stalks briefly.  If necessary, the fibrous stings can be removed by pulling them as with celery.  Cut them crosswise into approximately 1.5 cm pieces and place them in a saucepan.  Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and water.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer 8-10 minutes.  Take the saucepan off the heat. Hull the strawberries and halve them lengthwise, then add them to the rhubarb.  Transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth.  With the blender running, pour in the egg white and continue to mix until homogeneous.  You may also beat the egg white in a separate bowl using an electric mixer, then add to the fruit puree and mix well. Let the mixture cool do

The chicken was quite delicious and moist.  I think next time I make this recipe I will serve the chicken in a wrap with the Caesar salad. Chicken Cutlets Milanese 2/3 chicken breast, boneless, skinless (obviously I used a whole breast . . . LOL) 1 large egg 2 tbsp bread crumbs 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp canola oil salt and pepper to taste Tenderize the chicken by flattening the cutlets using a meat pounder.  Slice breast horizontally into 2-3 cutlets. Prepare 2 shallow dishes:  beat the egg in one, and put the bread crumbs in the other.  dip one cutlet at a time in the egg, let the excess egg drip off before coating the cutlet with bread crumbs.  Turn the cutlets to coat both sides, then set them aside. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, taking care not to let them burn.  Add the cutlets and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes on each side.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve on the warmed plates. Any remaining beaten egg may be cooked as an omelet and served along

Delicious meal . . . Hal did not like the lentils, which surprised me, until he explained it was too "hot" . . . I must have been a little carried away with the seasonings . . .  Had some leftover Tomatoes with Oregano to add to the plate and a few raw carrot slices . . .  1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/4 onion, finely chopped 1/2 carrot, finely chopped 1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped 1/4 dried chili peppers, minced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 cup green-brown lentils (dried) 2/3 cup chicken broth ** 1 tbsp tomato paste salt and pepper to taste 2 smoked sausages 1 tbsp Italian parsley, fresh, finely chopped ** I didn't think there was enough broth in the pot so I added a little extra ** It is not necessary to soak the lentils in advance. Prepare the vegetables.  Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add the vegetables, sauté 2-3 minutes until they are slightly softened.  Stir in the lentils, cook 1 minute. Pour in the broth and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, then cover

A delicious salad . . . we really enjoyed the dressing . . .  2 tbsp white vinegar ** 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp canola oil 2 tbsp water 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1/4 tsp paprika 2-3/4 cup Savoy or green cabbage, thinly sliced ** 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced ** salt and pepper to taste ** I didn't have any white vinegar left so I used apple cider vinegar.  I like my salads lightly dressed so I added an extra handful of sliced cabbage and the leftover 1/2 apple to the bowl. ** Put the vinegar, brown sugar, oil and water in a saucepan.  Heat 4 minutes over medium heat.  Remove the pan from the heat then add the mayonnaise, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.  Set aside. Prepare the cabbage, green onions and apple and put slices in a salad bowl.  Pour in the vinaigrette and mix well.  Adjust the seasoning. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 2 servings.