Maple Pulled Pork

 Maple Pulled Pork 

1 1/2 tsp chili powder 

1 tsp smoked paprika 

1 1/2 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne 

4-5 lb pork butt roast 

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1/2 cup tomato paste 

Barbecue sauce 

Combine chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. 

Trim roast of excess fat and rub on all sides with spice mix. 

Place onion and garlic in a slow cooker and top with pork roast. 

Ina small mixing bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, maples syrup and tomato paste. Pour over roast. 

Cook over low heat for 6-8 hours. 

Shred meat into broth. 

To serve, place shredded meat on a bun and top with your favourite barbecue sauce. 

Maple Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Sriracha

 Maple Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Sriracha 

Maple Brussels Sprouts with bacon & Sriracha is a delicious savoury dish that can be partially made ahead of time - just what you need for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner celebrations.  

8 oz bacon

3 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed 

2 tbsp butter 

3 tbsp maple syrup 

1 -2 tsp sriracha 

Slice bacon into 1/2” pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and stir often until crisp, 12 - 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. If making ahead, keep in a sealed bag in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Slice sprouts in half. If making ahead, these can be stored in a sealed bag in your refrigerator for a day. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add sprouts and boil gently partially covered until tender , approximately 5 minutes. Drain well and turn into a large bowl. 

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add maple syrup and sriracha.  Boil, swirling pan or stirring until large bubbles form on the surface then continue boiling until mixture will lightly coat a metal spoon, about 1 minute. Drizzle over sprouts and gently stir to coat. Turn into a casserole dish and sprinkle with bacon. 

At this stage you can refrigerate casserole dish overnight. Remove from fridge and allow to come to room temperature before finishing. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until heated through. 

Remove from oven and serve.  

Bon Bon Ribs

 Bon Bon Ribs 

Bon Bon ribs are plump, lightly coated, crispy pork spare ribs seasoned in Chinese spices and spritzed with lemon. The Bon Bon spare ribs originated in Thunder Bsy, Ontario, Canada in 1946 by local restaurant owner Lam Pang. 

6 lbs pork back ribs

Marinade

2 eggs, beaten 

2 tsp soy sauce 

2 tsp rice wine (not rice wine vinegar) 

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tsp onion powder 

1/2 tsp white pepper 

1 cup flour 

2 cups fine saltine crumbs 

Measure all marinade ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Place the ribs in a plastic zippered baggie, add the marinade and massage into the ribs for a few minutes to ensure even coating. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, overnight works too. 

Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Remove the ribs from the marinade to the rack and allow the excess to drip off before rolling in cracker crumbs and flour. 

Whizz enough saltine crackers in a food processor or blender to a very fine texture, enough to make 2 cups. 

Mix the cracker crumbs and flour together and coat the ribs one by one. Place the coated ribs on a wire rack while you heat your deep fryer to 350 degrees. 

Deep fry ribs, a few at a time until the temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees, approximately 7-8 minutes for smaller ribs and 10 minutes for larger ribs.  

Remove to a serving platter, squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve. 

Chicken Marbella

 Chicken Marbella 

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4  cups large pitted prunes 

1/2  cup large green olives, pitted 

1/4 cup capers with juice 

3 bay leaves 

3/4 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and minced 

1/8 cup oregano

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces 

1/8 cup brown sugar, lightly packed 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, capers, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, 2 tablespoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl to make the marinade. Place the chicken in a large plastic storage bag and add the marinade. Squeeze out the air to ensure the chicken is full covered in the marinade and seal. Refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally to ensure the marinade is getting into all of the chicken. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Place the chicken skin side up along with the marinade in a 9 x 13 baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour the wine around the chicken, not on top. Roast for 45-55 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 145 degrees. Remove the dish from the oven, cover tightly with foil wrap and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. 

Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter along with the prunes and olives. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices. 

Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites

 Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites 

All of the awesome flavours you love from a traditional Boston Cream Pie in a delightful cookie cup. Quick and easy to make and they taste delicious. 

Cookie Cups 

1 box yellow cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup butter, softened 

Whipped Cream

13,25 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding 

1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1/2 cup milk

Chocolate Ganache 

2 tbsp semi sweet baking chips

2 tbsp heavy whipping cream 

Cookie Cups 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare mini muffin pan by spraying each cup with non stick cooking spray. 

Pour yellow cake mix into a medium bowl and whisk or sift to remove any lumps. Add softened butter and eggs to the cake mix and combine with a hand mixer until dough is thick and sticky. Put a 1/2 tbsp mound of cookie dough into each muffin cup. Using your fingers press each mound of cookie dough down until you have a level cookie. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately run an offset spatula or knife around the edge of the cookie to release it from the pan. 

Once cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to press the middle of the cookie down to create an indentation. Move cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. 

Whipped Cream 

In a medium bowl combine the instant vanilla pudding mix, heavy cream and milk. Using a hand mixer incorporate ingredients until the mixture is thick and has stiff peaks. Place whipped cream in a pastry bag and pipe a generous amount of whipped cream into each cookie indentation. 

Chocolate Ganache

In a microwave safe bowl combine heavy cream and semi sweet chocolate chips. Microwave for 20 seconds and whisk. If you have a silky and smooth consistency you are finished. If not, warm in the microwave in 10 second increments until you do. Spoon a 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of ganache on top of each cookie cup. 

Refrigerate until ganache is set and serve. 

Note:  Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. 

Makes 36 cookie bites. 

Slow Cooker Cocktail Smokies

 Slow Cooker Cocktail Smokies 

Crockpot smokies are fun, tasty and sure to be a party hit. Easy to make in the slow cooker with only 4 ingredients, perfect for a large crowd. 

2 packages (16 ounces each) little smokies sausages 

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketsup 

1/4 cup mustard 

Place smokies in a slow cooker. 

In a medium bowl add brown sugar, ketsup and mustard. Mix well to combine. Add to slow cooker and stir well to coat all smokies. 

Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours until heated through. 

Notes:

Replace the ketchup with chili sauce for a kick of heat  

This recipe also works well with kielbasa sausage, cut into bite sized pieces. 

Cheese Sauce/Dip

 Cheese Sauce/Dip 

Creamy pretzel cheese dip that’s made with just 5 ingredients in less than 10 minutes. Spice it up if you prefer some heat. 

1 tbsp butter 

1/2 tbsp cornstarch 

1 cup milk, more if needed 

8 oz velveeta cheese 

1/4 tsp salt 

1/8 tsp pepper

1-3 tsp hot sauce, plus more to taste 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  Sprinkle the cornstarch over the butter, stirring constantly and cook for 1 minute. 

Warm the milk in the microwave 15 to 20 seconds. Slowly pour milk into the saucepan, whisking constantly until thickened but still pourable. 

Remove from heat and stir in cheese until smooth. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Stir in salt, pepper and whatever amount of hot sauce you prefer. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in 1 to 2 tbsp of warmed milk. 

Pour in a mini crockpot to keep warm and gooey. If it thickens, reheat in the microwave 15 seconds. Serve with pretzels, tortilla chips or vegetables. 

Air Fryer Soft Pretzels

 Air Fryer Soft Pretzels 

Air Fryer soft pretzels are a wonderful snack, perfect for your next party.  Perfect addition to your next family brunch, and easily cooked in your Air Fryer.

1 1/2 cups warm water, 110 - 115 Degrees 

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp kosher salt 

1 pkg dry active yeast

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 oz butter, melted 

10 cups water 

2/3 cup baking soda

1 egg yolk, beaten with 1 tbsp water 

Pretzel Salt/Coarse Sea Salt/Kosher Salt 

Combine warm water, sugar and first amount of kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes until the yeast bubbles. 

Add flour & butter and mix on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 5 minutes. 

Place dough in a well greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for 50-60 minutes until the dough has doubled in size. 

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with non stick spray. 

In a large stock pot, combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda and bring to a boil.  

Place pretzel dough on an oiled work surface and divide into 12 equal piece. Roll each piece of dough into an 18” rope and twist into a pretzel. 

One by one place each pretzel into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from water and place on prepared baking sheet. At this point you can cover and refrigerate overnight and bake the next day. 

Brush each pretzel with the egg yolk/water mixture and sprinkle with pretzel/sea/kosher salt. 

Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Place 3-4 pretzels into the Air Fryer and cook 6 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn and cook an additional 6 minutes until golden brown. 

Sweet Snack Mix

 Sweet Snack Mix 

Sweet snack mix is a quick and easy, sweet and salty snack that is perfect for Easter celebrations or a springtime treat. 

3 1/2 cups Rice Chex Cereal 

3 1/2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios 

1 1/2 cups pretzel sticks 

1/2 cup salted peanuts

16 oz vanilla almond bark 

10 oz M & M’s, seasonal colours 

1/2 cup butterscotch chips 

Prepare a sheet sheet by lining it with parchment paper and set aside 

In a large bowl, mix together the Rice Chex, Honey Nut cheerios, pretzels and peanuts. 

In a large microwave safe dish, melt the vanilla almond bark in increments of 15 seconds, stirring after each interval until completely melted. 

Pour the melted almond bark over the cereal mixture and toss until thoroughly combined. Gently fold in the M & M’s and butterscotch chips and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. 

Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet and allow to set for approximately 1 hour or until set. Once set and hardened, break into pieces before transferring to a serving dish. 

You can store this snack mix covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. 

You can freeze in an airtight container in the freezer for upmtom3 months. 

Brussels Sprouts, Apple & Radish Salad

 Brussels Sprouts, Apple & Radish Salad 

Every buffet needs a refreshing break and that’s where this crunchy salad comes into play, using mid-winter vegetables at their finest and a simple lemon vinaigrette. 

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 

Juice of 1 lemon 

2 tsp honey 

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste 

1 lb Brussels Sprouts, roots trimmed 

2 green apples, cored and quartered 

5 radishes, trimmed 

10 large mushrooms 

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 

1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan 

Make the dressing by combining the mustard, lemon juice and honey, then slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking until thick and smooth. Season with salt & pepper and set aside. 

Using a mandolin slice the Brussels Sprouts, Apple, radishes and mushrooms as thinly as possible. Add the slices to a bowl along with the parsley and toss with dressing   Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Top with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese just before serving. 

Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta with Garlic Aioli

 Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta with Garlic Aioli

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed 

1 1/2 tbsp fresh Thyme, Chopped 

6 - 4” portobello mushrooms, stemmed & dark gills removed 

3 tbsp olive oil

3 red onions, sliced (about 6 cups)

2 red peppers

3 tbsp green onion, thinly sliced 

3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 cup mayonnaise 

2 tbsp lemon juice 

2 garlic clove, minced 

1/2 tsp kosher salt 

2 French bread baguettes, cut into 24 slices 

Olive oil

5 oz arugula, coarsely chopped 

Balsamic glaze 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Mix vinegar, honey, brown sugar and thyme in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/2 cup marinade to a small bowl and set aside. Place mushrooms in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over mushrooms. Cover with foil and bake until mushrooms are tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to work surface. Cool and cut into 1/2” slices. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add red onions and sauté until very tender & beginning to brown, approximately 25 minutes. Pour in reserved marinade and cook until liquid is absorbed and onions are glazed, about 15 minutes. Set aside. 

Char red peppers over gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and chop peppers. Place peppers in a medium bowl, add green onion, basil, garlic and 1 tablespoon oil & toss to combine. 

Mushrooms, onion mixture and red pepper mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead, cover separately and refrigerate. 

In a small mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and kosher salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees   Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush with additional olive oil. Bake until lightly toasted, approximately 10 minutes. Layer portobello mushroom slices, arugula, onions and red pepper mixture on bread slices. Bake until heated through, about 3 minutes. 

Transfer bruschetta to a serving plate. Add dollops of garlic Aioli for dipping, drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve. 

Boursin Cheese Copycat Recipe

 Boursin Cheese Copycat Recipe 

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 tsp Garlic, Minced 

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried Basil

1/2 tsp dried Thyme 

1/2 tsp dried Chives 

1/2 tsp dried Parsley

1/4 tsp dried Tarragon

1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip together until well combined and smooth. Serve at room temperature with fresh vegetables and/or crackers. 

Use in your favourite recipes that call for Boursin cheese. 

Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili

 Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili

Instant Pot Cincinnati Chili is an awesome take on the classic chili recipe. You will love the unique flavours of this Ohio favourite. 

1 tbsp Canola Oil

2 lbs lean ground beef 

1 onion, finely diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

6 oz tomato paste 

1 15 oz can tomato sauce 

3 cups beef stock 

3 tbsp chili powder 

1 tbsp cumin 

2 tbsp cocoa powder 

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp allspice 

1/4 tsp cloves 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Turn the instant pot to sauté and once it reads hot, add oil, ground beef and onion. Cook beef until browned, breaking the meat until fine pieces, using a wooden spoon and potato masher. Once browned, add garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. 

Hit cancel on the instant pot and add remaining ingredients mixing well. Place lid on, locking and set to seal. Set to pressure cook or manual and set timer to 25 minutes. Once finished, release the pressure with a quick release. 

Serve over spaghetti and top with desired toppings. 

Optional toppings 

French fried onions

Cheddar cheese

Sliced scallions 

Parmesan cheese 

Pork Tenderloin Rice Bowl

 Pork Tenderloin Rice Bowl

Pork tenderloin rice bowl with a creamy coconut rice, cauliflower and pineapple. 

Pork Marinade 

1 pork tenderloin 

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 

2 tsp sweet tai chili sauce 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

2 green onions, sliced 

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated 

Rice 

1 tbsp canola oil

1/2 onion, diced 

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 cup rice

2 green onions, sliced 

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated 

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk 

1/2 cup chicken stock 

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped 

Finishing 

1/2 head cauliflower florets, steamed 

1 pineapple slice 

1 large egg

Fresh bean sprouts 

1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, sweet Thai chili sauce, garlic, green onions and ginger in a bowl. Reserve about 1/4 cup for the sauce and pour the remaining sauce over the pork tenderloin in a baggie or dish and let marinade for  30 minutes or longer. 

Coat a medium sauce pan with oil and add the onion and salt. Sauté the onion for a couple of minutes, add the rice and toast for a minute. Add the green onion and ginger and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, pinch of salt and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff & finish with cilantro. 

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add canola oil. Sear the pork on all sides and then add the onion and sauté. Transfer the pork to a baking pan. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside. Bake the pork tenderloin in the preheated over for 10 - 15 minutes or until an internal temperature of 150 degrees is reached. Remove pork to a cutting board and rest for 5 - 10 minutes. 

Add a drizzle of oil to the skillet, add steamed cauliflower and sauté approximately 5 minutes & set aside add the pineapple and sauté until lightly browned and set aside. Fry the egg over easy to ensure a runny yolk. 

To assemble the bowl, add the rice, sliced pork tenderloin, cauliflower, onion, pineapple and fried egg. Top with bean sprouts, roasted peanuts and green onion.