Hash Brown Delight

Hash Brown Delight

2 lb frozen hash browns, thawed 30 minutes

1 cup sour cream

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup onion, diced

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish with non stick spray. 

In a large mixing bowl combine hash browns, sour cream, mushroom soup, first amount of butter, onion, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Spread into prepared baking dish. Drizzle with second amount of butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 

Bake uncovered 1 hour or until golden brown. 

For a different flavour profile, use cream of chicken and/or cream of celery soup instead of mushroom soup. 

Substitute 1 cup of crushed corn flakes for Parmesan cheese for a crispier topping. 

Recipe can easily be halved or doubled as needed. 

Pizza Stuffed Shells

Pizza Stuffed Shells

1 pkg jumbo pasta shells

1/2 lb lean ground beef

150 grams pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

4 oz sliced pepperoni, chopped

1 can sliced mushrooms 

1/2 jar green olives, sliced 

2 cups pizza sauce

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

Diced onion (optional)

Diced red peppier (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook shells el dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool. 

In a medium pan, brown ground beef until no pink remains. Add pancetta and garlic and sautée until pancetta begins to crisp. Add pepperoni, mushrooms and oregano and sautée approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. 

Spray a 9 X 13 dish and a 9 X 9 dish with no stick spray.  Fill each shell with mixture (approximately 1 and 1/2 tbsp) and place in baking dish. 

Top with pizza sauce. Cover with foil and bake 20 - 25 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil, and add remaining cheese, onions and peppers. Return to oven until cheese is melted & bubbly.  

Mint Chocolate Bark

Mint Chocolate Bark

16 oz white chocolate wafers

1 tsp mint extract

Green food colouring

16 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 4.67 oz box of Creme de Menthe thins, coarsley chopped

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Remove from heat, add the mint extract and a few drops of food colouring and stir until well combined. Add more or less food colouring until the desired colour is achieved. 

Spread the white chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet in an even layer and refridgerate for approximately 15 minutes or until set. 

Melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Pour over the white chocolate layer and spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with the  chopped mints and press lightly into the chocolate layer. Refridgerate for at least 30 minutes or until set. 

Cut bark or break into uneven pieces.  Store in an airtight container in the refridgerator. Keeps for at least 2 weeks 

Crispy Wontons

Crispy Wontons

1 lb ground pork

6 green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 pkg wonton wrappers

Cooking oil

Kosher salt

In a medium bowl mix together first five ingrediants. 

Lay 1 wonton wrapper on work surface. Place approximately 1 1/2 tsp of pork filling in the centre of the wrapper. With wrapper placed as a diamond brush top upside down V with water. Fold up bottom of the diamond to form a triangle. Press edges firmly together to seal. Bring opposite corners together under filling and press firmly together. Repeat with remaining filler and wrappers keeping filled wontons covered with a damp tea towel. You should have approximately 40 wontons depending on how much you use in each one. 

In a medium sized pot, add enough oil to measur approximately 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 375 degrees over medium high heat. 

Carefully add wontons to hot oil making sure not to crowd them. I do 6 at a time based on the pot I use. Fry for 2 minutes and turn over wontons and fry an additional minute or until lightly browned. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt.

OR

Brush each wonton with oil and cook in Air Fryer for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, turning once halfway through or until golden.  

Continue until all wontons are cooked and serve. 

Christmas Cookie Bark

Christmas Cookie Bark

14 whole Christmas Oreos, broken up

1 1/2 cups straight skinny pretzels, broken

1 cup Christmas coloured plain or peanut M & M's

1 lb white chocolate wafers

Christmas sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. 

Mix on the sheet the Oreos, pretzels and 3/4 cup of the M & M's. 

In a double boiler melt the white chocolate wafers or melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between in the microwave until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the candy mixture and top with the rest of the M & M's and sprinkles. 

Allow to cool and set at room temp or in the refridgerator until hardened. 

Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. 

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup flour

5 1/2 cups sweetened coconut, shredded

1/2 tsp salt

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

4 oz chocolate wafers 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Stir flour, coconut, salt together. Add in sweetened condensed milk and both extracts and stir until well combined. 

Drop 1 heaping teaspoon of dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Crowd them together as these do not spread. Wet hands and push down any sticking up or single pieces of coconut as they might burn. 

Bake for 11 minutes until the bottoms are golden and the tops start to turn the tiniest bit golden. Cool completely before dipping. 

Melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Dip,the tops or bottoms of each macaroon in the chocolate and allow to dry completely on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. 

Makes approximately 4 dozen. 

Turtles

Turtles

1 lb pecans

1 1/2 cups corn syrup

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 lbs chocolate wafers

Spread pecans over the bottom of a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. 

Combine syrup, butter, sugar and condensed milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue to boil, stirring often for approximately 25 minutes to medium hard stage at 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. 

Pour over pecans and cool. Cover cookie sheets with wax paper and spoon out pecan mixture in small clumps. Freeze until firm for easy dipping. 

Melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Dip pecan clumps and place on wax paper to set. Once chocolate has set place in an airtight container and refridgerate or freeze. 

Makes approximately 5 dozen.