Super Yummy Sweet & Sour Spareribs

Super-duper deliciousness that your family will love. Not sure how calorie-wise they are for you but it's got to be better than take out any day!

Originates from a recipe I received years ago and have tweaked it along the way...I still manage to change it up every time I make it. Star Anise is a nice addition and so is fresh chopped ginger (added to the sauce part). Chinese Five Spice is also another good one. Play around and make it your own!

4 cups sweet & sour cut pork side ribs, sliced individually between the bones
Salt, pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup soy sauce

Mix together and saute ribs in a deep pan until well browned on all sides.

Once the ribs are nicely browned...

In a separate bowl, mix the following together (who am I kidding, just dump it all in the pan and save yourself some dishes to wash):

1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups of water

Pour the sauce mixture into pans with ribs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover with lid for an hour.

Taste sauce. Too sweet, add a bit more vinegar. Too sour, add a bit more sugar.

Simmer for another half hour or so, until ribs are super tender, falling of the bones, and the sauce has reduced.

Serve over rice.

I usually double the recipe — trust me, you will eat a second helping. Or maybe that's just me….

Fish Taco Platter

This is not my recipe but has become one our family favourites and one of the very FEW times we fry anything in this house!

Fish Taco Platter
Bon Appétit | January 2006
by Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes

yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

Pickled Red Onion and Jalapeños
1 red onion (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise
5 whole small jalapeños
2 cups seasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt


Baja cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lime peel
Pinch of salt


Tomatillo Salsa Verde
12 ounces tomatillos,* husked, stemmed, divided
4 green onions, white and green parts separated
1 jalapeño chile
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 1/4 cups (packed) fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice


Fish
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
3 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 pounds skinless halibut, sea bass, or striped bass fillets, cut into 1/2x1/2-inch strips


16 corn tortillas
2 cups self-rising flour
Vegetable oil (for frying)


Fresh salsa
Guacamole

Preparation:
For pickled red onion and jalapeños:
Place onion and jalapeños in heatproof medium bowl. Mix vinegar, lime juice, and salt in small saucepan. Bring just to boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Pour over onion and jalapeños. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

For baja cream:
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

For tomatillo salsa verde:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil roasting pan. Char half of tomatillos, white parts of green onions, and jalapeño directly over gas flame or in broiler. Transfer charred vegetables to prepared roasting pan. Add remaining tomatillos and garlic cloves to pan. Roast until all vegetables are soft, about 12 minutes. Cool.

Stem and seed jalapeño. Place all roasted vegetables, green onion tops, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon lime juice in blender. Puree until smooth, stopping to push vegetables down into blades several times. Transfer to medium bowl. Season with salt and more lime juice, if desired.

For fish:
Mix buttermilk, cilantro, pepper sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and lime juice in large bowl. Add fish; toss. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Wrap tortillas in foil; place in oven to warm. Whisk flour and remaining 2 teaspoons salt in medium bowl. Add enough oil to large skillet to reach depth of 1 inch. Heat oil until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches, remove fish from marinade and dredge in flour. Carefully add fish to skillet, cover partially, and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to oven to keep warm.

Set up buffet with all taco fixings, along with fresh salsa and guacamole.

*Green and tomato-like with a papery husk, tomatillos are available in the produce section of some supermarkets and Latin markets.

Original: http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Fish-Taco-Platter-233703#ixzz1loqQtwZM

Garlic Herb-Crusted Spring Creek Beef Roast with Creamy Mustard-Wasabi Sauce

I adapted this from a recipe received from Kirstin at Spring Creek Ranch. It was her mom's tried and true Herb-Crusted Spring Creek Beef with Creamy Mustard Sauce recipe. I always feel extra special when the recipe comes from "mom's kitchen". Thanks Kirstin for sharing!!

I made some changes, as I usually do. It is a great recipe using a less expensive cut of meat and since the beef was grown locally, raised the RIGHT way, it was just that much better!!

Approx. 2lb Spring Creek Inside Round Roast

Herb Paste
3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seed, crushed or cracked with a spoon
1 tsp coarse salt, best to use a sea salt or very coarse salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients into a paste.

Mustard-Wasabi Sauce
½ cup sour cream (or thick, strained plain yogurt)
2 tbsp grainy brown mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 - 1 tsp wasabi powder (add to taste, depending on how wimpy you may be)
Whisk together in a small bowl. Chill until eating time!

Cook roast from thawed (room temperature is preferred). Rub roast with herb paste. Let the roast sit in herb paste for 1-2 hours. Place roast in small baking dish that is similar in size to the roast, so that juices can be captured. Bake uncovered at 400⁰F for approx. 25 min to brown outside, then turn oven down to 275⁰F. Do not use convection oven settings for this -- sometimes you just gotta go old school. Add a little water or beef broth to keep juices from burning to the bottom of the pan. Bake until the roast reaches an internal temp of 130⁰F. Remove roast from oven, cover with foil & let rest for 5 min. Carve against the grain, drizzle with pan juices and serve with mustard-wasabi sauce. It will be pink in the centre -- don't overcook it. Try to slice it as thin as possible...yum!

Kirstin's tips: The mustard sauce also works great to spread on roast beef sandwiches (so true) or as a dipping sauce for our Spring Creek Top Sirloin Medallions (I will try this soon).

Yeah, I am not usually a roast beef fan but this was delish!

Froze up the extra slices for future sandwiches. I always do this when I cook too much that way we don't get tired of leftovers and later on it is a nice quick treat on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Salmon Ceviche

Ceviche is basically a way of cooking foods in citrus juices. Yes, don't worry, it is perfectly safe and absolutely delicious!

Hubby and son recently had a very productive salmon fishing trip on the west coast so I made up a batch of this to test out the oh so very yummy fresh salmon they brought home.

Ingredients:

Approximately 8 ounce piece of raw salmon, skinless and boneless
3 limes
1 tomato, diced
I small red onion, diced
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, fine diced (optional for you but not around here)
1/2 chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste



Instructions
Slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl (glass or stainless is always my preference when dealing with raw foods). I use a stainless steel reamer. Pick out any seeds that are in the juice.

Add the olive oil, chopped tomato, onion, minced pepper, and cilantro/parsley (or both) and mix it up.

Slice the salmon on the diagonal into 1/4" thin slices. Make them bite size so cut them into smaller pieces if necessary.

Add them to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Stir gently to coat all of the salmon. Let it sit (cook) in the refrigerator for at least four hours.

Serve it with a slotted spoon along side of a crusty baguette.

Yummy, pretty, easy, and super impressive!!

Chili Lime Salmon with Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa

I love to top a flavourful and spicy piece of grilled salmon with the perfect fruit salsa. It is a delicious and fresh contrast in flavours. Serve it on a need of your favourite basmati rice and voila, a feast for the eyes and the taste buds! Enjoy (we did last night, yum)

Chili Lime Salmon with Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa
Made it up last night, honest.

One salmon fillet per person.
Rub olive oil on each piece, all sides
Generously sprinkle with VE Chili Lime Sansel on all sides of fish pieces.

Let sit for a half hour in the fridge while you mix up the salsa.

Fire up the grill to medium/high heat.

Watermelon/Blueberry Salsa:

2 cups diced seedless watermelon
1/2 cup fresh whole blueberries
1 chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
1 tablespoon VE Fruit Salsa Mix
Salt & Pepper to taste

Toss together in a small bowl and refrigerate to allow flavours to intermingle and have a good time :)

Reduce grill heat to medium and grill salmon for about 4-5 minutes per side. Don't over cook salmon, just cook until the inside changes colour but it still glossy.

Serve over steamed basmati rice and a generous scoop of your prepared salsa on top.

Pour yourself a lovely chilled glass of white zinfandel (its all about colour on my table) and dig in!


For substitutions to the Epicure blends suggested in this recipe, contact me!

Eggplant Parmagiana Rustico

Easy-peasey, fancy-dancy...delish :)

Serves 4-5

One large eggplant, washed and cut in 1/2” round slices

Salt each slice lightly and place them all in a zip-lock bag with flour to coat. Let sit for about an hour (or more) checking at half hour to make sure all prices are completely coated with flour. This is to eliminate excess moisture in eggplant.

In one shallow bowl:
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt & pepper
Whisk until well combined and set aside.

In another shallow bowl:
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano cheese grated
1 Tbsp VE Bruschetta Herbs (mixture of Italian seasonings)
Salt & pepper
Toss together until well combined.

After eggplant has been sitting in flour for about an hour, remove one slice at a time, shaking off excess flour. Dip each piece into egg mixture and then into breadcrumb mixture, coating all sides very well. Set each piece onto a wax paper lined plate until all pieces have been coated. Use wax paper between each layer to keep them from sticking to each other.

Heat about 1/4” of olive oil in a large flat frying pan. Test the heat by dropping a bit of the bread coating into the oil. It should sizzle right away. Keep heat at medium to medium-high and cook each piece of coated eggplant until golden brown on each side. Do not over crowd the pieces in the pan, instead cook in several batches. Place cooked eggplant on paper towel lined plate until ready to serve.

To serve, place eggplant pieces on a serving plate only slightly overlapping each other. Top with your own homemade tomato sauce (which I always have in the freezer) or VE Rustico Sauce Mix (prepared as per instructions on jar). It is quick and easy to make! Just cover each piece with a little bit so they don’t get soggy and serve the extra sauce on the side for those who want more. Sprinkle some fresh parmigiano cheese grated on top and voila!! Dinner will be a hit...even with the kids. Yummy!!

Pork Roast Set 'n' Forget

Here's what is cooking up in my slow cooker today:

Slow Cookin' Easy Livin' Pork Roast (yeah, I just made up the name right now)

4-5 lb boneless pork roast
Sprinkle liberally with VE Beef & Steak Rub
Dried Rosemary
Dried Sage

Wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning:

Unwrap the pork roast and sear it all side in a frying pan drizzled with olive oil (med-high heat). Once nice and golden, place it in your slow cooker.

Add:
1 large onion chopped
2 celery ribs sliced
1 large carrot sliced
1 large tomato quartered
2 whole cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 cups water
2 tsp VE Beef Bouillon
1-2 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup your favourite BBQ sauce

Pour it all on top of the pork roast...then Set 'n' Forget. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8.
If you are around for the last hour, take the roast out and add:

2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Turn the slow cooler ot high to thicken. Alternatively, pour the juices into a saucepan, add the water and cornstarch and boil to thicken.

It smells so good in here right now...

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes
Inspired by Barefoot Contessa at Home

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups large-diced yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups large-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1 cup French green lentils (7 ounces)
2 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
¼ teaspoon ground peppercorns
1 tablespoon good red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and the carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.

Meanwhile, place the canned plum tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Rinse and pick over the lentils to make sure there are no stones in the package.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper to the pan. Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering. Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste and serve hot.

Beer Can Chicken

Yes, I admit, I make this...and I love it! Okay...I also admit I don't use a beer can since mostly we buy bottled beer. So hubby bought a Weber Poultry Roaster which is essentially a better beer can!

Here is the one we put together last night and it was uber-delicious! You can make any kind of rub for this chicken or coat it in BBQ sauce and baste it again about half way through the cooking time.

Rub:
VE Focaccia Bread Spices (approx 1/4 cup)
VE Sea Salt (to taste)
VE 4-Pepper Blend (to taste)

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 355ml can (12 ounces) beer, any kind
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly squashed
1-2 fresh sprigs of rosemary

Remove and discard the neck, giblets, and any excess fat from the chicken. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly brush or spray all over with the vegetable oil and season, inside and out, with the rub.

Open the beer can and pour off half of the beer. Add the garlic cloves and the fresh sprigs of rosemary to the beer can. Set the half-full can on a flat surface and slide the chicken over the top so the can fits inside the cavity. Transfer the bird to the grill, keeping the can upright. Carefully balance the bird on its two legs and the can. Grill over indirect medium heat (350°F to 450°F) until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Keep the lid closed as often as possible during grilling.

Wearing barbecue mitts, carefully remove the chicken and the can from the grill, being careful not to spill the beer—it will be hot. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before lifting it from the can. Discard the beer. Cut the chicken into serving pieces. Serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here's a tip: Buy two chickens when you are at the store (I just pick up the twin packs). I cook one as above and the second one I throw into a ziplock bag. I use the other half of the beer and pour it in with the same rub ingredients...throw in a couple of garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary and maybe a whole lemon squeezed into the bag. Close it up and shake the marinade until it covers the bird completely. At this point I either freeze (if it hasn't already been frozen) the bag for another day or put it into the fridge to cook in a day or two. You could also cook two chickens and freeze the bird cooked already for a quick meal.

Baked Salsa Chicken

My niece (who was 15 at the time) taught me how to make this. It is so easy and the chicken breasts are tender and juicy.

Take full chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper. Sear them in a pan with olive oil until nicely colored (yes, they will still be raw inside).

Place them in an ovenproof dish and cover with your favorite salsa -- I like to use a fruit based one like mango -- load it up, don't be shy with the salsa!

Bake at 375 deg for about 40-45 minutes until done basting occasionally with pan juices.

Easy and yummy!

Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut them in half either lengthwise (strips) or into two thinner fillets (best option)

In a shallow dish combine:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (just to keep the chicken from sticking to the grill)
grated the rind off of one lemon and then juice it as well, add it all
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic minced

Add the chicken breasts and marinate for an hour or up to one day - the longer the better

Grill on medium heat flipping after 4-5 minutes until done but not dead...should still be juicy inside but no pink juices.

Sprinkle with sea salt and serve - sometimes I skip this part because the seasonings seem to be good enough flavouring for me.

Always add salt to meats AFTER cooking...you will use less and it will not dry the meat out...remember they use salt to cure foods so it will draw moisture out.

These are also good the next day in salads and sandwiches

This marinade works for all type of fish as well and you can change up the herbs as you like even substituting dry if needed (use half the amount) but fresh is best

"Epicurized" Indian Inspired Butter Chicken

The night before:
5 large Chicken breasts, whole or cut in half lengthwise (or use 15 or so boneless skinless chicken thighs)
1/2 cup fat free yogurt
1 Tblsp VE Tandoori Spice
Pour it all in a large zip-loc bag and marinate overnight.

Next day:
Grill on BBQ until done (best option) or bake chicken at 350 deg for 15-25 minutes or until no longer pink in centre. Set aside to cool.

In a large pot:
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 celery stalk finely chopped
1/2 medium sized red onion, finely chopped
1-2 Tblsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Heat pot, add oil, and vegetables. Saute over medium heat until transparent.

Add:
2 tsp VE Harissa
2 tsp VE Madras Curry
2 tsp VE Tandoori

Saute for a few more minutes until vegetables are well coated and beginning to brown slightly.

Add:
1 28 ounce/796 ml of diced tomatoes
2 Tblsp cashew butter
1 Tblsp VE Chicken Bouillon
1 cup water
1.5 Tblsp brown sugar

Simmer for 10 minutes over medium high heat

Chop the cooled chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the sauce mixture.

Add:

1/3 cup fat free yogurt

Lower heat to a slow simmer and simmer for another 10 minutes and serve over rice.