May, 2009

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Greek Meatballs Stuffed with Feta Cheese and a Spicy Tomato Sauce

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

porkmeatballs

Cost: $10.75 (CD)
Markets: No Frills and Longos
Notes: This will feed 4-5 people

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 1 LB of lean ground pork
  • 1 LB of lean ground beef
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of two lemons
  • 3/4 Cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/2 Onion, small dice
  • Cooking oil spray as needed
  • 3 Cloves of garlic minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

  • 4 Tomatoes on the vine, diced
  • 3 Cloves of crushed garlic
  • 1/2 onion, minced
  • Hand full of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
  • Slices of lemons
  • 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Sauté 1/2 onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic until slightly brown. Use the cooking oil spray to sauté the veggies. In a bowl combine meat, onions, garlic, eggs, feta cheese, lemon zest and pepper and mix very well. Cook a quarter-sized piece of the meat to see if it’s seasoned well. Make into lemon sized balls. In a large non-stick sauté pan spray it with cooking oil spray and slightly brown balls on all sides.  Slice the lemons and put in ovenproof pan. Add the meatballs to the pan, cover with foil and cook for 20-25 minutes.  For the sauce add the olive oil, onions, garlic and sauté until lucid. Add the tomatoes, red pepper, cover and reduce to low and cook for 25 minutes. Season to taste and add parsley.

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Baked Fried Chicken and Lemon Garlic Broccoli

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

chicken1

Cost: $6.50 (CD)
Markets: No Frills
Notes: This was simple, crispy and delicious! Serves two.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 2 Chicken breasts (bone in and skin on)
  • 1 Head of broccoli cut into pieces (florets)
  • 3-4 Cloves of minced garlic
  • 2 TBSP of your favorite season salt. I like Lawry’s
  • 1 Lemon, juice
  • 1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • Cooking oil spray

Quickie Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Spray chicken breasts with cooking oil. Sprinkle with season salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 40-45 minutes until crispy. Meanwhile steam your florets in a pot with one inch of water for 30 seconds. Take them out and add your olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste.

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Soy Citrus Salmon with Pineapple

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

salmon1

Cost: $15 (CD) just for the fish
Markets: Longos

Ingredients and Recipe Here

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Garlic Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions and Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Friday, May 8th, 2009

porksmall

Cost: $7.50 (CD)
Markets: Longos and No Frills
Notes: Serves two people

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 1 Pork tenderloin
  • 1 Small red onion
  • 1/2 Bottle of cheap balsamic vinegar
  • 3-4 Cloves of garlic, smashed
  • 2 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 TBSP of your favorite steak rub
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Cut any fat off of pork tenderloin. Slit 6-7 holes 1/4 inch deep in different places and stuff them with garlic pieces. Marinate pork with olive oil and steak seasoning for 24 hours. Caramelize onions and set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In a cast iron skillet brown all sides of the pork (two minutes each side). Finish cooking in oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, reduce the vinegar by 2/3 and add the onions. Let pork rest after cooking for 5 minutes. Cut into pieces and drizzle with sauce.

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Chimichurri Chicken

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

chicken

Cost: $5.50 (CD)
Markets: No Frills

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 2 Bone in chicken breasts
  • 1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Quickie Recipe

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken breasts in a food processor and mix until it’s like a light paste consistency. Take 2-3 TBSP and spread all over chicken breasts and marinate for a least 24 hours. Pre-heat oven to 350 F and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes. Spread remaining sauce on breasts and serve.

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Arctic Char with Tomato and Garlic Sauce

Monday, May 4th, 2009

arcticchar

Cost: $18.50
Markets: Longos, No Frills
Notes: This will feed 4 people as a light meal. Arctic Char is a fatty fish. Treat it like Salmon or Rainbow trout.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 1 LB of Arctic Char fillets
  • 8 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 4 Cloves of minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup (packed) of Italian Parsley, minced
  • 1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

On medium high heat add EVO to a skillet or pot. After a minute add tomato and cook for two minutes. Add garlic and cook for two minutes. Add parsley, stir, cover and turn to low. Set the broiler to high, season and cook Arctic Char for 5-7 minutes each side. Plate fish on top of seasoned tomato sauce.

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Dinner Party 4 by 4: BBQ NY Strip, BBQ Pork Souvlaki Skewers, Garlic Shrimp & Grilled Asparagus

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

dinnerparty

Impromptu dinner party at our friends Corrine and Stefan’s place. I had pork already marinating for 2 days when Stef called. He graciously got all the other ingredients including a salad which is not pictured.  We both cooked.  Everything was cooked on a propane gas grill except the shrimp. See below for recipes.

Pork Souvlaki Skewers

pourskwers

Cost: $7.00 CD
Markets: Longos and No Frills
Notes: This is an easy, yet impressive dish to make. Serves 4

Ingredients Purchased in Bold:

  • 1 Pork tenderloin, cut inton 1/4 inch slices (was on sale 2 loins for $8.00 CD)
  • 2 Lemons, juiced
  • 4-5 Cloces of minced garlic
  • 1 Medium red onion in 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Red bell pepper in 1 inch pieces
  • 1 Package of White mushrooms
  • 1 Green Zucchini, sliced
  • 2-3 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 TBSP of Dried oregano
  • 2 TSPB of your favorite steak season salt
  • Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Marinate the pork pieces with the lemon juice, olive oil, steak season salt, oregano, garlic and pepper for TWO DAYS. Thread meat and veggies in desired order and reserve the marinade.  BBQ on high for 3 minutes  on each side. Rotating a quarter turn 4 times. Boil marinade in pot on stove for 2 minutes and pour over meat and veggies prior to serving.

NY Strip

steak2

Cost: $13.50 CD
Market: Metro

Ingredients Purchased on Bold :

  • 1 NY strip
  • 2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2-3 TBSP of your favorite steak season (I used a combination of white pepper, thyme, salt and garlic powder)
  • Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Rub meat on both sides with olive oil and then liberally sprinkle on season salt and pepper. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. This will be used to finish cooking the meat since it’s most likely a thick cut. On a clean hot grill place the NY strip horizontal on the grill and cook on high for 4-5 minutes and DO NOT fiddle with the meat. Rotate the meat 90 degrees on the same side and cook for 4-5 minutes. This will give you that nice grilled grid look. Turn meat over and repeat and then finish cooking in oven for 5 minutes. Take out of the oven and let meat rest for 5 minutes and then slice and serve.

Garlic Shrimp

shrimp1

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of Large cleaned uncooked shrimp (you can leave the tails on)
  • 1/2 cup of diced onion
  • 2 TBSP of minched garlic
  • 2 TBSP of minced ginger
  • 2/3 Cup of soy sauce
  • 1 tsp of sesame oil
  • 1 tsp of sesame seeds as garnish
  • 1 TBSP of Canola oil
  • 1 TBSP of honey
  • Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

One medium high heat oil in a pan and saute the ginger, garlic, and onions until the onions are lucid (do not brown). Add the raw shrimp and cook for a 1-2 each side. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Grilled Asparagus

asparagus

Ingredients:

  • 2 Bunches of asparagus
  • 1 Lemon, juice
  • 1 TBSP of Dried oregano
  • 2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive oil.

Quickie Recipe

Combine all ingredients. Grill on high for 2 minutes each side.

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Tandori Chicken and Saag Paneer

Friday, May 1st, 2009

tandori

This is the Tandori chicken

Cost: $18 CD for both dishes
Markets: No Frills and Indian Market and Spices
Notes: This meal could serve 3 adults

Ingredients Purchased in Bold

For the Tandori Chicken

  • 2 Chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks
  • 1 Small red onion, thin sliced
  • 2 Lemons, juice
  • 1/2 Cup of non-fat yogurt
  • 4 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 TBSP of Cumin
  • 2 TBSP of Graham Marsala spice (get this at an ethnic market)
  • 1 TBSP of Turmeric
  • 1/2 TBSP of Paprika
  • 1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Combine all of the ingredients in a covered bowl or bag and marinate for at least 24 hours. Place in oven proof dish or cookie sheet and broil on high for 10 minutes.  Flip chicken and broil again for another 10 minutes.

For The Saag Paneer (Spinach and cheese curry)

saagpaneer

  • 500 g (or two packets) of Fresh Spinach
  • One packet of Paneer (this is Indian cheese that you get at an Indian market
  • 1 Jalepeno, minced
  • 1 Small onion, small diced
  • 3-4 Cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 piece of Fresh Ginger (about the size of your thumb) sliced into tooth picks
  • 1 Tomato, diced
  • 1 TBSP of Canola oil
  • 1 tsp of Cumin
  • 2 tsp of Coriander
  • 1 tsp of Graham Marsala
  • 1 tsp of Lemon Juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Quickie Recipe

Go here for the instructions. It’s where I got this awesome recipe. Please note that I didn’t add milk or sour cream at all. It was delicious without it! Also I added the tomato!

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Broiled Citrus Salmon Steaks with Cumin and Roasted Garlic and Turmeric Cauliflower Puree

Friday, May 1st, 2009

salmonsteaks

Pictured above can feed two people

Cost: $12.50 CD
Markets: Sunny Supermarket, Longos
Notes: These steaks were big and the cauliflower was massive. We fed four pouple with this recipe.

Ingredients Purchased in Bold

  • 2  Pieces of Salmon steak (there were bout 1/2 pound each)
  • 1 Large head of cauliflower
  • 2 Heads of roasted garlic (To roast garlic cut the tip off the head and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 F oven for 40-50 minutes.)
  • 2 TBSP of Turmeric
  • 2 TBSP of Chicken Base (you can omit if you’re a vegetarian)
  • Salt and Pepper

Marinade

  • 2 Limes, juice
  • 1 Lemon, juice
  • 1 TBSP of Cumin
  • 2 Cloves of minced garlic
  • 1-2 TBSP of honey
  • Salt and Pepper

Quickie Recipe

Marinate Salmon steaks for at least one hour. Cut cauliflower into pieces and boil the hell out of them until fork tender. Strain and put in food processor with roasted garlic, turmeric, and chicken base and whip into puree. Season to taste. Broil salmon steaks 7-10 minutes each side. You can use the excess marinade as a quick sauce by reducing it by half.

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