Shakshuka

I needed a recipe that was not only quick and tasty, but wanted it to be simple and clean too - plus who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?  Shakshuka is a dish usually eaten for breakfast in Israel, although with a side salad it is a lovely light vegetarian evening meal.  Made in one skillet it hails from Libya and has many variations.  This version included items that I had available in my pantry!

SHAKSHUKA

 Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 seeded and diced red or green pepper

28oz can diced tomatoes (I use low-sodium)

1 can tomato paste

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

Pinch of cayenne

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Salt & pepper, to taste

5 - 6 eggs

1 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

• Heat olive oil in skillet.  Saute onions and peppers over medium high, stirring often, until softened.  Add garlic; saute for an additional minute.
  
  
  
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices.  Stir to combine well.  Simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it reduces and thickens.  Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
  
• Crack the eggs, one at a time, directly over the tomato mixture, spacing out evenly.
  
• Cover the skillet and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked and the sauce has really thickened.
  
• Turn off heat, sprinkle chopped parsley over entire dish.
• Serve with toasted flat bread
  
• ENJOY! 

Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Fettuccini

I made this dish for my friend Anne who sent me a less-than-subtle message on Facebook asking for this dish (in fact she sent me the recipe and said "Make this for me")...so I did!  Here is a fantastic dish that I served at a dinner party and disappeared in no time!!!

CAJUN SHRIMP & SAUSAGE FETTUCCINE

Ingredients:

1/2 to 3/4 lb cooked fresh fettuccine

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb peeled, deveined raw large shrimp

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp Essence Seasoning (recipe below)

1 1/2 hot or smoked turkey sausages (I used turkey/chicken ones from Costco), diced into 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup diced green bell peppers

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano or Peccorino Reggiano

 Essence Seasoning:

2 1/2 tbsp Hungarian paprika

2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried thyme

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Season the shrimp with 2 tsp of the Essence.  Place the shrimp in the pan and saute until almost done.  Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
• Place the remaining oil in the saute pan along with the onion and bell peppers.  Saute, stirring until the onions are translucent (about 3 mintues).  Add the sausage and cook another minute.
•  Add the garlic to the pan and saute, stirring quickly to avoid garlic burning, for another 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken stock to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the thyme, 1 tbsp of Essence and 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Return the shrimp and pasta to the pan.  Continue to cook the sauce and pasta, stirring occasionally to combine.  Remove from the heat and add the basil and Parmesan.
• ENJOY!

Rockin' Moroccan Stew

Years ago I discovered this stew recipe in my "Crazy Plates" cookbook and I had forgotten about it until we recently went to a friend's Moroccan-themed dinner party!  It is simple, nutritious, filling, delicious and low fat....what more could you want?!?!

ROCKIN' MOROCCAN STEW

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup each of diced celery and chopped green bell pepper (I only had orange for the dish pictured!)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes

1 can (19oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (19 oz) drained and rinsed chickpeas

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp each of ground cumin, curry powder, ground coriander, and chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup raisins (I didn't have any so I used dried cranberries)

2 tbsp each light peanut butter, and chopped fresh cilantro

• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic.  Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften (approx. 3 minutes)
• Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanut butter and cilantro.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Stir in raisins, peanut butter and cilantro.  Mix well.  Simmer for 5 more minutes.
• ENJOY!            

Turkish Red Lentil & Vegetable Stew

I found this recipe in a magazine and was intrigued not only because of its simplicity, but the fact that the recipe has endeavored to make the lentils a complete protein source by combining them with a grain - bulgur!  I happened to have all the ingredients on hand and I was so happy that I took the time to create this meal because it was delicious!!

TURKISH RED LENTIL & VEGETABLE STEW

Ingredients

Half of a large eggplant, cut into 1" cubes

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

I large onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, cut into 1" chunks

1 zucchini, cut into 1" chunks

1 each sweet red and yellow pepper, cut into 1" chunks

1 tbsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 cup red lentils

1/2 cup bulgur

4 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp dried mint, crumbled

• Sprinkle eggplant all over with the salt and let stand until beads of moisture appear (approximately 1/2 hr).  Blot dry with a towel.
• In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat EVOO over medium-high heat.  Fry onions until lightly golden (approx 4 mins).  Add eggplant, carrots, zucchini, peppers, paprika and cayenne.  Saute until eggplant is almost tender (approx. 10 mins)
• Add lentils and bulgur and cook, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add broth, 3 cups water and the tomato paste.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, covered until lentils are almost dissolved (approx. 1 hr).  Make sure you stir periodically otherwise the lentils tend to stick to the bottom of the pot!
• Stir lemon juice and dried mint into the stew.  Ladle into bowls and ENJOY!

Peperonata

As I was having my friend Emily over for dinner, who is of Sicilian origin, I decided to make this traditional side dish.  I was a little nervous as I have never made it before - how arrogant to presume to serve a Sicilian a traditional dish without having ever created it before?!  However, Emily assured me that her mother would approve!  I think you will too as it is super-easy and super-tasty!!  It is lovely the next day heated up to compliment your scrambled eggs at breakfast!

PEPERONATA

Ingredients:

1/2 cup EVOO

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely diced

3 bay leaves

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 bell peppers (2 red, 2 yellow, 2 green) roughly chopped into 2" dice

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 bunch fresh basil, torn

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• Heat the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in a Dutch oven or a large skillet.  Saute the onions, garlic, and bay leaves over medium heat until the onion is soft (approx. 6 minutes).  Add the tomato paste, salt and black pepper.  Continue stirring until the tomato paste turns a dark, brick red colour.
• Add the bell peppers and saute until they are softened (approx. 10 minutes).  Add the wine and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook the peppers for a further 20-30 minutes.
• Uncover, increase the heat to medium and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated 20 to 25 mins.  Remove the bay leaves and add in basil leaves, balsamic vinegar and salt and black pepper to taste.
• Serve and enjoy!!

Curried Sweet Potato Cups

This delicious appetizer comes from Women's Day magazine and is perfect if you have leftover mashed sweet potatoes!

CURRY SWEET POTATO CUPS

Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

2 tsp curry powder

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tbsp melted butter

12 wonton wraps

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Melt butter in a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onion, bell pepper and curry powder.  Saute for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat
• Sir in mashed sweet potatoes and yogurt.
• Brush wonton wrappers with melted butter and press into muffin cups.
• Spoon mixture into the wonton wrappers and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the wraps are crisp.

Better Than Take-Out Fried Rice

India decided to create a main dish to go along with my kale salad and Devon's oven fried French fries, for dinner last night.  I recently bought my kids this fantastic cookbook called "Kids 4 Books In One:  Breakfast/Lunch/Snacks/Dinner" and they are super excited about trying these beautifully illustrated recipes.  We had a pork tenderloin in the freezer so she decided to adapt this recipe while leaving out the rice part...it was delicious!

BETTER THAN TAKE-OUT FRIED RICE

Ingredients:

3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1 yellow bell pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

6 green onions, cut into 1" pieces

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 lb boneless pork loin or tenderloin, cut into 1" pieces

• Combine soy sauce, vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
• Cut bell pepper into 1" pieces.
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bell pepper, green onions, ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add pork; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until pork is cooked through.
• Stir in soy mixture and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
• Serve and ENJOY!

Wheat Berry, Kale & Cranberry Salad

With the weather getting much cooler, I must admit that a salad sounds far less appealing than a bowl of warm soup, however this one was too good to pass up!  The chewiness of the wheat berries is nice with the crisp kale and sweet cranberries.  If you don't want to use wheat berries, substitute 2 1/2 cups of quinoa, green lentils or brown rice!

WHEAT BERRY, KALE & CRANBERRY SALAD

Ingredients:

1 cup dried wheat berries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup EVOO

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

5 cups chopped kale

1/2 cup diced red or white onion

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

• Rinse the wheat berries.  Combine with 8 cups water in a medium pot.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook, covered, until wheat berries are tender (approx. 30 to 35 mins).  Stir in cranberries during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Whisk olive oil with vinegar and salt in a large bowl.  Season with black pepper.  Stir in wheat berry mixture, kale, onion and bell peppers.  Serve immediately.  Keeps really well refrigerated for up to 1 day!
• ENJOY!!! 

Nutty Chicken Stir-Fry

I found this recipe in "Taste Of Home" magazine this month and the entire family LOVED it (especially India, which is great because it totally accommodates her dietary restrictions at the moment!!!)  Best of all?  It's a fast, easy meal that uses some of the left over bits and pieces of vegetables that might be hanging out in your crisper!!

NUTTY CHICKEN STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped (I used leftover chicken that I simply shredded and reduced the cooking time as it was pre-cooked)

1 tbsp EVOO

1/2 cup chopped broccoli or cauliflower, or both!

1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

1 finely chopped onion

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp brown sugar (or 1 tbsp agave syrup)

4 tsp cornstarch (or 4 tsp brown rice flour)

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (I used Bragg's as it contains no yeast or wheat)

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (or 1/4 cup roasted almond butter)

5 to 6 drops of hot pepper sauce

3 cups shredded cabbage

3/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped (or 3/4 cup chopped, unsalted pistachios)

Hot cooked basmati rice

• In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the chicken in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium-high heat.  Add broccoli, peppers, and onions.  Cook 4 minutes longer.
• Add garlic and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink inside and vegetables are crisp-tender.
• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and ginger; stir in the broth, soy sauce, peanut butter and pepper sauce until blended.  Pour over chicken mixture in wok.
• Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Add cabbage; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until crisp-tender.  Sprinkle with peanuts and serve over rice!

Tender Beef & Sweet Potato Saute

I found this recipe in 2010's "Milk" calendar and it caught my eye because it required ingredients that I generally have on hand in the fridge/pantry/freezer and combines all the flavours I love! It notes that you can also spice this dish up with 1/4 tsp cayenne added to the beef, as well as sweeten the dish with 1/4 cup of raisins, sliced green olives and 1 tbsp capers with the green peppers....next time I'm going to try these variations!

TENDER BEEF AND SWEET POTATO SAUTE

Ingredients:

1lb boneless beef sirloin or other grilling steak

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter, divided

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 cups diced sweet potato

3/4 cup reduced -sodium beef broth

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used yellow because that's what I had in the fridge!)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional garnish)

• Trim off fat from beef and cut across the grain into thin strips. In a bowl, sprinkle the beef with cumin, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Stir to coat.


• In a large skillet melt half of the butter over medium-high heat. Brown beef strips in batches, adding more butter if necessary; transfer to a clean bowl.


• Reduce heat to medium. Melt remaining butter in the skillet and add the onion and sweet potatoes. Saute for approx. 3 mins. or until onion is softened. Add beef broth, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.


• Whisk flour into the milk and gradually stir into the skillet; bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for approx. 5 mins or until sweet potatoes are almost tender.


• Stir in the green bell pepper. Simmer, stirring often, for 3 mins, or until pepper is tender-crisp and the sauce has thickened.


• Stir in beef with accumulated juices and tomato paste; simmer for 2 mins. or until beef is hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


• Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds & ENJOY!!

Meatballs with Pepper Sauce

Unfortunately I don't have a photo of this dish (I promise to take one the next time I make these!), but so many people requested this recipe be posted I decided to do it immediately so as not to upset my friends!!!

Meatballs with Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 envelope of onion soup mix

2 lbs ground beef

SAUCE:

1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms

1 -1 /2 cups ketchup

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped green peppers

1/2 cup chopped sweet red or yellow peppers

2 tbsp chopped red onions

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• In a large bowl, combine the milk, Worcestershire sauce and soup mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1" balls.
• Place meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan and broil 4-6" from the heat for 5 to 8 minutes (or until meatballs are browned).
• In a large pot or slow cooker on high, combine sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat; add meatballs and stir gently.
• Simmer for 1 hr or until meat is no longer pink.

Lecso - A Hungarian Dish

LECSO

Many years ago my friend Aggie made this meal for us. It was a staple in her home and a common Hungarian dish - I absolutely loved it and begged her for the recipe. Ever since I make this about four times a year, and while it is a little too hot for my children, Greg and I love it because it is comfort food with a kick!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, cut lenthwise and into slivers

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large can of diced tomatoes

2 to 3 green and red bell peppers, cut into strips

2 to 3 banana peppers, cut into strips

1 package of smoked sausages

EVOO

1. Heat EVOO in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent. Make sure you stir constantly so the garlic does not burn.
2. Add both bell and banana peppers and saute for approximately 5 minutes, or until peppers are softened.
3. Add can of tomatoes, juice and all, and stir. Turn heat to low and simmer for a few minutes.
4. Slice sausages and add to the skillet. Cover and simmer for approximately 40 mins, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve with mashed potaotes
6. ENJOY!

NOT YOUR MOM's STUFFED PEPPERS!!

I honestly can't remember where the inspiration came for this side dish - but it is now a staple in our house! The colours and texture have won over anyone who have tried them, and the best part of all is that it is very easy to create!

BELL PEPPERS STUFFED WITH GRAPE TOMATOES & GOATS' CHEESE!!

Ingredients:

2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise and seeded

1 pint of grape tomatoes

1 tbsp dried herbs (I tend to use herbs d'Provence because I simply can't choose!)

2 oz goats cheese

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a baking dish using olive oil, and lay peppers cut side up in the dish.

2. In a small bowl gently mix the grape tomatoes with the goats cheese, salt & pepper and dried herbs.

3. Once the ingredients are well combined, spoon the filling into the pepper halves. Cover dish with foil and place in oven for approximately 30 mins. Remove foil and bake until the cheese is lightly browned and the tomatoes burst.

4. Remove from the oven and serve warm either on their own with some crusty bread, or as a side dish!