Beef & Falafal Patties

This creation came about because I wanted to make a meatloaf, but didn't have any breadcrumbs...I spied a box of falafal mix in the cupboard and this delicious creation was born!!!  I love them served with a salad (such as in the photo with my quinoa salad with cucumber, fresh dill and toasted almonds)  or inside of a pita or wrap smothered in hummus, tzatziki, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes!!

BEEF & FALAFAL PATTIES

Ingredients

1 box of falafal mix

1 1/4 cups water

1 large egg, beaten with a fork

1 1/2 tsp dried parsley

3/4 tsp dried mint leaves

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

• Place the falafal mix in a large bowl.  Add water and stir to incorporate.  Let mixture stand for approximately 15 minutes.
• Add the egg, parsley and mint leaves and stir well.  Add ground beef and mix to incorporate.  
• Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set the oven to broil.  Shape the beef mixture into 3" diameter patties and place on the tray.  Broil on centre rack in the oven for approximately 5 minutes per side (or until a thermometer reads 160F when inserted into the centre of a patty)
• Serve as you wish; either in a pita with your favourite dips and veggies, or on a plate with some tzatziki sauce...the sky is the limit!
• ENJOY!  

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew

With the awful cold, winter weather we are still receiving, this is a lovely and easy stick-to-your ribs kind of meal....simply awesome comfort food!

EASY SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

3 lbs of cubed stewing beef

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free)

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup baby carrots

4 large potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp ground black pepper

 2 cups boiling water

1 package of dried onion soup mix

 3 tbsp butter

3 onions, sliced

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup warm water

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

 

• Place beef in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stewing beef, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.
• In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet, and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.
• Cover, and cook on high for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.
• ENJOY!! 

*We enjoy a little kick to our food so we added some of the sherry peppers we eke out from Bermuda - it adds such a lovely flavour to stews (meat or fish) if you can find it!*

 

Mum's Pork Sausage Stuffing

When it comes to turkey stuffing I have tried other recipes, but find myself returning to the stuffing that my Mum always made.  It's comforting and delicious!  In fact it's so good that my friend Dave who detests mushrooms, absolutely loves it!!

This will stuff a bird that is between 12 to 16lbs - if your bird is bigger, double the recipe.  If it doesn't all fit inside the cavity, put the extra stuffing into a couple of layers of cheesecloth, draw all the ends together and tie with kitchen twine to create a bag of stuffing.  Lay this in the roasting dish next to the bird and allow it to cook with the turkey and absorb all the lovely juices!!

MUM's PORK SAUSAGE STUFFING

Ingredients:

2 cups of quartered white button mushrooms

1 onion, finely diced

1 tube of pure pork sausage meat (you can find this in your grocer's freezer)

1 tbsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp ground sage

1 loaf of white bread

• In a large skillet with fairly high sides, heat onion and sausage meat and saute until sausage is no longer pink.  Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms cook down and the meat is crispy brown.
• Meanwhile using a food processor or blender, make bread crumbs out of the loaf of white bread and place in a large bowl.  Season with the black pepper, parsley and sage.  Add the cooked sausage mixture and all the oil (although I am a fan of removing any excess fat from the skillet with most recipes, this one requires the fat to bind the meat and bread mixtures together - no one said this was healthy and frankly why we only have it at Thanksgiving and Christmas!!)
• Combine the meat and bread mixtures well and let cool to room temperature before stuffing the bird.
• Once the turkey is cooked, scoop out the stuffing and place in a separate bowl to enjoy!

*Although I love this with my turkey dinner, it is equally as nice cold and placed inside of a turkey sandwich!