These peanut butter bars were one of my favourite treats when I was growing up. My mom never used to put anything on top, but who can resist a layer of chocolate or caramel frosting? I love the taste of chocolate and peanut butter and knew this would be awesome, but I’d never thought of a caramel frosting. I haven’t made these since I was a kid because it was a recipe my mom kept in her head and thus I never got it from her before she passed away. I kind of forgot about it, but when I came across something similar it brought back memories from my childhood. I was on staff room duty and had to bring a treat in, so thought I would try out this recipe and see how it measured up to my memories! It was very yummy! I had to make a double batch, so I decided to make half with melted chocolate on top and the other batch with the caramel frosting recipe I found on Now You’re Cooking (by Joan Donogh).
Peanut Butter Bars
These are quick and easy and can be completed within 20 minutes easily!
Ingredients:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Corn Flakes
2 cups Rice Krispies
Instructions:
Place brown sugar and corn syrup in a microwave safe dish. Microwave until the sugar is melted. Stir well.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until peanut butter is melted and ingredients are well combined. (Mic a few extra seconds, if necessary.)
Fold in the cereal.
Line an 8 inch square pan with foil. Press the mixture into the pan.
Optional Toppings:
Nothing!
How boring!
Chocolate Topping:
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish and heat to melt. My microwave has a “melt chocolate” setting, so I’m not exactly sure how long, but I would only do about 15 seconds at a time and then stop to stir after each interval of heat, if you’re not sure how long to put them on for. Stir melted chocolate until smooth and then spread evenly over the surface. Place in fridge to set.
Caramel Frosting:
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cream (or milk)
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add brown sugar and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Add milk and cook and stir until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and add icing sugar. Beat until creamy. Stir in vanilla. Spread icing on top of the peanut butter square base. Refrigerate to set. Cut into squares. Can be stored at room temperature.
Tips:
*I like to line my “squares” with foil. It is generally really easy to lift out the entire square when its set/ready. This makes for easy, even cutting. I much prefer this than trying to dig pieces out of a pan.
*When melting chocolate in the microwave, you do not need to heat it to the point of it all being melted. Stop and stir often and you will find that even when it is still quite lumpy, it often only needs to be stirred in order to melt the remaining pieces. Be careful not to over heat or scorch it.
*When covering a square with melted chocolate, I always set my timer for 10 minutes immediately after placing it in the fridge. When the timer goes check and see if the surface has solidified. If it still appears “melted”, give it only a couple of more minutes before checking on it again. You want to remove it from the fridge and “score” the top with a knife. If you score the surface of the chocolate before the entire surface has hardened, you can avoid breakage during cutting. It is so frustrating when you go to cut a dainty and the chocolate breaks while cutting. Scoring really helps to eliminate this problem.
We were having friends over for dinner on the 27th and I was really having a hard time deciding what to serve. At this time of the year, everyone feels like they’ve been eating way too much and are literally craving something light. So, it was initially my intention to serve a delicious, but light dinner so that everyone could feel satisfied without having to adjust another notch on their belt. When I decided to serve fish, I figured it would be a nice light alternative to all of the festive meals, snacks and treats that we all tend to indulge in over the holidays. However, as I began to scour my own recipes and search for some new ones, I found some great Italian recipes that I just had to try. Although the meal was not the light meal I originally intended, I did try to balance our the rich and creamy seafood lasagna with a nice big salad and a side dish of mushrooms. It is always a bit of a risk trying something new for company and I figured I was pretty much “walking the plank” when I tried four brand new recipes at one dinner party. I did stick to a tried and true dessert, but everything else was a first and all of the recipes were keepers. The meal was great and nothing was too difficult to make.
Italian Dinner Party Menu:
I must admit the pictures are not the best. Remember, we had company for dinner. No time to stage or adjust the lighting. In fact, I had to hide my frustration when my camera only allowed me a couple of shots before my memory card was full….thanks Eden!! Oh well, if you want to see fabulous pictures, you’ll have to visit the original sites that the recipes were found on.
I’m not even going to bother typing out these recipes. I followed them pretty carefully because I was trying them all for the first time. Here are the links and I’ve added a few notes below outlining a few of the changes I made and tips for success.
RoastedMushroom Salad: I ended up using white, cremini and shiitaki mushrooms and omitted the portobello mushrooms that were suggested, but just as a matter of preference. Also, be sure to use trays with sides as the mushrooms will release juice as they roast and caramelize. I coated all of the mushrooms in oil and pepper at the same time in a large bowl, but separated them onto two sheets so that they had lots of room to roast. Mushrooms do not like to be crowded when they cook.
I used two cans of crab meat instead of imitation crab in the Seafood Lasagna. I also wondered about adding a tablespoon or two of white wine to the sauce, but didn’t and it was lovely without. Be sure to allow time for the lasagna to “stand” before serving. Mine was a bit runny, but I could tell it would have been fine had I given it 5 more minutes to sit.
The Big Italian Salad recipe doesn’t list green onions under the ingredients, but it was in the pictorial instructions, so don’t forget to add them in.
The Chocolate Mousse Cake is a light and decadent dessert that never fails and is always delicious. I chose to make this cake because it is easy and you can make it a day or two before. I love that! Also, my son has been eating “gluten-free” for the last couple of months (just a trial) and there is no flour in this cake. I love that this flourless cake was a favourite long before the gluten-free experiment. It is a great option if you are trying to avoid wheat/grain.
If you enjoy Italian and seafood, you are absolutely going to love this combination. The recipes blended wonderfully. Both the mushrooms and lasagna were absolutely scrumptious….and those biscuits. Mmmmm….delicious!
I found this recipe on Artsy Chicks Rule last year and have been waiting for the right opportunity to try it. I made this Red Velvet Trifle for a Christmas party a few weeks ago and it was quite good. I added Oreo cookies to my version and made a few suggestions at the bottom of the post. I can’t wait to make it again. This would make a great dessert any time of the year, but the red velvet makes it a perfect choice for Christmas or Valentine’s Day celebrations!
Holiday Red Velvet Trifle
Ingredients:
1 Red Velvet Cake Mix (prepared according to instructions minus one egg)
1 – 16 oz frozen Whipped Topping (large)
1- small package of either Cheesecake or White Chocolate Pudding Mix
1 – package of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar (more or less, to your taste)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
White Chocolate Bar (optional)
Oreo cookies, about 16 crushed
Instructions:
Mix and bake the cake following the directions on the box. (*Omit one egg.)
Let cool completely.
Mix pudding according to the directions on the box. Once set, fold in 8 oz of the 16 oz Whipped Topping.
In a separate bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with the other half of the Whipped Topping. Add in 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla. Mix well. Add about 2/3 of the crushed Oreos and stir to combine.
Set both bowls aside.
Once the cake is cool, remove it from the pan(s) and cut into squares. (I broke mine and I felt it was a bit too “crumb like” – next time I’ll be sure to cut it.)
Layer the cake, followed by the shaved white chocolate, and both fillings. Repeat. (I was struggling a bit because of the size of the bowl and knew I was not going to get good coverage for the filling, so I opted to alternate the fillings.) You should end up with three repeats depending on the diameter of your bowl and height – **see note below.) You really can’t mess this up!
Finish with shaved chocolate, remaining crushed cookies and a few cake crumbs for colour!
* I did not leave out the egg as suggested in the original recipe from Artsy Chicks Rule. After doing some research, I learned that adding an extra egg to a brownie mix can result in a more cake-like brownie – a lighter, softer and less crumbly brownie. So, I’m thinking the reverse would be true when you omit one egg from the mix as suggested. You would end up with a denser, more crumbly version of the cake. I think this texture would be preferable for a trifle. I’ll definitely do that next time.
**Word of caution: When making a trifle, you want to make sure you use a bowl with a smaller diameter and increased height. If you use a bowl that is too wide, the layers aren’t as thick and this impacts how the layers “meld” together. You want to get good coverage. I usually use such a bowl (7 1/2″ diameter by 6″ height), but opted for a shorter/wider bowl thinking it would be better for a larger number of guests. The result was that the layers too thin. I found it difficult to spread the layers and get good coverage and thus the overall taste was somewhat impacted.
Enjoy! If you end up giving this recipe a try before I make it again, I’d love to hear how your trifle turns out with the recommended changes.
With Christmas around the corner, I know I need to get my “ducks in a row” to be able to avoid out growing my jeans over the holidays. I love Christmas baking and need to be able to off-set my sweet tooth with some healthy soup.
My three day cleanse soup from The Plan by Lyn-Genet Recitas is Carrot Ginger. The recipe doesn’t give exact amounts and I can honestly say I don’t really enjoy it that much. I decided that I would search for another Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe in hopes of finding something similar, but with better flavour. I found this absolutely delicious recipe on the Food Network. The recipe was submitted by Maxine Bonneau and received rave reviews. Obviously with a 5 star rating, the recipe didn’t require “tweaking”, but I did modify it to make it more similar to the one suggested in The Plan.
Cindy’s Carrot Ginger Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 a zucchini, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
Salt and white pepper
Sour cream
Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini and ginger. Sauté the veggies for about 5 minutes to bring out the flavours.
Add the broth, cover with a lid and bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender). Purée until smooth. *Be careful if you use a blender as the pressure in the blender builds up with hot liquids and it can be very dangerous – see note below.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop sour cream and parsley sprigs.
*When blending hot liquids: Allow the hot liquid to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer it to a blender and fill it no more than halfway. Release one corner of the lid to prevent the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse it a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Comparing the soups: The differences between the soup recipe suggested on the cleanse and this one are the chicken broth, suggested spices and sour cream. You may want to omit the sour cream, but it really is delicious when stirred in. Maxine’s soup didn’t include garlic or zucchini and I omitted the 1 cup of whipping cream. Although I’m sure it is very good with the cream, in my opinion the sour cream adds enough of a creamy flavour without the extra calories. This marriage of the two recipes makes a healthier version of the delicious Carrot Ginger Soup recipe. I can’t say it has the same properties as the “cleanse” soup, but it is certainly a good alternative for me. I love the soup and seem to have good results using it in place of the recipe I don’t really care for.
If you are looking for a new never fail, always delicious soup recipe…..this is it. I originally found this soup recipe on the Kraft Canada website and then adapted it slightly. It is probably our very favourite soup and even a double batch is gobbled up within a couple of days. Super easy and quick to make and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Taco Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb. of lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 – 540 ml (19 oz) can of black beans, rinsed (original recipe calls for two, but I find one is enough)
1 – 540 ml (19 oz) can of Alymer’s Spicy Red Pepper canned tomatoes*
1 – 398 ml (14 oz) can of tomato sauce
1 cup of frozen corn
1 package of taco seasoning mix (I use low sodium) *If you don’t have the spicy red pepper tomatoes and are substituting for regular, I’d use hot taco seasoning)
2 cups of water
For Serving:
1 cup of shredded cheddar or Tex Mex cheese
sour cream
avocado
lime
Optional: nachos
Instructions:
Brown the ground beef with the onions in a large pot. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. (If I have the time, I will often turn the temperature down to the lowest possible temperature and let the soup simmer for much longer.) Any leftover soup will taste great the next day as well. To serve, add a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, crushed nachos and a squirt of fresh lime juice. (You can serve this however, you like, but the sour cream is the magic ingredient that really takes this soup to the next level. I like to stir it in to give the soup a bit of a creamy taste. Mmmm!) This soup is so yummy and turns out every single time.
*Alymer’s Spicy Red Pepper canned tomatoes is a staple in our pantry. We use it in chili and spaghetti sauce as well as this recipe. It seems to really enhance the flavour of almost any tomato based recipe you are making.
I don’t have a great photo as these didn’t get cut until I took them to work.
Here’s another one of the new fall recipes I recently discovered. “Baked Bree” is one of my favourite recipe blogs. Her photos are top notch, the recipes sound fantastic and the reviews are always great. When I found this recipe on her blog, I knew it would be a hit, but I have to admit it was no easy feat pulling this off between the kids activities and my crazy week at work. I was on “staff room duty” this week and that meant bringing in treats for the staff, in addition to the cleaning duties throughout the week. Wednesday is usually treat day, but my first attempt at this recipe was a total flop and so I had to re-do it and bring my treat in on Thursday instead. Sometimes, I’m not sure why I can’t choose the simpler route and stick to a recipe I’m already comfortable with. Why do I insist on testing something new when I plan to serve to others?
These Pumpkin Salted Caramel Blondies are really quite incredible and I will totally be making them again. After my first failed attempt, I actually made a few changes, but mostly just to “play it safe” and avoid another possible flop. The result was good, but I think the original recipe is over-the-top delicious. I will definitely stick to the original next time, as I’m sure the “under baking” was a result of me trying to do 100 things at once!! Several of Bree’s readers also commented on the fact that their blondies required extra cooking time, so I’ll just allow for that next time.
Bree’s Pumpkin Salted Caramel Blondies
Ingredients:
This is Bree’s photo. Don’t they look scrumptious!!
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used ground)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup room temperature butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup Bree’s Sea Salt and Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce (or store bought caramel sauce with 1 teaspoon sea salt) DO NOT DO THIS!! See below!
Instructions:
Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. In a second bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix. Stir in the pumpkin puree. Finally, add the reserved flour mixture slowly, and stop when the batter is just combined.
Spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Add half of the batter and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. (This was not long enough.) Remove the baked base from the oven and pour the caramel sauce over it. Cover the caramel with the remaining batter. Return the blondies to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes (or longer). A toothpick should come out clean. Let the blondies cool before cutting.
Additional Notes:
When I say my first attempt failed, it was really a series of unfortunate events that led to the demise of my first attempt. Firstly, all of the reviews of this recipe absolutely raved over Bree’s homemade Salted Caramel Sauce and rightly so…..it is to die for. There was no way I was going to do the “store bought” version, when clearly this is was took the recipe to the next level. I hadn’t made this type of a caramel sauce before and although I read the instructions carefully before making it, I followed my own instincts and gave the sugar/water mixture a “little stir” despite the fact that it clearly said not too. This resulted in crystals forming and the end product was not a sauce at all, but rather a variation of the sugar crystals I originally started with. I then made a second batch of the sauce and stuck to the directions and complete restricted myself from even removing a spoon from the drawer. The result was a “to die for sauce” that would be fabulous served on almost anything sweet! Sooooooo good!! I think I even botched the second batch “just a tad” by removing the boiling sugar and water before it reached a deep amber colour. I guess I was just so worried about burning it. Mine was super delicious, but not as deep of a colour as Bree’s. This is an absolute must. If you are not going to make this sauce, don’t even make the blondies. It is very easy, if you just trust Bree’s directions and are patient with the process.
One recipe of the sauce will make enough for the blondies with enough left over to enjoy in other ways throughout the week!
Sea Salt and Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 vanilla bean, sliced and seeded (Picked up vanilla beans at Bulk Barn)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions:
Slice a vanilla bean in half. Using the back of the knife, scrape the seeds from the pod. Add the vanilla bean scrapings to the cream and add then add the sea salt. Set aside.
Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the sugar to a boil. Let the sugar cook until it reaches a deep amber colour (DO NOT STIR) . Whisk in the cream mixture. It will bubble and go nuts, but keep whisking. It will come together.
Pour the sauce into a jar and keep it in the fridge. The sauce will thicken, but it is more of a loose sauce.This will keep for about a week in the fridge.
Variations:
On my first attempt at making the blondies, I found they were not baking in the time recommended. I did bake them longer than suggested and thought they were done when I whipped them out of the oven on my way out the door for my son’s hockey game. I was so disappointed when I got home and realized the centre sank (obviously not baked long enough). Despite the fact that they couldn’t be served, they tasted absolutely delicious. The following evening, I attempted the recipe again, but much like the evening before, I really didn’t have much time to play with the cooking times as it was another crazy busy evening for the Roys. I decided to cook the entire blondie recipe at once and omit the caramel sauce layer (just saying I did that makes me feel like I’ve committed a federal offence). I just felt more comfortable baking them this way, as I wasn’t sure if the “runny” caramel sauce had contribulted to the under baking problem or not and didn’t have the time or stamina to play around with it. In lieu of the caramel sauce layer, I opted to change the blondies into more of a “poke” cake. When the blondies had cooled, I poked holes over the surface of the cake and poured the sauce over the top so that it seeped into the holes I had created and still infused the cake in a similar way. Of course, the blondies were now covered with holes, so I made a glaze to give them more of a finished look. The end result was very good, but I still think Bree’s original is the way to go. I can’t wait to get this one right!
Salted Caramel Glaze:
I found a recipe for this Salted Caramel Glaze on It’s Yummi and I have to admit, it was a delicious finishing touch to Bree’s Pumpkin Salted Caramel Blondies.
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt, divided
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the heavy cream – but DO NOT boil! Keep it warm. (I microwaved it for about 15 seconds and then did 5 seconds here and there to keep it warm.)
In a separate medium saucepan, combine the sugar & water but DO NOT STIR. Place over medium-high heat & bring to a boil. Cook until mixture turns an amber colour (about 5 minutes). (Of course, by now I had attempted this process three times and finally got it right!)
Remove the pot from the heat and add warm cream, butter, and 1/2 of the salt. Stir gently until smooth & well combined. Pour over the cooked brownies and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with remaining salt.
Allow the glaze to set before cutting and serving. (The glaze did crack a bit as I was cutting the squares, so I heated my knife in an attempt to “score the surface” before slicing through the entire blondie.)
This ended up being a HUGE production that really wasn’t necessary. I was just trying to do too much without giving my self enough time. This recipe is not really complex or difficult and is absolutely worth the effort.
I love pumpkin and was looking for a few new recipes to try this fall. I came across Shannah Coe’s recipe from Just Us Four Blog and the combination of oatmeal and pumpkin sounded divine. The layer of pumpkin cream cheese frosting that is sandwiched between two soft and chewy oatmeal cookies is quite delicious. I think the recipe caught my attention because it reminded me of one of our family’s favourites: Aunty Myrna’s Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies. They are similar to today’s recipe, but with a layer of date filling in between. They are indeed a must try as well.
Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies
Cookie Ingredients:
1 stick butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 2/3 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add in the baking soda and the balance of the cookie ingredients. Stir until just mixed. Play the dough in a sealed container or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Once chilled, create small balls of dough (about 2 teaspoons per ball). Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. (I like mine on the “under baked” side, so I tend to stick to 8 or 9 minutes at the most.) Let the baked cookies cool for 1 minute on the pan before transferring them to a wire cooking rack to cool completely before adding the filling.
Filling Ingredients:
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup pumpkin
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
While the cookie dough is chilling, prepare the filling by beating together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the pumpkin and mix until fully incorporated. Mix in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the powdered sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Match the cookies up by size/shape and then spread the frosting on one of the cookies. Top with a second cookie of equal size.
Additional Notes:
*I found that this recipe made about 4 dozen oatmeal cookies. However, once sandwiches, you only end up with 2 dozen (depending on the size of your original dough balls). Next time, I would double the dough recipe.
*The filling made a huge amount of frosting. I filled all of the cookies and had well over half of it left over. If you double the cookie recipe, there is no need to double the frosting. In fact, half a frosting recipe might even be enough for a double batch of cookies??
*I also found it to be very creamy (and delicious), but the icing would squeeze out as you bit the cookie. I found that keeping the cookies in the fridge really helped with that, but I also wondered if I might play with the recipe a bit next time. I will try using only one package of cream cheese (8 oz) instead of using the suggested 12 oz. I think this would stiffen the icing up just a bit and perhaps bring out the pumpkin flavour a little more, as well. (If it doesn’t work, I can always add the extra cream cheese to icing and make it according to the suggested recipe.)
I’m always on the hunt for new recipes to add to our weekly menu board. Our life seems to have gotten 10 times busier with Eden in grade 7. It seems like she has homework most evenings and weekends and although she is a good student, she didn’t really have any experience with homework, studying or project work from elementary school and the adjustment to managing the work load has been pretty huge for her. We are trying to support her and coach her through the changes, but it has been a very loooooong September. As the “homework cop”, I feel like I’m in grade 7 as well!
With our crazy busy schedule and the homework, new menu items needs to meet the following criteria:
healthy
quick
easy
stamp of approval from all 4 members of the family
We all love shrimp, but I really didn’t have a “recipe” that I followed when cooking it. I generally put it out for fondu nights, but rarely made a regular meal with it. I decided to look for a shrimp/pasta dish that would be both delicious and easy to prepare. I lucked out on the first one I found and I’ve already made it twice in the last two weeks. All I have to do is take the shrimp out of the freezer for the kids to be buzzing with excitement over the pending dinner. They love this and so do I ~ you can’t beat the 10 minute prep. time and I always have the ingredients on hand. All you have to do is keep of bag of shrimp in the freezer and you’re set to go! This recipe meets all of the criteria and is a new staple on our menu.
Garlic Shrimp Pasta
This recipe was found on Food.com and was submitted by Jessica K. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Ingredients:
1 lb. medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
1 lb. spaghetti (depending on # of people you’re serving)
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup of butter (I use 1/2 cup)
olive oil (3 drizzles)
Italian seasoning
fresh ground pepper
salt
red pepper flakes
Directions:
Boil the spaghetti in water till tender, save 1 cup of pasta water for use later. (Jessica suggests adding oil, salt, and fresh herbs to the pasta water as it boils. I had parsley on hand and added some to the water. I’m guessing basil, oregano or parsley would be good. I had never heard of adding herbs to the water, but thought it was a great idea.)
Cook to “al dente”. Drain (reserving 1 cup of water) and set aside when done.
While pasta is boiling, wash the shrimp.
Melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. (My shrimp is generally kept frozen. Although I thaw it out prior, I still find that it really waters down the butter during the initial cooking. I actually drained the liquid off the shrimp at this point and added another 1/4 cup of butter to ensure it wasn’t watered down.)
Then add garlic.
Cook 5-7 minutes and add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
Add pasta and seasonings to the skillet. Add just enough saved pasta water to keep the pasta moist, but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on the amount of pasta this may only require 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot.
Serve with red pepper flakes and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
This pasta dish is very tasty and when served with a salad, makes a great meal!
Last week, I tried 3 new Greek recipes and all of them were a hit. Like the gyro recipe, the recipe for this homemade Tzatziki Sauce was found on Cooking Classy. I have tried a few Tzatziki recipes in the past, but always felt that they were either too much work or lacking in flavour. I loved that this recipe was quick and easy to prepare. The cuccumbers to have to “rest” for 30 minutes, but the actual preparation time is minimal. I loved the flavour and will definitely being making this recipe again. It was great served with the gyros and tasted delicious as a dip with fresh pita bread from Baraka Pita Bakery on Main Street in Winnipeg (Mmmm….delicious!)
Jaclyn’s Tzatziki Sauce Recipe:
What You’ll Need:
1 medium cucumber
1 tsp salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried)
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Peel the cucumber and slice it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Dice.
Place the diced cucumber in a mesh strainer and sprinkle with salt. Toss to evenly coat the cucumber chunks. Allow to rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Rinse the cucumbers and place over several layers of paper towels. Squeeze some of the liquid from cucumbers (almost as if wringing moisture from a cloth).
Place the cucumbers in a food processor and pulse to chop to desired size. Add in Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parlsey and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Press pulse to blend or if you want it chunky you can simply stir the other ingredients.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Nothing compliments a Greek salad more than a delicious gyro. I love this scrumptious chicken marinade. I was a bit disappointed when I asked my husband to pop the chicken on the BBQ/grill shortly before dinner and he informed me we were out of propane. Yikes! I ended up broiling them in the oven and they were still very good, but the grill would have been awesome….next time, I guess.
Gyros with Greek Chicken
I found this recipe on Cooking Classy and it both looked and sounded delicous. I generally follow a recipe closely the first time around and then “tweak” it, if necessary. This marinade recipe was quite different than any I had tried before and so I really didn’t change a thing. Now, after having made it once, I feel there is no need to. It was very good as is.
Marinade Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (I used freshly squeezed)
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to blend. Place chicken in a ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the chicken and seal the bag while pressing out excess air. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate for 2 to 4 hours. Remove the bag from the fridge 30 minutes before grilling. Allow to rest at room temperature (in marinade) for the last 30 minutes of marinating time.
Brush the grill grates lightly with oil and preheat the grill over a moderately high heat. Once hot, add chicken and grill until cooked through (165 degrees). Rotate once half way through cooking. Remove from the BBQ and transfer to a plate. Brush the chicken lightly with olive oil and then cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into strips.
Assemble the gyros by laying chicken across the centre of a flatbread and then layering the toppings. Wrap it up and serve. You can serve it with extra Tzatziki sauce, if you wish.
Gyro Ingredients:
6-8 Greek Pita Flatbread
Tzatziki Sauce
diced Roma tomatoes
peeled and diced cucumbers
chopped Romaine lettuce
diced red onions
feta cheese
fresh cilantro
Kalamata olives (optional)
I have to admit, by the time dinner was ready we were in a mad scramble to pick-up Eden from volleyball practise and get Shay to his hockey try-outs. I can’t wait to make these gyros again, on a day when we can slow down and enjoy them in a fashion that doesn’t cause me indigestion. They were really delicious, but I had to gobble dinner down so fast that the enjoyment was lost in the tummy ache that followed. Ugh.
Stay tuned in for the delicious homemade Tzatkiki Sauce recipe that will be up later this week.
With Christmas around the corner, I know I need to get my “ducks in a row” to be able to avoid out growing my jeans over the holidays. I love Christmas baking and need to be able to off-set my sweet tooth with some healthy soup.
If you are looking for a new never fail, always delicious soup recipe…..this is it. I originally found this soup recipe on the 
*Alymer’s Spicy Red Pepper canned tomatoes is a staple in our pantry. We use it in chili and spaghetti sauce as well as this recipe. It seems to really enhance the flavour of almost any tomato based recipe you are making.
I love pumpkin and was looking for a few new recipes to try this fall. I came across Shannah Coe’s recipe from 
I’m always on the hunt for new recipes to add to our weekly menu board. Our life seems to have gotten 10 times busier with Eden in grade 7. It seems like she has homework most evenings and weekends and although she is a good student, she didn’t really have any experience with homework, studying or project work from elementary school and the adjustment to managing the work load has been pretty huge for her. We are trying to support her and coach her through the changes, but it has been a very loooooong September. As the “homework cop”, I feel like I’m in grade 7 as well!
