Chile

Hello!

This morning I woke up to the most beautiful sight...a winter wonderland in my own backyard!

I thought what a perfect day to make Chile!

Here is what you need...

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1 5-7oz Top Sirloin

1 796 ml can of diced tomatoes

1 cup of beef broth

1/2 can of tomato paste

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of corn

1 can of black beans

1 large yellow onion

12 white button mushrooms

3 tsp chile powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp of hot pepper flakes (add as much as you would like)

Salt and pepper (I use about 1 tbsp of each)

Dice onions and saunte until golden brown for about 10 minutes

Dice sirloin into bite size pieces and add to golden brown onions and cook through

Deglaze with a splash of beef broth

Add ground beef and cook through

Add sliced mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes

Add chile powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and saute for another minute

Add tomato paste and beef broth and stir until combined

Add diced tomatoes, beans and corn

Stir often until it boils

Reduce heat and simmer for an hour (stir every 10 minutes or so)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Voila!

Chocobark!

Chocolate Bark Recipe


3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
Unsalted soda cracker (Premium Plus) - small box will do
1 package of milk chocolate chips (300 g)
1 package of SKOR toffee bits


Line crackers side by side on a cookie sheet. There will be a gap between the end of the last row of crackers and the edge of the cookie sheet so break some crackers to fill the gap.
In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar and stir until it boils and becomes thick.
Pour it over the crackers and spread it out with a fork (make sure all the crackers are covered) You will have some butter and brown sugar left over! - But you can put as little or as much as you want!
Place in oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes
When you remove it from the oven, the crackers might overlap one another, so level them out with a fork so that they are side by side again.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips (the whole package)
Sprinkle with the wee peanut butter cups (1/4 of the package)
The chocolate chips will start to melt. Spread them with a fork, covering all the crackers.
Sprinkle with Skor bits (however much you want) I used a little more than 1/4 of the package.
Refrigerate for 1- 1/2 hours. Or I put in the freezer for 30 minutes and they were ready.
Break apart and ENJOY!!!

For a fun XMas twist...try a little crushed candy cane on it! Yum!

Halibut with Roasted Vegetables (Croatian Style)

Never thought I would be here...but happy I am! Up until about 1 year ago, I didn't eat fish...I know, crazy hey! But I am not only eating it but cooking it and turning it into my own masterpiece. I stumbled across Blue Menu frozen halibut at Loblaws and they are pretty close to the St. Lawerence Market fresh kind.

Here is one that I love and is super simple.

Serves 2 people

What you need:

2 Halibut steaks
1 medium sized yellow onion
1 large zucchini
1 large sweet potato
3 garlic cloves
1 lemon
4 Bay leaves (I like fresh ones but dried will do)
Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
(you could also do white potato, parsnips, turnip, carrots, eggplant or yellow beets)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and slice onions. Peel and slice carrots, wash and slice zucchini and peel and slice sweet potato so that all veggies are about the same size..roughly about 1cm cubes. Peel garlic and leave the cloves whole. Slice lemon into thick rings.

Assembly
Drizzle some olive oil into the bottom of your baking dish and add all your veggies. Add your bay leaves and salt and pepper. Lightly toss. Place in the oven for 15min.

Remove your veggies and lightly toss again. Place the halibut steaks right on top of your veggies, salt and pepper the halibut and then place two lemon pieces on top of each piece of fish.

Bake for another 20min and voila!

I like to serve this meal with a green salad.

Hope you like this one as much as I do! Bon appetite!

BBQ Chicken Kabobs with Grilled Spicy Pineapple and Spinach Salad..under 600 calories

What you need:

1 chicken breast per person (about the size of your hand open)
1 whole pineapple (cored and sliced into 1/4 inch rings)
Baby Spinach Salad (5 handfuls)
1/3 of a cucumber (for 4 people)
1 carrot
1 green onion
Fresh pint of black berries or your choice
3 tbsp Olive oil
1.5 tbsp White vinegar
Maple syrup
1 tsp of mustard
1/4 of a tsp of dill weed
Hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinade of your choice (I like Piri Piri or greek salad dressing or a dry tuscan rub)

Chicken Kabobs
Wash and pat chicken dry and remove fat
Cut the chicken into same sized cubes and place into a plastic zip bag
Add marinade and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes (you can prepare this the day before as well)
Soak skewers in water for at least 10 minutes before skewering

Pinapple
Place pineapple rings on a plate
Drizzle with maple syrup
Sprinkle hot pepper flakes to your liking (set aside)

Salad
Add spinach, sliced cucumber, sliced carrot, chopped green onion and washed berries to the salad bowl and set aside

Dressing
Combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, dill, splash of maple syrup and whisk together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking!

Heat your grill on high heat.

While the grill is heating...go ahead and skewer the chicken (I had about 4-5 pieces of chicken on each skewer giving each person about 2 skewers).

Remember to oil down the grill before placing your chicken and pineapple on it or it will stick.

Place the chicken and the pineapple on the grill. This should take about 4-5 minutes on each side. Be sure to check the bigger pieces of chicken for doneness before pulling them off the grill.

When done...add the salad dressing, toss and serve!

Enjoy!

~T

Carrot and Barley Soup

I know it was quite warm out today, but I was in the mood for some soup. Although I can't wait for BBQ, I also miss the comfort foods of soups and roasts.

2 cups carrot juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup of barley
3 large carrots (sliced)
2 celery sticks (sliced)
1 handful of white button mushrooms (sliced)
1 large onion (slap chopped) * I just got one and love it ;)
1 tbsp of your oil of choice (I used EVOO)
Dash or two of smoked paprika
Dash or two of cumin
Dash or two of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your pot on medium heat, add oil and then add the onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms and saute until the onions are transparent. Add your barley and stir for another 3 minutes or so. Then add the carrot juice and water. Stir again and bring to a boil. Season with the paprika, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper to your desire. Simmer for 30 minutes until the veggies are tender.

If you would like to add some protein...I have also done this with beef. Before you add your veggies. Brown the beef in the oil then follow the directions above.

Bon appetite!

~T

Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa

Ahhhhh the sunshine...I bet you are just as happy as me to have Mr. Sun back and the BBQ!

What you need:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 Mango per person
1/2 tomato person
1 english cucumber
1 scallion
Olive Oil
Splash of rice wine vinegar
Hot pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper
Low fat greek salad dressing or your favorite grilled chicken marinade

Marinade your chicken breast the night before or even one hour before grilling.

To make the salsa, chop the mango's, tomato's, cucumber and onions into bite size pieces and combine. To your salsa add as much oil, vinegar, hot pepper flakes and salt and pepper as suits you taste buds...once mixed and tasted, set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Grill your chicken (about 10 minutes per side, but depends on the size of the breasts). I like to serve this with steamed green beans or a salad.

Enjoy!

~T