Ingredient: egg, beaten

Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls

The air is chilly, the leaves are turning, the sun is shining, and the skies are blue. Frost has visited and that ‘end of summer’ feel is in the air.

But there’s more to fall flavors than just pumpkin spice. Before there was pumpkin spice, there was chai to keep you warm and cozy all autumn long. You might even recognize some of the flavors in chai as they are similar to pumpkin spice with clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. The classic way to enjoy chai is in tea, but it seems Craft Chai Liqueur is becoming a timeless staple.

I had never really heard about chai liqueur until Brion brought some home one evening to try. In the winter of 2011, Brion and I traveled Turkey for a month. We were meeting our Trafalgar tour group in Istanbul. Arriving a day early gave us time to ‘snoop’ around a bit. Next to our hotel was a ‘Starbucks’, so we went in. When Brion ordered my coffee, they gave me a ‘Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte’ by mistake. That pumpkin chai flavor was just incredible. I have been addicted to it ever since.

We both thought this chai liqueur tasted nice so naturally I was inspired to do some recipe development to see if I could use it in baked goods. There are many recipes using the chai spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and anise. I wanted to incorporate the actual liqueur as well as pop up the flavor a bit more.

But first, just a bit about the JAYA CHAI LIQUEUR itself … Created by Faaiza Ramji, a native of Edmonton, Canada, (our home city) JAYA is more than a spirit—it’s a tribute to the cultural icon of chai. With a deep respect for her South Asian heritage, Faaiza was inspired by the way chai has brought people together, whether at bustling street corners or in the quiet warmth of family homes. Every bottle of JAYA is rooted in tradition and history, a modern celebration of the centuries-old ritual of chai.

Alberta-based distillery ‘Field Notes’ is the brainchild of Faaiza Ramji. During a directorial tenure in economic development, she learned the immense value of agriculture in Alberta. Although Canada produces many of the basic ingredients the world relies upon, very few of those ingredients end up as finished products on local shelves, sacrificing GDP, jobs and additional downstream benefits to foreign countries. Greatly influenced by her South Asian heritage—where her grandmother, aunts and mother embraced natural remedies using herbs and spices to aid digestion, boost immunity, and even nourish skin—Faaiza formed a partnership in 2021 with Lindsey Good, a dedicated grower and owner of a 100-year-old farm in southern Alberta. Together, driven to build a complete food ecosystem within the Canadian Prairies by turning more local crops into more finished products the world can enjoy, Ramji and Good planted the seeds for a new kind of Alberta distillery and called it Field Notes. Chai liqueurs are rare in the Canadian market and Jaya Chai Liqueur uses distilled Canadian oats, filtered water, assam tea, Alberta beet sugar and a blend of spices like cardamom and clove for an invigorating, authentic chai flavor.

Edmonton’s distillery scene just got a recent boost, as Field Notes’ Jaya Chai Liqueur won a double gold, given because of its cumulative high score — a 98 out of 100 — from the judges at the 2024 San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

This brings me back to my recipe development which I focused on some chai liqueur cinnamon rolls. They ‘re a little more involved than the classic cinnamon rolls but I think you will find their well worth it.

Print Recipe
 Chai Liqueur Cinnamon Rolls
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword chai liqueur cinnamon rolls
Servings
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Chai Cream Cheese Glaze
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Dough
  1. Marinate raisins in Chai liqueur overnight, Stir occasionally.
  2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, sift 1 cup of the flour. Stir in yeast mixture & lukewarm milk. Cover with plastic & let stand in a draft free place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
  4. While the dough rises, make the filling. Combine the sugar & spices together in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
  5. Punch down firmly & work in beaten egg, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla & pieces of softened butter. Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour with salt & work in 1 ½ cups to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in the remaining ½ cup of flour & raisin/liqueur mixture. This becomes a very soft & buttery dough but is not sticky.
  6. Roll dough out into a long rectangle about 16 x 12- inches on a well-floured surface. Spread the 2 Tbsp butter for the filling all the way to the edge of the dough. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the butter, pressing it down to stick to the butter.
  7. From the long end, roll the dough away from you into a tight roll, sealing the bottom edge down by pinching the dough together.
  8. Use floss or a very sharp knife to cut the dough into 8 even rolls. Place the rolls in an 8-inch spring form pan. Brush rolls with egg wash. Cover the buns loosely with plastic wrap & allow to rise in a warm, draft-free spot until about 1 1/2 times the size. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 F. & set an oven rack in the middle position.
  9. Bake the cinnamon rolls for about 55 minutes or until they are golden brown and no longer doughy. Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Glaze
  1. Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, chai liqueur & milk. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high until light and fluffy. Brush glaze evenly over the rolls.

Shrimp Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I’m sure the appeal of mushrooms isn’t for everyone. For Brion & I, we love that earthy taste. There is hardly anything you can’t use mushrooms in from appetizers to main course.

I find the versatility of the portobello mushroom is endless. They have a rich, meaty texture and flavor which is retained even after cooking. You can use them in soups, stews, baked pasta, rice dishes or as a meat substitute in salads. Portobellos are excellent paired with fresh herbs, cheese, tomato or cream based sauces, leafy greens, garlic and onions.

Although rich, meaty portobello mushrooms are delicious all by themselves, filling them to overflowing with a delicious shrimp stuffing puts them over the top.

This is a great main course entrée served with steak, pork chops or chicken. If you are having a party you can make them with baby bellas and serve them as an appetizer.

Print Recipe
 Shrimp Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Keyword shrimp stuffed portobello mushrooms
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword shrimp stuffed portobello mushrooms
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Prepare the mushrooms. Remove the stems, clean, chop & set aside. With a damp paper towel, clean the mushrooms. If you prefer, use a spoon to gently scrape the gills from the mushrooms. Place the mushroom cap on a large baking sheet with the gill side facing up. This will form the "bowl" for your filling.
  2. Peel & devein shrimp. Reserve 8-12 whole shrimp to sauté & serve on top of the stuffed Portobello mushrooms. Chop the remaining shrimp & set aside.
  3. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the chopped mushroom stems, onions, & garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they become tender.
  4. Add the chopped shrimp, breadcrumbs, egg, basil, lemon juice & red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it has absorbed the butter & the shrimp begin to turn opaque.
  5. Evenly divide the mushroom mixture over the tops of the mushroom caps forming a small mound. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  6. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
  8. Lightly sauté the remaining whole shrimp in a pan just until they are pink & cooked. Do not overcook. Place 2 sautéed shrimp on each mushroom cap to serve.

Raspberry Curd Tart Cases

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Today as we celebrate Mother’s Day, many special memories come to mind. My mother passed away in 1978 but even after 47 years, time has changed nothing. I still miss the sound of her voice, the wisdom in her advice, the stories of her life and just being in her presence. I miss her today as much as the day she left us, and I always will.

It is also with very loving thoughts, Brion & I celebrate my mother-in-law, Dolores, for her loving and kind ways and for raising that ‘special’ man I love sharing my life with. Love to my sisters, who gave so much of themselves to be the great mom’s they are.

In honor of these two precious women who prepared so many wonderful meals for us years ago, I like to post something special on this day. My choice this year are these unique looking raspberry curd tart cases.

 I think tart rings  give these little tarts more of an upscale look, fitting for the occasion. Using rings instead of tart pans gives such a clean look. Being perforated allows for the ring to heat up quicker (along with it being very thin), which allows for better baking. This also allows steam to escape from the crust, which keeps your crust nice and crispy.

I became interested in making curds a number of years ago. Curds differ from pie fillings or custards in that they contain a higher proportion of juice and zest, which gives them a bolder, fruitier taste.  Also, curds containing butter have a smoother and creamier texture than both pie fillings and custards, which contain little or no butter and use cornstarch or flour for thickening. Additionally, unlike custards, curds are not usually eaten on their own. It seems fruit curds continue to gain popularity as evidenced by the wide array of recipes available today.

I think these should taste as good as they look.

LOVE TO ALL THE MOM’S OUT THERE READING MY BLOG TODAY!

Print Recipe
 Raspberry Curd Tart Cases
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry curd tart cases
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Raspberry Curd
Garnish
Cuisine American
Keyword raspberry curd tart cases
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Raspberry Curd
Garnish
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. Combine the flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, salt, & vanilla in a large bowl. Add the butter & mix with your hands until the butter is broken down into pieces the size of peas & the ingredients are well combined. Add the beaten egg & mix with a spatula until the dough is smooth & the egg is fully incorporated. Don’t overmix.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap & gently shape it into a ball. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap & flatten it into a disc. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight, until cold but still pliable. It should have the texture of clay. While the dough chills is a good time to make the filling.
  3. When the dough has chilled, unwrap the dough and place it on a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) on your work surface. Roll it out into a rectangle about 1⁄8 inch thick, using a second silicone sheet on top. The silicone mat makes it easier to lift the rolled-out dough onto the sheet pan later. Make sure to work quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm.
  4. Place the silicone mat with the dough on a baking sheet.
  5. Using the tart rings, cut out 12 circles of dough. Remove the rest of the dough from around the rings.
  6. Reroll remaining dough between 2 sheets of parchment. Using a sharp knife, slice strips about 10 inches long & 3/4- inch thick (or the thickness of your pastry rings). These strips will make the sides of each tartlet. At this point you may want to place the sheet of strips in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes so they will be easier to work with.
  7. Working with one at a time, transfer a strip of dough to one of the tart rings and press it to the sides. Use your fingers to slightly push the bottom of the sides to the dough circle (to seal it). Repeat with the remaining strips of dough.
  8. On another sheet of silicone or parchment, roll out any leftover dough & cut 12 tartlet case tops. Cut round holes in various sizes in them for decoration. Remove excess dough from around & in tops. Place on a separate baking sheet as they will bake faster than the tartlet cases.
  9. Transfer the baking sheets containing the tartlet shells & tops to the freezer & freeze for at least 20 minutes.
  10. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  11. Bake tart rings for about 20 minutes or until golden. Bake tops until they are just slightly golden (they bake fast so you need to keep a close eye on them). Remove from oven.
Raspberry Curd
  1. Combine raspberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice & water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil (about 5 minutes); reduce heat & simmer 5 minutes. Remove mixture from heat & let stand 5 minutes. Place in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl & discard solids.
  2. Wipe pan clean & return strained mixture to pan. Whisk together egg yolks & cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Stir yolk mixture into raspberry mixture; bring to a boil over medium-low heat (about 5 minutes). Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat (the mixture should coat the back of a spoon). Add salt & butter, stirring until smooth. You may need to return the mixture to processor at this point if your curd doesn't seem smooth enough.
  3. Place curd into a bowl; cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill curd in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, or up to 1 week if making in advance.
Assembly
  1. Place tartlet tops on a wire rack & dust with powdered sugar. Spoon raspberry curd into cooled tart shell & spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Arrange pastry lid on top of each filled tartlet. Decorate with fresh raspberries. Best eaten when they have chilled OVERNIGHT or a minimum of 2 hours.
Recipe Notes

If you find the dough is to soft to work with just add a small amount of flour, just enough to make it easier to handle.
This is a real nice crispy pastry dough. When its baked it would give the impression of being real hard but instead its crisp and so nice to bite into.

Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling

Today, March 28th, is my mother’s birth date. As we honor her beautiful memory, I’m sure each of my siblings will reflect on special times we shared with her. Forty-seven years after her passing, I find myself still doing many things in her likeness. Baking was a shared passion for my mother and I. We liked nothing better than to bake something together. After I moved from ‘home’ and would return for a visit, instead of having a coffee and visit we would get busy and bake something while we talked. Such great memories!

When I was thinking about what I wanted to post today, my mind drifted to the recipe archive that lives in my head, eventually making its way to the yeast breads. This is an area my mother had mastered down to a science.

Bread is so simple but a staple in almost every culture. Just flour, water and yeast, yet despite those few ingredients, there are hundreds of different types of bread across the world. And every culture has some sort of bread product.

It seems that the Wool Roll Bread become trendy in 2021 because of a Malaysian YouTuber. It also resembles some Middle Eastern breads such as shoreek and other European creations, such as Polish babka and Slovenian Belokranjska povitica. The pillowy yeast dough can be stuffed (or not) with a sweet or savory filling, then sliced, rolled and stacked in a round pan, so as the dough rises and bakes, the final result resembles rolls of wool or thick yarn.

The most popular fillings for wool roll bread are dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, custard, hazelnut, chocolate, and cheese as well as some Asian favorites such as red mung bean paste, ube or purple yam, coconut or coconut jam, and meat. Sometimes the dough is made in different flavors and colors like chocolate, strawberry, and pandan.

There is some kind of magic in seeing the result of these baked bread rolls that come together to form a Bundt-like cake shape, puffed up in a ring of pull-apart bread.

I’ve chosen to fill our wool roll bread with an apricot cream cheese filling which should be a nice compliment to the soft dough.

Print Recipe
 Wool Roll Bread w/ Apricot Filling
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Course dessert
Cuisine European
Keyword wool roll bread w/ custard filling
Servings
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Bread Dough
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Apricot Filling
  1. In a small saucepan, combine dried apricots, orange juice, lemon juice & sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apricots soften & the liquid is reduced by half. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a food processor & process until a puree forms. Set aside until room temperature.
Cream Cheese Filling
  1. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese & sugar until smooth. Add egg yolk & vanilla, beat to combine. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.
Bread
  1. In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar & yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  2. In a large bowl, Combine flour & salt. Cut in the soft butter. Combine lukewarm water with the beaten egg & add to flour/butter mixture. Add the yeast mixture & mix until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth & elastic. Once the dough is kneaded, place it in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth & allow to rise in a draft-free place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  4. Lightly oil a work surface with olive oil. Gently deflate the dough, divide it into four equal pieces & shape each piece into a ball. Cover the dough & let rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Line a 9" springform pan (at least 2" deep) with parchment paper.
  6. Roll out each piece of dough (on the lightly oil surface) into a 6" x 12" rectangle. On the top HALF of each rectangle, spread the cream cheese filling across the entire width of the rectangle (leaving about 1/4" bare on each side) & down about 6" leaving the bottom 6" bare. Next, spread a good sized dollop of apricot filling over the cream cheese filling. Use a fork so you can do this gently.
  7. Using a sharp knife, cut the uncovered dough at the bottom into very thin strips about 1/8" wide. Starting from the filling covered top & rolling toward the uncovered strips, roll the dough into a log about 6" long.
  8. Place each log, seam-side down, into the bottom of the pan so they are snuggled up against the pans outside edge to form a complete circle.
  9. Preheat to the to 350 F.
  10. Brush the rolls lightly with milk, being careful not to deflate the delicate dough. Cover the 'wool rolls' & let them rise for about 60-75 minutes, until puffy.
  11. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove the roll from the oven & cool it in the pan until you can transfer it safely to a rack to cool completely. Slice & serve.

Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs

You can never have too many rotisserie chicken meals in your dinner rotation. A whole roasted chicken is a wonderful thing: juicy meat, crispy skin. But the real joy is in those lovely leftovers! Try it in a salad or a pasta bake, a hearty stew or a warming chicken soup. If you fancy taking things up a notch, you can use leftover roast chicken to make meatballs, dim sum, or lasagna.

Rotisserie chickens are juicy, tender, inexpensive, and incredibly flavorful. It is the perfect shortcut to getting dinner on the table in a hurry.

That’s the wonderful thing about chicken, it’s great as a leftover, and if not seasoned too specifically, can be repurposed for multiple different recipes.

Even store-bought leftover rotisserie chicken can make a great second meal if you get creative. Using up your leftovers is also a great way to cut down on food waste. Using leftover chicken reduces the cooking time of many recipes, which is another great thing to free up time.

Crispy roast chicken meatballs are so good served with pasta and sauce.

Print Recipe
 Crispy Roast Chicken Meatballs
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Cuisine American
Keyword crispy roast chicken meatballs
Servings
MEATBALLS
Ingredients
Meatballs
Breading & Frying
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Shred & slightly chop roast chicken. Finely chop leeks & sauté in a Tbsp of olive oil. In a large bowl, place chicken, leeks, eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Combine mixture well.
  2. Cut gouda cheese into 1/2-inch cubes. Divide the meat mixture into 12-13 portions. Take a portion of the meat mixture & flatten it in the palm of your hand to form a shell. Divide gouda between meatball portions. Place a portion of gouda in the center of each & seal the mixture around it to form a meatball. Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray.
  3. Beat egg for the breading in a small bowl. Pour the breadcrumbs in another. Heat oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, dip each meatball first in egg & then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the meatballs until golden brown, keeping in mind that there is egg in the filling that needs to be cooked.
  4. Transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towel. Nice to serve with egg noodles & pasta sauce.

Nanaimo Truffles

The Nanaimo bar, a decadent Canadian treat, has a fascinating history. It is named after Nanaimo, a delightful city in British Columbia. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited British Columbia in 2020, their interest in these treats caused a media frenzy in the U.K. and the U.S., prompting questions about what the square was and where it came from. It is a dessert bar that requires no baking and generally consists of three layers: a graham wafer crumb and shredded coconut base, custard-flavored butter icing in the middle, and a layer of chocolate ganache on top.

The dessert was popularized in the years following WWII and subsequently rose to wider prominence after Expo ’86. Susan Mendelson is perhaps most responsible for commercializing the Nanaimo bar. She sold the bar during the 1970s to help pay her tuition, and in 1979 founded The Lazy Gourmet, a café and catering company in Vancouver, which claims to be the first business to sell the dessert. Mendelson wrote the official cookbook for Expo ’86, held in Vancouver, and included the Nanaimo bar.

After that, the Nanaimo bar began to be sold on BC Ferries and spread in popularity across Canada. It can now be found in Costco, Starbucks and countless cafes in Canada and the United States. There can be some variations with each of these layers — e.g., adding mint, mocha or other flavoring, as well as food coloring, to the icing center, or various nuts to the base — but a classic Nanaimo follows the traditional trio.

In a bid to take advantage of the bar’s popularity, the city of Nanaimo launched a tasting trail much like Ontario has done for the butter tart. The Nanaimo Bar Trail features an array of establishments that proudly showcase their unique interpretations of the classic Nanaimo Bar. As of now, there are more than 39 businesses participating in this sweet adventure. These establishments offer a variety of Nanaimo Bar-inspired treats, from traditional bars to ice creams, macarons, cheesecakes, lattes, and even spring rolls.

All that being said, instead of the traditional rum balls at Christmas, here’s my version of Nanaimo truffles!

Print Recipe
 Nanaimo Truffles
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Nanaimon truffles
Servings
TRUFFLES
Ingredients
Filling OR Centers
Base
Coating
Course dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Nanaimon truffles
Servings
TRUFFLES
Ingredients
Filling OR Centers
Base
Coating
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Filling/Centers
  1. Cream butter, custard powder & powdered sugar together well. Divide mixture into 22 pieces & roll each into a ball. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Base
  1. Melt the first 3 ingredients in the top of a double boiler. Add beaten egg & stir to cook & thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in graham crumbs, cheerios, cocoanut & corn syrup. Set aside to cool.
  2. When base mixture has cooled, divide mixture into 22 portions. Place 1 portion in the palm of your hand & press to flatten into a large circle. Put one custard ball into the center & wrap the circle around the custard so it totally covers it. Squeeze gently to form a ball. Repeat until you have made all the truffles. Freeze for 30-60 minutes.
Coating
  1. Melt chocolate slowly in a double boiler until smooth. Without allowing the chocolate to cool down, take a frozen ball & carefully stick a toothpick or skewer into it & dip into the melted chocolate to cover. Remove the stick & allow the truffles to set on parchment paper.
  2. Store in refrigerator. Allow the truffles to come back up to room temperature to serve if you wish.
Recipe Notes
  • I have a nut allergy, so I replaced the nuts that are usually used in the base with crushed cheerios. I found it did not alter the flavor at all. Their still just as irresistible as ever!
  • The size & amount depends on your preference. Just divide the filling & base components into whatever you wish.

Cheesy Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

How is it spelled? Portobello or Portabella – from what I understand there is no ‘right’ spelling. Both versions are accepted, but the Mushroom Council  decided to go with Portabella to provide some consistency across the market.

Have you ever stopped and thought about how many vegetables are fantastic when stuffed? Any vegetable with a fairly sturdy shape can become an edible vessel for dinner. All we need to do is fill the inside with a stuffing of our choice, a little time in the oven until everything is heated through and dinner is ready!

I find the versatility of the portabella mushroom is endless. They have a rich, meaty texture and flavor which is retained even after cooking. You can use them in soups, stews, baked pasta, rice dishes or as a meat substitute in salads. Portabellas are excellent paired with fresh herbs, cheese, tomato or cream-based sauces, leafy greens, garlic and onions.

I’m sure the appeal of mushrooms isn’t for everyone. For Brion & I, we love that earthy taste. There is hardly anything you can’t use mushrooms in from appetizers to main course.

For our stuffed mushrooms today, I made a sun-dried tomato sauce then stuffed the Portabella caps with some chicken & stuffing and baked them in it for a supper entrée. Tasty and filling!

Print Recipe
 Cheesy Chicken & Stuffing Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesy chicken & stuffing stuffed portobello mushrooms
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken & Stuffing
Sauce
Mushrooms
Cuisine American
Keyword cheesy chicken & stuffing stuffed portobello mushrooms
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken & Stuffing
Sauce
Mushrooms
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken & Stuffing
  1. In a small bowl, create a seasoning blend by mixing together garlic powder, dried basil, onion salt, dried parsley, salt, black pepper, & celery salt. Rub the seasoning blend evenly on both sides of the chicken breasts.
  2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  3. Place the seasoned chicken breasts in a baking dish & add the chicken broth to the dish. Cover the baking dish with foil & bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven, dice it & set it aside.
  4. Prepare the chicken stuffing mix according to the package directions. Toss with cooked chicken. Grate cheddar cheese.
Sauce
  1. In a skillet, heat oil. Add onion & cook for 2 minutes until it starts to soften. Add reserved mushroom stems, garlic, oregano, paprika, sun-dried tomatoes & zucchini. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring with a spatula. Add wine & allow to bubble for 2 minutes then add vegetable broth, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil & simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Stir the cream & Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Mushrooms
  1. Whisk the egg lightly in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, paprika & garlic salt. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high. Dip the mushrooms in the egg then in the flour mixture. Coat the outside of the mushrooms, trying not to get too much flour inside the ‘cap’. In the skillet, fry mushrooms on both sides until lightly golden. Use a tong to help fry the sides as well. Remove mushrooms to a plate. 4. Set aside, keep warm.
Assembly & Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Pack each Portobello mushroom cap with the chicken & stuffing mixture, ensuring it's firmly packed to stay in place during baking. Nestle the stuffed mushrooms on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Cover the baking dish with foil.
  3. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender & the stuffing is heated through. For the last 5 minutes of baking, remove the foil & sprinkle with cheese. When cheese is melted, remove the stuffed mushrooms from the oven.
  4. Nice to serve with pasta or potatoes.
Recipe Notes
  • Since their is just two of us, I only made half the recipe as you will notice in the picture.

Baked Chicken w/ Tomato Bacon Relish

CELEBRATING FATHER’S DAY!

Honoring your father on Father’s Day doesn’t require his physical presence. I feel what is more important is just the act of doing it. I am very grateful to have had a father who was such a strong role model in my life. Everything he did was driven by his commitment to provide and care for the family he loved.

My father passed away in 2005 and Brion’s in 2011. Both our dads loved to talk and tell stories from their lives. We often wish we could retrace that time and hear their voices again. It seems you never fully appreciate your parents until they are no longer on this earth. It is so important to appreciate every hour they are in your life.

Brion & I eat a lot of chicken, so I’m always interested in another way of serving it. This recipe gives you not only crispy chicken but a flavorful tomato bacon relish to compliment it.

If you’re a bacon lover, it probably goes without saying, but bacon goes well with everything. Tomato bacon relish sounds like it would be savory, but it’s actually pretty sweet, just like other fruit jams! However, it does have a lot more complexity thanks to the bacon and spices.

The concept may sound strange, but it tastes like caramelized tomatoes–richer, sweeter, and more mellow than their fresh counterparts, balanced by the savory and smoky flavors of the bacon and smoked paprika. A little vinegar and mustard add a subtle tang, and you’ll get a hint of heat at the end from red pepper flakes.

It’s perfect spread on toast, in an omelet or a grilled cheese sandwich, on roasted veggies, next to cheese and crackers on a charcuterie board, or spread over cream cheese or brie for a party appetizer, etc. etc.

My special meal in honor of our dad’s on this Father’s Day is baked chicken tenders with bacon tomato relish.

Print Recipe
 Baked Chicken w/ Tomato Bacon Relish
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken w/ tomato bacon relish
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Bacon Tomato Relish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked chicken w/ tomato bacon relish
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken
Bacon Tomato Relish
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Chicken
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp thyme & 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper. Place flour & egg in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip in egg, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere. Place chicken on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake about 15 minutes or until no pink remains.
Bacon Tomato Relish
  1. In a skillet, over medium high heat, fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to plate. Drain all but 1 Tbsp bacon drippings.
  2. In the same skillet, sauté onions in reserved bacon drippings until onion starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic during last minute of sautéing.
  3. Add bacon & all remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Increase heat & bring mixture to a boil.
  4. Decrease heat & simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are tender.
  5. Serve over baked chicken tenders.

Onion Scones

You might imagine scones as a food that is only served with jam and cream, but there are many variations on this classic tea cake. This flaky treat can also come in a savory scone version with add-ins like cheese and chopped bacon or sun-dried tomato & basil etc.  A scone is closer to a pastry than it is to bread mainly because it doesn’t include any yeast and has almost identical ingredients to a short crust with different fat to flour ratios.

So why not onion scones?? Because onions really form the foundation of our cooking, they are often the first thing that goes in the pan, and they are the flavor base for everything from chicken soup to a quick skillet pasta. Cooked onions give dishes a rich savory flavor and a subtle sweetness — you don’t always know onions are there once the dish has been spiced and sauced, but you’d definitely miss them if they weren’t.

Scone ingredients prefer to be cold. All your starting components need to be kept as cool as possible – this will help to guarantee the soft, light and well-risen qualities of your next batch of scones.

North American or British scones – what’s the difference? British scones are served with butter/cream whereas North American scones or ‘biscuits’ are far butterier and are typically served alongside meat and veg style savory dishes.

These onion scones make such a nice addition to a beef stew meal.

Print Recipe
 Onion Scones
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Keyword onion scones
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword onion scones
Servings
Ingredients
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the yellow onion, green onions, garlic & butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, then stir. Microwave for another 1-2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove bowl from microwave & let the vegetables cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, pepper & salt.
  4. Add the sautéed onion mixture to the flour mixture along with the light cream & egg. Stir JUST until combined.
  5. Gently press the dough together with your hands to form a ball.
  6. On an ungreased baking sheet, press the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the circle into 8 wedges. Separate the wedges slightly.
  7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until scones are lightly browned. Brush with more melted butter & serve immediately.

Mini Tarts w/ Roast Beef & Gruyere

The holiday season always seems to creep up on us each year. You’ve probably got the mains and desserts figured out for your big Christmas dinner. Now, it’s time to nail down the appetizers or hors d’oeuvres, aka the real reason everyone loves the holidays. Hors d’ oeuvres are part of the holiday party tradition. I think that the best appetizers are ‘finger foods’ where you can eat them easily and with very little mess. Each culture has its own collection of favorite appetizer recipes which have evolved over the years.

If you’re looking for a sophisticated, bite-sized appetizer for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, look no further than mini appetizer tarts. Tartlets can be sweet or savory, hot or cold, and are a perfect choice if you’re looking for a vegetarian option. Think of your favorite flavor combination and you can find a way to serve it in these tiny pastry cups — try brie and raspberry, chicken cordon bleu, cranberry and goat cheese, pear and blue cheese, buffalo chicken and ranch or roast beef and gruyere.

Not only do mini tarts make for a chic presentation, but they also make it easy to time your guests’ arrival with taking the tarts out of the oven if you are serving them hot. Most recipes require a short cooking time, which allows you to pop the tartlets in the oven half an hour before your guests arrive and serve a warm appetizer as soon as they walk through the door.

These mini tarts are filled with roast beef, shallot-sautéed mushrooms, cream cheese, horseradish and Gruyère. You will love the nutty aroma when the tarts come out of the oven. I think  they are the perfect Christmas appetizer or party food idea.

Print Recipe
 Mini Tarts w/ Roast Beef & Gruyere
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Course Finger Food Buffet
Cuisine American
Keyword mini tarts w/ roast beef & gruyere
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Course Finger Food Buffet
Cuisine American
Keyword mini tarts w/ roast beef & gruyere
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. With fingertips, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles small peas. In a measuring cup, whisk together water, egg & vinegar. Make a well in dry mixture & pour wet mixture into it all at once. With hands, mix until JUST combined. Roll out pastry & cut 24 squares with a pastry cutter. Fit squares into 24 mini tart pan cups. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to fill.
Filling
  1. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt butter, then add shallots & mushrooms. Add thyme, salt & pepper; sauté until browned. Remove from heat. Divide roast beef between the 24 pastry shells. Spoon mushrooms onto the mounds of roast beef followed by a tiny dollop of horseradish.
  2. Place cream cheese & eggs into a small bowl & whisk until smooth. Season with salt & pepper. Spoon into tart shells, allowing the mixture to settle down into them.
  3. Sprinkle each cup with some grated cheese before transferring to the oven & bake for 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
  • If you prefer, you can always use frozen prepared mini tart shells instead of homemade for a quick shortcut.