Dinner ‘En Croute’

Today, November 24, our neighbors to the south are celebrating Thanksgiving. Over the years, Brion and I have been in the USA numerous times on this occasion and enjoyed the food and holiday atmosphere very much. Today’s blog post acknowledges the American holiday with some special meal choices.

At the heart of a memorable dinner is the main entree, so why not make it just a bit more special by serving it  ‘En Croute’.  In the culinary arts, the term en croute (pronounced ‘on Kroot’) indicates a food that has been wrapped in a pastry dough and then baked in the oven. Traditionally the type of pastry used was a simple dough called pate pastry. Today, puff pastry  is frequently used for most en croute recipes.

The key to preparing items en croute is that however long it takes to cook the pastry until it is golden brown is how long the item will spend in the oven. Some of the best choices are beef tenderloin, salmon or a brie cheese, due to the fact they require less time to cook.

In the 1950’s and 60’s, Beef Wellington or as the French called it, ‘Boeuf en Croute’, became very popular. It was an elegant meal, using a beef tenderloin covered with liver pate and wrapped in pastry. My first introduction to this meal was a much more low key  version. It was simply achieved by making a nicely seasoned meatloaf, wrapping it a basic pastry and baking it. My mother would serve it with a tomato soup sauce. Definitely good but not quite the elegance of the true en croute entrees.

Two favorites of mine are variations of the classic ‘boeuf en croute’. One uses boneless turkey breast topped with a cranberry, hazelnut stuffing and baked in a tender puff pastry then served with a citrus-fig cranberry sauce. The other one is a seafood en croute using fresh salmon. The salmon is topped with shrimp or scallops in a seasoned egg/cream mixture and baked in puff pastry. A dill cream sauce is served to compliment this entree. Having a few alternatives to change out your traditional holiday meals always keeps it interesting.

 

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Turkey / Seafood 'en Croute'
Alternative ideas for those special occasions.
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine French
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Instructions
Turkey en Croute
  1. Saute garlic & onions in olive oil & butter 1-2 minutes. Add bread crumbs; toss until they begin to brown slightly. Add hazelnuts, thyme, cranberries, salt & pepper. Add only enough turkey stock to make stuffing hold together.
  2. Place the first pastry sheet on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place turkey breast along the center line of the pastry sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Place stuffing on top of the turkey. Place the second pastry sheet over the turkey & stuffing. Trim the edges to form an oval shape. Save the trimmings in the fridge.
  3. Bring the edges of the dough together & seal by pinching them. Roll the dough from the bottom layer over the top layer & press down all the way around the perimeter of the pastry. This creates a tighter seal. Brush egg wash over the entire surface of the pastry. Decorate, cutting leaf shapes from trimmed pastry & score leaf veining into them with the tip of a sharp knife. Cut four 1/2" slots in the top of the pastry to let steam escape. Chill for 20 minutes or longer in the fridge before baking. This helps the pastry to puff.
  4. Bake at 400 F. for about 15-20 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 F. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the center has reached at least 170 F. to be sure the turkey is completely cooked, about 35-45 minutes longer. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into servings.
Citrus - Fig Cranberry Sauce
  1. Simmer all ingredients together slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the cranberries are fully cooked & the mixture reduces & thickens to a jam-like consistency. Stir the sauce often as it simmers. Remove the star anise (if using). Store in a plastic container in refrigerator until serving time.
Seafood en Croute
  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll each pastry sheet into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. Cut each sheet into four 6 x 5-inch rectangles. Place a salmon fillet in center of four rectangles.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the shrimp (or scallops), cream, onions, parsley, dill, garlic, pesto, salt & pepper. In another small bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until soft peaks form; fold into shrimp mixture. Spoon about 1/4 cup over each fillet.
  3. Top each with a pastry rectangle & crimp to seal. With a sharp knife, cut several slits in the top to let steam escape. Place on a 15 x 10 x 1-inch parchment lined baking sheet; brush with egg wash. Bake at 400 F. for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 F.
Dill Cream Sauce
  1. Mix all ingredients & refrigerate until serving time.
Recipe Notes
  • The original recipe source for the Cranberry Hazelnut Turkey & Citrus Fig Cranberry Sauce can be found at rockrecipes.com
  • The cranberry sauce uses star anise or extract but feel free to omit it if you do not care for that flavor.
  • The Seafood en Croute recipe is one that is featured on tasteofhome.com  which has always been my favorite 'go-to' recipe company forever. 

Chia Chicken Meatballs with Linguine

Chia — the little seed with the huge nutritional profile. Known as a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fiber as well as positive health effects such as boosting energy, stabilizing blood sugar, aiding digestion and lowering cholesterol.

In the early eighties, when the terracotta ‘Chia Pet’ figurines were first marketed, I really didn’t pay much attention to them. I just thought they were a cute way to grow a ‘houseplant’ never checking out their true potential.

Chia seeds have a fascinating and long history of use in several cultures. The word chia means ‘strength’ in the Mayan language. The Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, supposedly all used chia as a staple of their diets as well as an energy food.

There seem to be endless ways to use these naturally gluten free little seeds. Just to name a few would be, as an egg substitute, in puddings, as a thickener in soups and gravy, in meatballs, sprouted in salads or for breading fish or chicken.

One of the recipes I have featured in my ebook is Chia Chicken Meatballs  served with a fresh zucchini sauce over linguine pasta.

My husband, Brion is all about anything that promotes good health so this meal works for him. The chia seeds definitely give these little chicken meatballs some extra ‘pizzazz’. Hope you enjoy.

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Chia Chicken Meatballs with Linguine
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Course Main Dish
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Fresh Zucchini Sauce
Course Main Dish
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Ingredients
Fresh Zucchini Sauce
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Instructions
Chia-Chicken Meatballs
  1. In a small bowl, combine chia seeds with water; let stand for about 20 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, use your hands to evenly combine the chia gel with the remaining meatball ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil; coat lightly with baking spray. Scoop meatball mixture into 50 servings onto baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes; remove from oven. Cool half of the meatballs & freeze for another meal.
Fresh Zucchini Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, melt margarine; saute zucchini & green onion until tender. Sprinkle with flour & seasonings. Add milk/broth & cook, stirring until slightly thickened. Fold in baked chicken balls.
Linguine
  1. Cook linguine about 14 minutes in salted boiling water to which 1 Tbsp of olive oil has been added. Drain & combine with meatball/sauce mixture.

German Hefekloesse – Yeast Dumplings

When I think of the various German meals my mother made when I was growing up, the only words that come to mind are ‘comfort food’.

It seemed there was no end to the ways in which bread or just dough in general could be used. Dumplings are a favorite food throughout Germany. The ingredients will vary depending on the type of dumpling. Most often they are shaped in a ball, then boiled or steamed in salt water. Dumplings can be served as a main meal, side dish, part of a soup or served sweet for dessert. Then, of course, there are the varieties with fillings such as cheese, fruit or meats.

There is no one way to define German cooking. Each region in Germany has its own specialties and variations. This is usually based on the foods available locally.

My mother cooked a wonderful mix of both German and Canadian meals. Although my parents were Canadian born, their parents had come to Canada from Germany/Russia. That knowledge of German cooking had been passed down to my mother and has left lasting memories for us siblings.

This particular meal of  ‘HEFEKLOESSE’  was a meal my mother would usually make on a day when she was doing her weekly bread baking. It was served with fried potatoes and onions and a side dish of some of her stewed plums. Of course, at the time it was just another one of those fabulous ‘ comfort food’ meals that we all took for granted. Now all these years later, trying to recreate that taste is near impossible.

Every once in a while I get the courage to give it a try again and usually I rate my effort as good but not quite like mom’s.

Along with our dumplings and stewed plums I served some turkey kielbasa which rounded out the meal nicely.

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German Hefekloesse - Yeast Dumplings
The joy of comfort food!
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine German
Servings
Ingredients
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Instructions
Dumplings / Potatoes & Onions
  1. In a small bowl, pour lukewarm water; sprinkle with sugar & yeast. Place in a warm, draft-free spot & allow to stand 2-3 minutes. Stir to dissolve; leave 5 more minutes or until mixture almost doubles in size. In a large bowl, whisk together beaten egg, margarine, milk, salt & yeast mixture.
  2. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix until well combined; turn out on a floured surface, kneading for about 10 minutes. When dough is smooth & elastic, place in a greased bowl; cover with plastic wrap & a tea towel.
  3. Allow to rise for about 1 hour or until dough doubles in size. Punch down & knead for about 3-4 minutes. Pinch off pieces of dough; shape into 24 balls about 1 1/2" in diameter. Lay dumplings on a floured board & allow to rise again until doubled in size.
  4. In a large heavy skillet, layer potato & onion slices. Add about 2 cups of water, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt & 1 Tbsp margarine (or bacon drippings). Bring to a boil, partially cooking vegetables. Add dumplings; cover & cook about 15 minutes or until the water is completely gone. Usually you will hear a 'hissing' sound at this point. Potatoes & onions should be nicely browned.
Stewed Plums
  1. Bring all ingredients to a very gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool & serve.
Recipe Notes
  • I recall a favorite old cast iron pan being used for steaming these dumplings in. Definitely it worked much better in obtaining a brown crusty bottom on the dumplings & potatoes then I could achieve in the pan I used. 

Fruited Pork Tenderloin with Moroccan Spices

It seems, we humans have a unique way of coming away from an experience or adventure, forgetting the things we want to and remembering others.

After visiting Morocco in 2014, I have many very interesting memories from our trip. One thing travel does well, is it teaches us so much more than can be learned any other way. On that trip we were travelling with the  Trafalgar  company so our experience was made exceptional.

Many cultures have influenced Moroccan cooking. For some reason, some of these flavors have resonated with me and I seem to find a way to use them no matter what kind of meat I’m cooking.

This dish celebrates the sweetly spiced seasonings of Morocco which pair so beautifully with fruit and couscous. I hope you will try the recipe and enjoy it as much as we did. 

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Fruited Pork Tenderloin with Moroccan Spices
A beautiful presentation with exceptional flavor pairings.
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Course Main Dish
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Instructions
Couscous
  1. Heat oil in small saucepan. Add chopped green onion, cumin & ginger; saute until onion is tender. Stir in honey & add broth; bring to a boil. Remove from heat & add couscous, margarine, salt & pepper. Let stand 5 minutes then fluff with fork adding a little more margarine if necessary.
Fruit Stuffing
  1. Chop dates & apricots. Shred apple. In a small bowl combine all filling ingredients adding 1/2 cup prepared couscous.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim pork tenderloin & remove 'silver skin', then butterfly. Place a piece of plastic wrap over meat & flatten to even thickness. Sprinkle meat generously with salt & pepper. Line the inside of the tenderloin with fresh spinach leaves. Spread filling mixture evenly on top of spinach leaves. Roll up in 'jelly roll' fashion; place on lightly oiled foil paper on top of oven broiler pan. Rub Fig Balsamic dressing on outside of tenderloin.
  3. Place stuffed tenderloin in oven & bake for 20-25 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 155 F. (68 C), then remove from oven. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. During this time the internal temperature will rise to 160 F (71 C).

Thanksgiving Day in Canada

The second Monday of October has been the day Canada has celebrated Thanksgiving since 1957. We have now entered into our Autumn season with all it’s breathtaking fabulous fall foliage. Part of Canada’s appeal is it’s four seasons that offer changing landscapes and temperatures. 

I, for one, have always loved the changing seasons. That’s not to say that I like freezing cold and slippery roads but that I have come to understand the important role each one plays in the ‘big picture’. When Brion and I initially landscaped our property, careful consideration was given to what plants were planted. Over the years it has developed into a beautiful tapestry of color through our growing season.

Growing up on the farm, Fall was an especially busy time with the grain crops being harvested, garden vegetables being canned, frozen or just stored for use over the coming months. So much needed to be done before winter would set in. As a teenager it all just seemed like a lot of work. Even as hard as my parents worked at making a living from farming, I think they felt a real sense of satisfaction in what they were able to achieve. I realize now that even without being aware of it the visual beauty of the farmland at harvest was imprinted on me forever.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia, which means ‘Horn of Plenty’ in Latin, was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

Over the years, Brion and I have chose to have a variety of different meats for our Thanksgiving meal. Turkey is always the tradition for our Christmas dinner and since the two holidays come fairly close together, why not! All that being said though, we decided this year to roast just the turkey breast with stuffing. I also incorporated some of that wonderful Butternut squash with cranberries into the meal as well. For dessert we are having some pumpkin chiffon tarts. As a ‘kid’, I remember having a great dislike for the regular pumpkin pie — you know the kind –‘solid’. Then one year my mother made pumpkin  ‘CHIFFON‘  pie. Well, now that was glorious and I have loved it ever since.

Today in my recipes I have only included the Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Pumpkin Chiffon Tarts. I thought I’d get into the turkey and stuffing recipes later in the season.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

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Butternut Squash with Cranberries / Pumpkin Chiffon Tarts
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Course dessert, Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Butternut Squash with Cranberries
Pumpkin Chiffon Tart Filling
Pastry
Course dessert, Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Butternut Squash with Cranberries
Pumpkin Chiffon Tart Filling
Pastry
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Butternut Squash with Cranberries
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Split squash in half; place hollow side down on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until completely soft to the touch.
  2. In a small skillet, saute celery & onion in margarine until tender. Add the apple, salt, lemon juice & pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cranberries, sugar & water. Cook & stir until berries pop & liquid is syrupy. If you prefer, you could process this mixture for a couple of seconds in a food processor.
  3. Remove seeds & membrane from cooked squash; mash well. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, balsamic vinegar & maple syrup. Place some squash in individual custard dishes. Make a hollow in the center for the cranberry 'filling'. Add cranberries & serve.
Pumpkin Chiffon Tart Filling
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine first 7 ingredients; mix well. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, regular milk & egg yolks; combine well. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens to a heavy custard. Boil 2 minutes, add 1 Tbsp margarine. Place wax paper over custard to prevent a 'skin' from forming. Let custard become cold (it can be refrigerated overnite at this point, finishing it the following day) then stir in 1/4 cup orange juice.
  2. Whip envelope of dessert topping with 1/2 cup milk & 1/2 tsp vanilla until stiff peaks form. It should yield about 2 cups. Put aside the amount you need to garnish tarts with. Fold remaining whipped dessert topping into custard. Spoon custard into a large pastry bag with a large 'star' tip. Fill baked mini tart shells. Decorate with a small dollop of dessert topping.
Pastry
  1. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Cut in white & yellow Crisco shortening. In a 1 cup measuring cup place egg & vinegar; beat well. Add enough COLD water to fill cup. Pour all at once over flour mixture, mixing until pastry pulls away from sides of bowl. This should only take a couple of minutes, making sure not to over mix pastry. Roll out on floured surface. Using the bottom side of tart pans, cut pastry circles & place over each 'cup'. Bake at 350 F. until golden. Cool on wire rack before filling with pumpkin custard. If your using purchased shells follow baking instructions & cool before filling as well.
Recipe Notes
  • This pastry & pumpkin chiffon custard recipe was one I started using many years ago while working in the food industry. They were some of my favorites because they were pretty much 'fail proof'. If you want to make a double batch of each it will give you 4 - 9-inch pies. You can make them up to the point of decorating. Freeze until needed then just bring them out & thaw, decorate and you got a nice little homemade dessert just like that!

White Bean Soup with Pumpkin Pastry

This meal, better known in German ‘circles’ as  Weisse Bohnensuppe & Plachinda.  Kind of an unusual pairing of sorts  —  bean soup with a sweet pumpkin pastry?? It is one of those meals my mother used to make that got pushed into the back of my memory. With pumpkin season approaching and the weather feeling like fall, hearty soups start to come to mind.

Once again I set out to bring back the ‘taste of a memory’. Of course, this usually starts with some discussion about the meal with my sister Loretta. Between the two of us we can usually remember enough so I can attempt to recreate the taste.

It seems most recipes you find on the internet make plachinda as individual turnovers. I think I recall my mother making it in a rectangle casserole dish with the pastry on the bottom and up the sides and the filling showing. I decided to make it as a ‘jelly roll’.

Here’s my ‘spin’ on this much loved meal. Good but as usual never quite as wonderful as my mother’s. 

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White Bean Soup with Pumpkin Pastry
A full-bodied soup with a rich appetizing flavor served with a German pumpkin pastry.
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Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine German
Servings
Ingredients
Pumpkin Plachinda Filling
Plachinda Pastry Dough
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine German
Servings
Ingredients
Pumpkin Plachinda Filling
Plachinda Pastry Dough
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
White Bean Soup
  1. Cover beans with water in a large stock pot & soak overnight. Rinse & drain beans well; return to pot with ham bone & 12 cups water. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours.
  2. Add parsley, onions, garlic, celery with tops, salt & pepper as well as the extra 6 cups of hot water. Simmer, uncovered for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove ham bone, dice the meat & add to soup. Serve with pumpkin plachinda.
Pumpkin Plachinda
  1. In a small bowl, combine filling ingredients; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan (or line with parchment paper).
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder & salt. Whisk together eggs, milk & oil; add dry ingredients, working into a soft, stiff dough. Turn onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 14 x 14-inch square; spread pumpkin filling down the center & half way out to the sides -- about 1/4 -inch thick.
  3. Fold outside third of the dough over filling, repeating with the last third; pinch to seal. Leaving plachinda on paper, transfer to a baking sheet. If preferred, individual turnovers can be made instead. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Slice & serve warm.

Ham & Butternut Squash Pizza

A few years back, Brion and I discovered how good Butternut squash was. I’m not sure why it took so long but since then I’ve tried to make up for lost time. Being a winter squash I had served it with a cranberry stuffing as a side dish that Christmas. This sweet, nutty tasting squash has since then worked it’s way into numerous meals at our house.

The ebook I have on AMAZON right now, includes about 50 recipes in it. One of the recipes that we have enjoyed a lot is this Ham & Butternut Squash Pizza. For anyone who has a problem with yeast, the crust uses baking powder instead. This recipe puts a whole new spin on a traditional ham & pineapple pizza.

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Ham & Butternut Squash Pizza
Caramelized onions & butternut squash on an 'old favorite', ham & pineapple pizza.
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Course Lunch, Main Dish
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Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
Pizza Crust
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
Pizza Crust
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Instructions
Butternut Squash Sauce
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Split butternut squash down the middle & scoop out seeds & fibrous strings. Place the cut side down on baking sheet; roast until it becomes very soft & mushy. Remove from oven; allow to cool then scoop out flesh & place in a food processor. Blend until smooth with milk (or broth), salt & pepper. Adjust if necessary so you end up with a nice 'sauce' for the pizza. Set aside.
Caramelized Onions
  1. Heat oil in skillet until hot. Add onion & sprinkle with salt. Cook & stir about 15 minutes or until moisture is evaporated & onion is soft. Reduce heat; sprinkle with vinegar. Cook & stir until golden. Stir in brown sugar; cook & stir until caramel brown in color.
Pizza Crust
  1. In a medium bowl, measure dry ingredients for pizza crust. Make a well in center & add milk. Stir until dough leaves the sides of the bowl. With buttered hands, gently knead 5-6 times then press into one 14-inch pizza pan.
Pizza Assembly
  1. Spread with 'sauce'; sprinkle with mozzarella ( or nacho) cheese, onion, ham & pineapple. Top with remaining Gorgonzola (or Gouda) cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is browned.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney

As I mentioned before, pork tenderloin regularly pops up in my supper menus. Over time, I have prepared it in many different ways and hardly ever remember any that we didn’t care for.

Since my three rhubarb plants seem to still be producing those lovely stalks, why not use them! This blog recipe is easy, wonderful tasting and a great presentation all in one. Here’s my interpretation of Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney. Enjoy!

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Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Chutney
The spice rub 'marinating' adds so much to the overall flavor.
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Course Main Dish
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Course Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Pork Tenderloin
  1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine spice rub ingredients. Butterfly pork tenderloin & flatten to uniform thickness. Place in plastic bag with spice rub & shake to distribute seasoning well. Close bag & allow to stand in refrigerator for several hours.
Rhubarb Chutney
  1. In a heavy saucepan, combine first 9 chutney ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, onion & dried cranberries; increase heat to medium & cook until rhubarb is tender & mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Can be made ahead of time & refrigerated until needed.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a piece of aluminum foil & place on a wire rack on a baking pan. Cut plastic bag open; lay tenderloin flat with cut side up. Spread chutney over tenderloin & carefully roll (using plastic bag), starting with the long side as you would with a cake 'jelly roll'. Place on greased foil on pan.
  3. Lightly rub a small amount of olive oil or a 'fig balsamic dressing' over top of tenderloin. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tests done. DO NOT OVER BAKE! Remove from oven & allow stand for a few minutes before slicing.

Stuffed Summer Vegetables with Herb / Cheese Bread Sticks

Anyone growing a vegetable garden will now be reaping the benefits of all your hard work. Have you ever stopped and thought about how many summer vegetables are fantastic for hollowing out and stuffing? Any vegetable with a fairly sturdy shape can become an edible vessel for dinner. All we need to do is scoop out the middle and fill the inside with a stuffing of our choice. A little time in the oven until everything is heated through and dinner is ready!

When my siblings and I were growing up, my mother had many unique ways of teaching us how to take responsibility. On one side of her huge farm vegetable garden, she designated a ‘strip’ each for the three of us older siblings. The strips were each about 4 feet (1.22 m) wide and the length of her garden. The deal was that we could grow whatever we choose to, but it was ours to weed and care for all summer. At the end of the season, it was fun to see who had the most success. One of my sisters absolutely loved to grow pumpkins as they grew fast and large. I can’t really remember my mother stuffing a lot of vegetables but the idea of stuffing ‘things’ always appeals to me. The blended flavors make for some pretty tasty meals.

I couldn’t resist making a few kinds even if I’m not a vegetable gardener. These blog recipes have been adapted from tasteofhome.com which just happens to be one of my favorite recipe companies.

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Stuffed Onions, Tomatoes & Zucchini with Herb / Cheese Bread Sticks
If your a vegetable lover, this meal is for you.
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Course Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Onion Filling
Course Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Onion Filling
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Instructions
Stuffed Onions
  1. Cut a 1/2" thick slice from tops; discard. Trim just enough off bottom for onions to stand upright. Scoop out all but outer 2 or 3 layers from each onion. Chop scooped out onion reserving 2/3 of it for tomato/zucchini filling.
  2. Cook bacon until crisp; transfer to a paper towel, reserving fat in skillet. Add onion, celery, salt & pepper to skillet; saute, stirring until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic & saute, stirring about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a bowl & stir in spinach, bread crumbs, margarine, chicken broth & bacon; cool.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 F. Arrange onion shells, open sides up, in a small baking pan. Add 1/2 cup water & cover tightly with foil. Roast onions until JUST tender. Do not over bake! Remove from oven. Lift carefully to work surface & fill with stuffing. Set aside until tomatoes & zucchini are prepared.
Stuffed Tomatoes & Zucchini
  1. Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato; remove core, discard. Using a melon baller, scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/2" shell. Reserve pulp. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels to drain. Slice each zucchini into thirds. Using melon baller, scoop out centers, leaving one end of each piece in tact to hold filling.
  2. In nonstick skillet, cook turkey & reserved, chopped onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in basil, salt, pepper & reserved tomato & zucchini pulp; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes. Stir in rice, cheese & pesto; heat through. Cool slightly; spoon into tomato & zucchini shells.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place any remaining filling in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Place stuffed onions, tomatoes & zucchini on top. Bake, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake as it is best when vegetables still have a bit of crispness rather than being completely soft or mushy.
Herb / Cheese Bread Sticks
  1. In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. In a small dish, beat egg & divide. In another dish, whisk yogurt with 1/2 beaten egg. Stir into dry ingredients until mixture forms a ball.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Divide into 12 pieces & roll each into an 8" length. Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with remaining beaten egg & sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.
Recipe Notes
  • Don't hesitate to add some tomato sauce to your tomato/zucchini filling if you think it needs a little more flavor.

Turkey/Apple Sausage with Herbed Couscous

There’s something special about pairing turkey or chicken with apples and herbs. It seems to me the whole idea probably stems from ingredients used in stuffing a turkey for Christmas dinner. I’ve tried a few different recipe combinations for these sausage. This one seems to be the one we always enjoy the most.

Speaking of turkey, I’d like to tell you about a very old memory since I brought the subject up. As you know, if you have been following my blog, I was raised on a farm in southern Alberta, Canada. It was dry land farming so it was imperative my folks not only grew grain but also raised animals. Along with cattle, pigs and chickens, my mother raised a few turkeys. On one occasion, my sister and I were making our way across the farm yard on our tricycle. Loretta was the driver with me standing on the back when all of a sudden I was accosted by a huge turkey. With his large wings, he knocked me to the ground and started pecking me for some reason. My mother saw the commotion from the kitchen window and came running to my rescue. Needless to say, from that time on, I have always been leary of animals bearing beeks and feathers. Nevertheless, I do like the taste of turkey.

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Turkey/Apple Sausage with Herbed Couscous
Homemade sausage is such a nice change from 'store-bought'.
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Course Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Turkey - Apple Sausage
Dijon - Apricot Mustard
Course Main Dish
Servings
Ingredients
Turkey - Apple Sausage
Dijon - Apricot Mustard
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Instructions
Turkey - Apple Sausage
  1. Heat oil in skillet; add onion & saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add apples & saute until until apples are very tender, 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl & cool completely. Add turkey, cracker crumbs, egg & spices; mix well. Divide the sausage into 6 equal portions & roll into approximately 8-inch lengths. When ready to cook, they can either be baked in the oven at 450 F. or lay on a sheet of greased foil & cook on the barbecue.
Herbed Couscous
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tsp oil; add next 4 ingredients. Cook & stir for about 3 minutes until onion is soft. Add honey; heat & stir for 30 seconds to coat onion. Add broth; bring to a boil. Add couscous & 1 tsp oil. Stir, cover & remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes without lifting lid. Fluff. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Dijon - Apricot Mustard
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard & apricot preserves. Serve with turkey-apple sausages.
Recipe Notes
  • I like to make extra sausage and freeze them for other meals. They come in so handy when your time is short.
  • If you prefer a plain couscous instead of spicy, omit cumin & ginger replacing it with dried basil or a spice of your choice.
  • This meal is nice to serve with a mixed green salad of your choosing.