Shrimp Stuffed Salmon Paupiettes

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S DAY!

New Year’s celebrations bring thoughts of new beginnings. People all over the world are preparing traditional foods in hopes of bringing good luck and fortune in 2025. On the list for many: seafood, especially fish. Many believe fish to be a lucky New Year’s food because fish scales resemble coins. Fish also swim in schools, which for many can inspire feelings of abundance. Finally, fish travel forward, representing progress.

In North America the most common type of fish often served on New Year’s is salmon, as the color pink is often used to signify luck. 

For our New Year’s meal, we are having a stuffed salmon paupiette.

A paupiette is a French dish made from a thin piece of meat, poultry or fish that is stuffed with additional ingredients. The base of the dish is pounded thin and covered with a filling of finely chopped vegetables, meats, fruits, breadcrumbs and tightly formed into a roll. Once the stuffed fish, poultry or meat is cooked through, it is generally cut into small rounds prior to serving. Paupiettes are also commonly referred to as roulades, a word based on the French word meaning ‘to roll’.

BEST WISHES FOR HEALTH & HAPPINESS TO EVERYONE IN 2025!

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Shrimp Stuffed Salmon Paupiettes
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Instructions
  1. Slice salmon fillet into 2 or 4 long strips. Flatten GENTLY with a meat mallet. Rub fillets with olive oil then season with salt & pepper.
  2. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add garlic & onion; sauté until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, salt & Old Bay seasoning.
  3. Sauté until shrimp is barely pink. Transfer to a bowl & allow to cool. When cooled, add parsley, bread crumbs & cream cheese to shrimp mixture & gently stir to blend ingredients.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Divide stuffing mixture between the 4 strips of salmon fillet. Spread stuffing out evenly & roll each one up, jelly-roll style. Tie each one with some kitchen twine to ensure they will stay rolled.
  6. Place the stuffed fillets in a shallow baking dish. Bake salmon for 45 minutes or until salmon is JUST cooked. Place grape tomatoes in a small baking dish, toss with either some Golden Italian dressing or olive oil & roast until skins are slightly popping open.
  7. Serve with roasted tomatoes & guacamole on the side.

Roast Turkey Breast w/ Barley & Pomegranate Stuffing

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

Today, December 25th, our family celebrates my sister Rita’s birthday. She will forever be the special Christmas gift our family was so privileged to receive on that Christmas day. This time of the year makes us reflect on many different things. This moment, this day, this season will never come again. Treasure it and treasure those you love who make it memorable. I like to keep in mind that the best reflection of Christmas takes place in the mirror of our own hearts.

I think it would be safe to say that turkey still rules the day as the most traditional centerpiece for the Canadian Christmas dinner. Canada is a country with a very diverse background, so we enjoy a mix of cuisines and traditions from all over the world. Although that festive foul remains the center focus, other dishes on the table are undoubtedly reflecting how Canadian tastes are changing.

Because people are travelling more, our knowledge of food has expanded dramatically. It’s all about flavor now, which has led us to more exotic spices and ingredients. We have become much more sophisticated in our approach to preparing food.

Pomegranates are considered a symbol of Christmas in Greece. The fruit is frequently depicted in seasonal contexts, be it on Christmas cards or posters, or replicated in three-dimensional form made of pottery, silver, brass, glass, even gold as a tabletop ornament, a bauble or tree ornament, or as a precious and pretty attachment to classy gift wrappings.

In ancient Greece, it seems to have mainly symbolized fertility, but in the modern Greek tradition that meaning has shifted a little, the pomegranate now being a symbol primarily of prosperity and good fortune. Habitually, a single fruit is hung up above the door of the house on Christmas Day. When the clock strikes twelve on New Year’s Eve, all the lights go out and the whole family goes out on the doorstep of the house. Then the one that is chosen to enter the door of the house first -usually father of the house- breaks the pomegranate and the wonderful red fruits pop up on the door. He always breaks it with his right hand and enters with his right foot as this is believed it will bring luck in the new year. The juicy pieces of pomegranate that look like rubies fill the house with health and happiness (as well as the pomegranate seeds).

Christmas comes and goes each year during which the ‘Christmas Spirit’ is alive and well. Wouldn’t it be nice if that same spirit was applied to our daily lives all year long.

BIRTHDAY WISHES WITH LOVE TO YOU RITA. HOPE YOU & RICK HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

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Roast Turkey Breast w/ Barley & Pomegranate Stuffing
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Stuffing
Herb Butter
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Ingredients
Stuffing
Herb Butter
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Instructions
Stuffing
  1. Cook barley & set aside. In a saucepan, sauté onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms & seasonings in margarine. Stir in the prosciutto, cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  2. Transfer mixture to a large bowl & cool for about 15 minutes. Combine with dry bread cubes, cooked barley, & broth, adding only enough broth to make proper stuffing consistency. Stir in pomegranate seeds & set aside.
Turkey
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Lay turkey breast on a clean work surface so that it lies open & flat. Cover with plastic wrap, then pound lightly with a meat mallet to flatten into an even thickness all over. Discard plastic wrap.
  3. On one half of the turkey breast spread a thick layer of the stuffing. Fold the adjoining half of the turkey breast overall. Fasten with metal skewers if you wish to help to keep stuffing enclosed.
  4. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan & lay stuffed turkey roast on it. Brush herb butter over turkey breast. Roast uncovered, until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180 F. about 2 hours. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
  5. Place any extra stuffing in a buttered casserole & bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly toasted.
  6. Remove turkey breast from oven, tent with foil & allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes. Make sure to remove all toothpicks and/or skewers before slicing to serve.

Scallops Benedict

Eggs Benedict is a common North American breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. It was popularized in New York City.  

Many variations of eggs Benedict exist, involving replacing any component except the egg such as:

  • Avocado toast eggs Benedict – substitutes toast in place of the muffin and adds sliced avocado.
  • California eggs Benedict – adds sliced avocado. Variations may include sliced tomato instead of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Atlantic – substitutes salmon which may be smoked, in place of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Blackstone – substitutes streaky bacon in place of Canadian bacon and adds a tomato slice.
  • Eggs Florentine – adds spinach, sometimes substituted in place of the Canadian bacon. 
  • Eggs Mornay – substitutes Mornay sauce in place of the Hollandaise.
  • Eggs Neptune – substitutes crab meat in place of Canadian bacon.
  • Eggs Omar (steak Benedict) – substitutes a small steak in place of Canadian bacon and sometimes replaces the Hollandaise with bearnaise.
  • Huevos Benedictos – adds sliced avocado or Mexican chorizo, topped with salsa and Hollandaise sauce.
  • Irish Benedict – substitutes corned beef or Irish bacon in place of Canadian bacon.

Being seafood lovers, Brion & I are having a pre-Christmas treat of scallops benedict for brunch today. Yum!

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Scallops Benedict
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Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Chive Buttermilk Biscuits
Brown Butter Hollandaise Sauce
Course Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Chive Buttermilk Biscuits
Brown Butter Hollandaise Sauce
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Instructions
Biscuits
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & baking soda. Using pastry blender, cut in butter until coarse crumbs. Add chopped chives. Toss together & make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk, stirring with fork to form ragged dough.
  3. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead gently until dough comes together. Pat or roll into 1 1/2-inch thickness. Using floured cutter, cut out rounds. Place, well spaced, on lined baking sheet. Dough should make 6 large biscuits.
  4. Bake in the 400 F. oven for about 10 minutes before lowering the temperature to 375 F. & baking for an additional 10 minutes or until tops of the biscuits are light golden. Remove from oven & keep warm in a basket with a tea towel over it.
Hollandaise Sauce
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, watching it until the color turns light golden brown. Pour it off immediately into a heat proof measuring cup, leaving the sediment behind.
  2. In a blender, combine egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice & zest for a few seconds. With the blender on medium speed, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream. The sauce should thicken quickly. Pour into a bowl & keep the bowl warm in a warm water bath while preparing the other components of the scallops benedict.
Scallops
  1. Season the scallops with Old Bay seasoning, salt & pepper. Pan sear them in a hot pan with butter & olive oil for only a few minutes per side. Keep warm. Prepare scrambled eggs.
Assembly
  1. Slice biscuits in half, using bottoms as the base. Divide scrambled eggs evenly between the 6 bottom biscuit halves & top each with a couple of seared scallops. Pour some hollandaise sauce over scallops & sprinkle with chopped bacon. Garnish with chopped chives. Top with the second half of the biscuit if you wish.

Pear Cheesecake w/ Oat Pecan Streusel

A cheesecake is always an appropriate dinner party finale, but this version is a true showstopper. This cheesecake really makes the most of pear season, with the fruit layered on top of the cheesecake batter then covered with oat streusel. The wow-factor comes into play with the stained glass candied pears.

Candied Pears are a beautiful and completely edible decoration for cakes, cupcakes, or any other creative baking project.  Modern twists in candying techniques have seen a resurgence in recent years, blending traditional methods with innovative approaches breathing new life into the timeless art of candying fruit.

Today, candied fruit is enjoyed in various forms, from baking ingredients to standalone snacks. It has become a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes, catering to a wide range of tastes and preferences. The perception of candied fruit has shifted from being a rare luxury to a widely available and beloved treat for people of all backgrounds.

At this time of year, I’m always trying to come up with something special to give as gifts to our neighbors on either side of us. We couldn’t ask for better neighbors so it’s always nice to show our appreciation in some way. We usually try to give something they use when hosting family & friends. The family this pear cheesecake is for have a pear tree in their back yard so I think its safe to say they like pears.

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Pear Cheesecake w/ Oat Pecan Streusel
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Stained Glass Candied Pears
Oat Pecan Streusel Crust & Topping
Salted Caramel Sauce - Optional
Servings
Ingredients
Stained Glass Candied Pears
Oat Pecan Streusel Crust & Topping
Salted Caramel Sauce - Optional
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Instructions
Candied Pears
  1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
  2. Combine water & sugar in a large saucepan. Very thinly slice pears all the way across so that you have a cross section of an entire pear. When sugar is dissolved in the water on the stove, stir & add the pear slices to the simple syrup. Simmer for about 6-8 minutes or until you can almost see through pears. Remove from simple syrup with a tongs & lay flat on parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  3. Mix about 2 tablespoons of simple syrup in a small cup with 2 drops of gel coloring of your choice. Prepare one bowl for each color you wish to use. Using a small clean paintbrush, lightly paint each pear slice as desired. Mottle colors a bit on each slice if using more than one color. Dap with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Flip slices over and paint on the other side. Dap again with paper towel.
  4. Bake the pears for 20 minutes, paint on some clear simple syrup, turn the slices over & paint the other side. Bake another 10 minutes, then repeat.
  5. Remove from the oven & shape immediately if you do not want flat slices. Sprinkle with gold luster dust, if desired.
Streusel Crust & Topping
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the sides of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the flour, baking soda & ground cinnamon. Toss in the oats & chopped pecans & combine well. Press half of the mixture into springform pan and bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
Pear Mixture
  1. In a medium bowl, toss together the chopped pears with sugar, starch, cinnamon & nutmeg. Combine well & set aside.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese & sugar until smooth & creamy. Mix in the vanilla & almond extract. Add the egg & combine until smooth and creamy.
  2. Pour cream cheese mixture onto the slightly warm crust. Spread pears over the cream cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the oatmeal streusel topping covering the pears, pressing down lightly.
  3. Bake until slightly brown & center is set around 50 minutes. Cool completely & refrigerate overnight preferably.
Salted Caramel Sauce
  1. Combine brown sugar, 1/2 & 1/2 cream, butter & salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for a couple of minutes, until it slightly thickens. Add the vanilla & cook another minute. You are not cooking the sauce very long so it remains quite pourable. Turn off heat, cool slightly. Pour sauce into a blender & blend on high until sauce is 'creamy'. Refrigerate until cold.
Decorating/Serving
  1. To decorate, place cheesecake on serving dish & arrange candied pears on top. When ready to serve, slice & drizzle salted caramel sauce over cheesecake.

Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte

Originating from Linz, Austria, the Linzer torte is one of the oldest tortes in the world, found in an Austrian abbey in the early 1700s.

It is made with a buttery pastry dough with a significant amount of ground nuts, typically hazelnuts, but often with almonds or walnuts. With a lattice design on the top, it is traditionally filled with red currant jam; but raspberry, apricot and plum are quite popular too.

Linzer cookies employ the same recipe as the Linzer torte but instead the dough is cut into cookies and two of them form a sandwich around the preserves.  Moreover, the top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes), thus exposing the underlying jam and adding to the visual appeal. 

When Linzer torte was brought to North America in the 19th century, it became very popular. Today the Linzer cookie is still very commonly used in celebrating Christmas and other holidays as well.

There are countless versions of Linzer tortes around showcasing different nuts, different preserves, and so on such as tahini and sesame Linzer, beets Linzer, a lemon curd Linzer and a chestnut apple Linzer just to name a few.

With my passion for ‘recipe development’, I wanted to come up with a ‘Linzer torte’ that showcased persimmons and cranberries for Christmas. This is what developed!

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Spiced Persimmon & Cranberry Linzer Torte
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Spiced Cranberries
Cheesecake Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberries
Cheesecake Filling
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Instructions
Crust
  1. In a bowl, sift together flour & salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar & vanilla until light & fluffy. Beat in as much flour mixture as possible. Mix in the rest & gently knead till dough comes together. Form into a disk & wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Cranberries
  1. In a saucepan, combine whole berry sauce, raspberries, sugar, orange zest & cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens & is bubbly. Remove from heat & allow to cool. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
Persimmons
  1. Place the melted butter in a large bowl & stir in the honey & spices. Stir well, then add persimmon slices. Toss to coat each slice well.
Cheesecake Filling
  1. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth then add sugar & blend well. Add eggs & vanilla, beat until smooth.
Baking
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out 2/3 of pastry into a 10-inch circle. Place in an 8-inch springform pan. From the remaining 1/3 of the pastry cut a 5-inch circle. In the center of this circle cut a 3-inch circle (this should resemble a Linzer cookie). If you wish you can cut out a few 'stars' for decorations. Lay pastry ring & stars on parchment paper & place on a baking sheet. Blind bake pastry in the springform pan for 8 minutes or until barely set. Bake the ring & stars until golden.
  3. Remove springform pan from oven & pour cream cheese mixture over warm crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly golden & cheesecake tests done. Set aside to cool.
Assembly
  1. When cheesecake has cooled, place the slices of persimmon, overlapping each other to form 2 circles around the outer edge. Spoon spiced cranberries in the middle of the persimmons.
  2. Sprinkle baked pastry ring & stars with powdered sugar & place on top of cranberries. Press down slightly. Your torte should resemble a large Linzer cookie when finished.
Recipe Notes
  • You will have extra cranberry sauce which can be easily used over the holiday season I found. Brion & I liked them so much we added extra to our slices of torte.

Canadian Salmon Pie

Salmon pie is a variation on a classic Canadian Christmas meat pie from Quebec called a ‘tourtiere’. Fundamentally, tourtiere is a pie that contains meat and spices baked in a flaky crust. The meat is generally diced or ground, including any or all of pork, veal, beef or wild game. No matter what the meats used, or the presence or absence of potato, bold seasoning is the rule for all varieties. The four original spices used in the classic tourtiere are cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Like so many of these recipes that have been ‘handed down’ over generations, each family alters it to suit their taste. 

The salmon pie version takes the same meat pie concept, but uses flaked, cooked salmon that is seasoned and mixed with mashed potatoes.

I thought it would be nice to have some salmon pie before we get into all that Christmas turkey. The lemon dill sauce is such a nice condiment to go with it.

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Canadian Salmon Pie
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Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
Cuisine American
Servings
Ingredients
Pastry
Salmon Filling
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
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Instructions
Pastry
  1. In a large bowl, combine flour & salt. Cut in butter until mixture is an even crumbly texture. Add cold water a Tbsp at a time & mix until dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap & chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling prepare filling.
Salmon Filling
  1. Wash & peel potatoes. Cut into chunks & boil in a medium size pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, mash & set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions & sauté until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, thyme & Old Bay seasoning to skillet.
  3. Season the salmon fillet with salt & pepper & place it into the skillet skin side down. Spoon liquid & onions over salmon, cover the skillet & cook until the salmon is opaque, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat & let salmon cool slightly.
  4. Remove the skin & break salmon into pieces. Add the salmon, onions & poaching liquid to the mashed potatoes & mix to combine. Taste & adjust salt & pepper if needed. While the salmon pie is baking, make the dill béchamel sauce.
Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour & whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to thicken, add the lemon juice, dill and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Serving
  1. Remove pie from oven & let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Cut pie into wedges & drizzle with lemon dill sauce. Serve warm.

Cauliflower Casserole w/ Ground Beef & Potatoes

Cauliflower has had a millennial makeover and it’s never been more appealing. For years cauliflower has been a staple side, steamed or baked and smothered with cheese sauce, but there’s so much more to do with the humble cauliflower.

Cauliflower totally transforms into something new depending on how you cook it. Steam and puree it and it becomes very silky. Add the pureed cauliflower to soups, mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese to thicken them and add flavor and creaminess without dairy. Bake it with cheese and cream for a hearty gratin that’ll top any potato casserole. You can pickle cauliflower and add it to salads, appetizer platters or sandwiches — it’s especially good on falafel. Deep fry cauliflower and eat it as a snack, like popcorn, or toss the crispy, fried florets into a salad. Roast it – on its own or with other vegetables like carrots — till it’s golden brown and tender and serve it as a side dish or add it to pasta to make a complete meal. With a simple blitz, cauliflower makes an ideal ‘dough’ for a healthier homemade pizza base. The possibilities are endless!

This comforting casserole consists not only of cauliflower but beef, potatoes and cheese. It’s the full meal deal!

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Cauliflower Casserole w/ Ground Beef & Potatoes
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Instructions
  1. Boil potatoes with their skins in lightly salted water. Drain & peel immediately. Let cool then cut into 1/4-inch slices.
  2. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil & cook the cauliflower florets for about 6 minutes until al dente. Drain the cauliflower in a colander & reserve 2 3/4 cups of the cooking liquid. Drain cauliflower WELL.
  3. Heat a saucepan with a dash of oil & fry the onion & garlic until soft, but not colored. Add the ground beef & fry. Season with salt & pepper & stir in 1/2 of the green onion. Continue to cook until the released moisture has evaporated. Place in a dish & set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 9-inch pie plate or casserole dish. Set aside.
  5. Heat saucepan, add butter & allow to melt. Add the flour & stir well with a whisk for about a minute to allow the flour to cook. Stir in veg broth powder & add the reserved cooking liquid from the cauliflower. Keep stirring until you have a smooth & thickened sauce. Stir in 1/2 of the grated cheese until incorporated, then add the remaining green onion. Turn off heat.
  6. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with half of the potato slices, followed by the cauliflower & ground beef. Divide 1/2 of the sauce over it & cover with the remaining potato slices. Place the remaining sauce over potatoes & sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.
  7. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Seafood Meatballs w/ Orzo

Meatballs have become a beloved culinary delight in various cuisines around the world. The concept of combining ground meat with other ingredients to form compact balls can be traced back to ancient civilizations.

While commonly associated with Italian cuisine, the origin of meatballs is a tale that stretches across time and cultures.

Sweden has made its mark on the global meatball scene with its distinctive version, known as köttbullar. Swedish meatballs gained international recognition, thanks in part to the association with the popular furniture retailer, IKEA.

The Middle East boasts its own variation of meatballs, known as kofta. Kofta has a long history in the region and can be found in various Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries, including Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and others.

Meatballs have traveled the world, adapting and evolving to suit different tastes and ingredients.

Asian cuisines have their own variations of meatballs. In Thailand, fish balls are popular street food made from a paste of minced fish, mixed with herbs, spices, and sometimes starch to achieve a firm texture. They are usually served in soups, stir-fries, or on skewers with dipping sauces.

As immigrants from various countries arrived in North America, they brought with them their culinary traditions, including their beloved meatball recipes.

In recent years, the popularity of global cuisine has further fueled the creativity and innovation around meatballs in North America. Food trucks and trendy restaurants offer inventive variations, such as fusion meatballs with a blend of different cultural flavors or vegetarian and vegan alternatives made with plant-based ingredients like lentils, mushrooms, or chickpeas.

Today, meatballs in North America can be found in a variety of forms and flavors, reflecting the country’s multicultural heritage.

Whether enjoyed in a tomato-based sauce with pasta, in a creamy gravy with lingonberry sauce, or alongside aromatic rice and fragrant spices, meatballs continue to satisfy appetites. The enduring popularity of meatballs is a testament to their versatility and the universal appeal of a simple, comforting dish.

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Seafood Meatballs w/ Orzo
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Servings
MEATBALLS
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Instructions
Orzo
  1. Bring 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth to a boil & cook orzo until tender. Drain excess vegetable broth from orzo & reserve. Set orzo & reserved water aside.
Sauce
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter & add the garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes while stirring. Whish in remaining sauce ingredients. Simmer 4-5 minutes, stirring until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat.
Seafood Meatballs
  1. In a small bowl, mix the eggs & lemon juice. Place all meatball ingredients (except the olive oil) in the bowl of a food processor & pulse until combined.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Scope seafood mixture (makes 20 balls) into saucepan. Using a large spoon, continuously turn the meatballs until all sides obtain a golden brown color. Place meatballs on a plate lined with paper towel.
Serving
  1. On a large platter, place orzo & top with seafood meatballs. Drizzle sauce over all. Place in the microwave for a couple of minutes just to ensure everything is hot for serving.

Cinnamon Bun Rice Krispie Treats

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party, attending a potluck, or simply craving something sweet, Halloween rice krispie treats are a classic choice. Loved for their crispy texture, chewy marshmallow consistency, and endless decorating possibilities.

Rice Krispie treats have been around for about 85 years. Snap, crackle, pop! These three words have become synonymous with Rice Krispies, the breakfast cereal made from pieces of crisped rice that, when combined with milk, emit a noise that you can probably imagine while reading this. Regardless of the last time you enjoyed a bowl of Rice Krispies in the morning, it’s clear that the beloved brand exudes childhood nostalgia. The iconic mascot trio, memory-stimulating sound, shape, and aroma are embedded into many memories. 

Rice Krispies Treats are a legendary confection with an undemanding recipe that has graced several generations. Not only are the possibilities endless with these delicious treats that kids and grown-ups can enjoy but they can bring a challenging cake shape to life while making the process so much more manageable. Intricately sculpted cakes often have a surprise inside: rice cereal treats. Swapping traditional batter for these crispy treats provides structure and strength to modeled cakes that you just can’t get with fondant and modeling chocolate alone. And the best part is, the method you use to sculpt the cake afterward isn’t that different than when you sculpt a traditional batter-filled cake.

For some tasty little Halloween treats this year, I’m making some cinnamon bun rice krispie rolls with a cream cheese frosting. I can think of a few kids & adults who will enjoy these!

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Cinnamon Bun Rice Krispie Rolls w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
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Servings
Ingredients
Rice Krispies
Filling
Servings
Ingredients
Rice Krispies
Filling
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Instructions
Rice Krispies
  1. Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray well with cooking spray. Set aside
  2. In a large pot, melt marshmallows, butter, vanilla & cinnamon over low heat. Stir until melted & smooth. Remove from heat & stir in rice krispies. Scrape rice krispie mixture onto prepared pan. Using well buttered hands, press out evenly into pan. Let cool to room temperature.
Filling
  1. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, butter, cinnamon & flour until creamy.
Assembly
  1. Carefully spread filling onto the rice krispies. Sprinkle with pepita seeds. Roll up from the long side like a jelly roll while rice krispies are still flexible. Press firmly as you roll.
  2. Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. When it feels FIRM, cut into 1/2-inch slices using a serrated blade & sawing motion. You should get approximately 24 slices.
Frosting
  1. Beat together cream cheese, vanilla & powdered sugar until smooth. Place in a piping bag & pipe a swirl onto each slice. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon if you wish. Keep in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins

Fall is here and its pumpkin season!  It’s like a pumpkin explosion in the stores this time of year with pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin spice Oreos, pumpkin spice M&Ms, pumpkin spice Ramen noodles, Doritos and so many others.

Unlike pumpkins, however, blueberries have a flavor that knows no season or food type. They pair well with just about anything, and pumpkins are no exception. Blueberries have just enough sweetness to complement pumpkin-y flavors and stay juicy during the baking process.

These pumpkin blueberry muffins make for an ideal autumn indulgence.

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Pumpkin Blueberry Muffins
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Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
LARGE MUFFINS
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Course dessert
Cuisine American
Servings
LARGE MUFFINS
Ingredients
Muffins
Topping
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Muffins
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8 cup large muffin tin with parchment papers/cups
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree with milk.
  3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter & brown sugar until creamy. Add egg; beat until fluffy.
  4. Alternately add flour & pumpkin mixtures to butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Combine blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour in a small dish. Fold gently into mixture. Spoon batter carefully into prepared muffin cups.
Topping
  1. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon & salt. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add pepitas & combine. Divide evenly over muffin batter.
Baking
  1. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool in pan for a few minutes then remove to a rack to finish cooling. Store muffins in a covered container.
Recipe Notes
  • If you would prefer smaller muffins, divide batter between 12 paper lined standard muffin cups. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.