Author: natashapaterson

Homemade Hamburgers

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1 tsp oil (for frying)
1 small onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, diced small
1 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tps Dijon mustard
1 tsp Montreal steak spice
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

  1. Fry the onion in the oil over medium heat for a couple minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
  2. Mix all the ingredients (onion/garlic, hamburger, egg and spices) together in a bowl.
  3. Using your hands, make sure the mixture is well mixed. Form into four patties about ½ inch thick.
  4. Place patties on a greased grill over medium-high heat. Close lid and cook, turning patties once, for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside. (They’ll be less likely to stick to the grill if they’re chilled first.)

If you’re making these ahead, they can be refrigerated for up to six hours. Or layer them between waxed paper in an airtight contain and freeze. They can be cooked from frozen.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

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Update: I now prefer this recipe, adapted from the Meals Made Simple cookbook because it’s easier and healthier. I’ve left the original recipe below. Feel free to tell me in the comments which you prefer. The new recipe leaves the chia seeds whole, the old one blends them.

6 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup hot water
1 (400g) can coconut milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1/4 cup chia seeds

  1. Soak the dates in the water while you gather the other ingredients.
  2. Add all ingredients but maple syrup and chia seeds to the blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Taste for sweetness and add maple syrup if you prefer it sweeter.
  4. Pour into serving dishes. Divide chia seeds between dishes and stir in. Chill.

OLD RECIPE:

1 ½ cups almond milk (you can also substitute regular milk or coconut milk)
5 medjool dates, pitted (these are softer and sweeter than other varieties and puree nicely)
4 (1 oz) squares semi sweet chocolate (I use 10 squares of the PC dark chocolate bar)
1/3 cup chia seeds
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
½ tsp vanilla (optional)

1. Blend the dates and milk together in a blender until the dates are completely pureed into the milk.

2. Melt the chocolate and blend in.

3. Add the chia seeds, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Blend well, scraping the sides if necessary.

4. Pour into small serving dishes and chill. This can be served with whipped cream and chocolate shavings if you want it to look prettier.

Korean Beef Bowls

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1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice
Romaine lettuce, washed and torn (optional)
Kimchi (optional)

  1. Whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger in a small bowl.
  2. Brown the beef in a large frying pan over medium heat. Drain the fat.
  3. Add garlic and cook a little longer until you can smell the garlic frying.
  4. Stir in the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavours.
  5. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions. (Makes four servings)

Suggestion:
To add more veggies, layer the following ingredients in your bowl: romaine, rice, beef and onions. Top with kimchi. (Kimchi can be purchased in Asian stores and some grocery stores.)

Lemon Squares

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Crust

LemonSquare

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugars together.

Mix in the flour and salt.

Press into a 9″ x 13″ pan (an 8″ x 12″ pan will affect the cook time) .

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Topping

6 eggs and 3 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups white sugar (using brown sugar will affect the colour)

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups lemon juice (7-9 lemons, juiced)

1 tsp lemon zest (you can even add a little more if you prefer a more tart flavour)

  1. Whisk together the eggs and sugar.
  2. Mix the baking powder into the flour and then stir the flour into the egg mixture.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice and zest.
  4. Pour over the cooked – and cooled – crust.
  5. Bake at 300 for 40 minutes, until just barely set (it will still have a bit of jiggle to it).
  6. Allow to cool before cutting.

(Edited cook time from 20/35 to 15/40 minutes)

Chicken Oscar

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ChickenOscar

6 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless (about 1/4 lb each)

½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs (store-bought is fine)

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp oil

12 asparagus spears (about 1 lb)

½ lb cooked crab or imitation crab, cut in small pieces

18 large shrimp, cooked, deveined, and tails removed

Sauce:

¾ cup butter

2 Tbsp white wine

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 egg yolks

Minced chives

  1. Chicken: Put bread crumbs on a plate. Coat chicken in crumbs. Heat a nonstick frying pan to med-high heat. Add a little butter and oil (the oil keeps the butter from burning) and swirl until melted. Cook chicken until browned on both sides. Put chicken in a baking pan in the oven at 350° and bake until chicken is no longer pink in center (about 10 minutes).
  2. Asparagus: Snap tough ends from asparagus and discard. Rinse asparagus. Bring about 1 inch water to a boil in the frying pan. Add asparagus to boiling water and cook just until tender. Drain.
  3. Sauce: Heat butter in a pot over medium-high heat until completely melted. Add wine, lemon juice and mustard. Stir yolks together with a fork. Whisk egg yolks into butter mixture. Heat until the whole mixture is warm.
  4. Assembly: Put each chicken breast on a plate. Top with equal amounts of crab, asparagus and shrimp. Then pour sauce over each portion. Garnish with onion.

Waffles

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Waffles


1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt (optional)
1 egg
1 cup milk (or sour milk or buttermilk)

  1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Beat together the eggs and milk. Add to the dry ingredients. Mix until almost smooth, leaving a few small lumps.
  3. Pre-heat the waffle iron. Spray with cooking spray.
  4. Pour enough batter to barely fill the waffle maker. (You need to allow room for the batter to rise, or it will overflow.) Close it and allow the waffles to cook.
  5. When the waffle is golden brown on both sides, remove from the waffle maker.
  6. Serve hot, with butter and maple syrup.

High Protein Tip: Add an extra egg, and stir in a handful of cheese and bacon bits. Delicious with maple syrup!

Food Prep Tip: Quadruple this recipe (makes 18 waffles) and then freeze the leftovers. To use frozen waffles, just toast them.

Pumpkin Spice Waffles: 
Add the following spices during step 1.
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional; expensive)

Add the following during step 2
1 Tbsp molasses (optional)
1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin

Warm spinach salad

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6 slices of bacon, choppedSpinachSalad
¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ cup balsamic vinegar

6 cups baby spinach, washed and patted dry

¼ cup (or more) goat feta

  1. Cook the bacon until it is crispy. Add the olive oil, onion, salt and pepper and continue to cook.
  2. Once the onion is almost completely cooked, add the garlic and cook for about one minute. Add the vinegar and the rest of the olive oil and cook until it’s warm.
  3. Place spinach in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss completely. Crumble cheese on top. Serve immediately.

Suggestion: If you’re making this for company, you can cook the bacon and cut up the onion and garlic ahead of time so it only takes a few minutes to make the dressing.

The “Effing” family reunion

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I was housecleaning at my client’s home, which was undergoing renovations by her brother-in-law. We had gotten to know each other, as we were in the house together, both doing our own thing on 4-5 different occasions. Anyhoo, the brother-in-law said he had plans to head out to their Hunt Camp… the location for the Annual Effing Family Reunion

I naively asked, “Effing.  What nationality is that name?” He looked up at me, to check my facial expression. Since I looked inquisitively at him, awaiting his reply, he sheepishly answered me, “That’s a real bad word that we don’t like to say in full around the womenfolk.” I had to laugh, but I felt like a fool. I think I also made him feel bad for even saying it.

Roll call

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RoadTrip9Some people might consider it traumatic to be left behind at a meeting while the rest of the family goes ahead home.  Not so with the Bryant kids!  We learned not to panic; eventually Dad and Roberta would notice our absence and come back to collect us.  To prevent this recurring problem, a family roll call was instituted.  We would all pile into the van and it would begin: Ray – Here! Juanita – Present! Derek – Hee-yah! and so on down the line.  Only later, when the number of children at home had dwindled to a mere 5 or 6 was the roll call no longer deemed necessary.