Slow Roasted Rubbed Pork Shoulder

Jun 4, 2018

Rubbed with a blend of seasonings, this pork shoulder is cooked low and slow for moist, tender meat that falls off the bone. Perfect for pulled-pork sandwiches.

Mix cooked shredded pork with your favourite BBQ sauce. Serve on a bun and top with coleslaw for a classic cookout dish.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 lb) bone-in pork shoulder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, chili powder, dry mustard, minced garlic, and pepper.  Pat the rub all over the pork shoulder. Cover pork shoulder with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 250°F. Place pork on a rack in a baking dish. Place on lower rack in oven and cook for 1 hour per pound, or until an internal temperature of 190°F is reached in the thickest part of the pork shoulder.
3. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered with foil, for about 30 minutes. Using a fork, pull the meat off of the bone.  It should fall apart easily. Toss shredded meat with barbecue sauce, if desired.

Grilled Thai Style Chicken Wings

May 28, 2018

Kick up the flavour of your chicken wings with Thai seasonings. These wings are lip-smacking, crowd-pleasing good! Marinate overnight for intense flavour.

Prep time: 1 1/2 hrs  •  Total time: 2 1/2 hrs •  Servings: 20

Ingredients

• 20 whole chicken wings
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup oyster or soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha Sauce, optional
• 2 tablespoons grated lime peel
• 1/4 cup chopped medium green onions
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Directions

1. Rinse chicken wings with water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut any excess skin off wings; discard.
2. In a large glass bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade to a small bowl and set aside. Place chicken wings in a large resealable bag. Add marinade; turn to coat. Seal bag; refrigerate, turning once, at least 1 hour.
3. Heat grill – medium heat; 325°F. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade and bag. Place wings on grill; cover. Cook 45 to 60 minutes, brushing frequently with 1/4 cup reserved marinade turning once, until juice of chicken is clear or when a meat thermometer, inserted into the thickest area of the wing (avoid touching the bone), reads between 165-180°F. Discard any remaining marinade.
4. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro, green onion and finely chopped garlic, if desired. Serve.

Lemon Italian Ice

May 24, 2018

Cool off with this refreshing lemon flavoured Italian Ice (granita). Easy to make and dairy free!

Prep time: 10 min  •  Total time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

1. Combine water with sugar ina microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, or until the water is hot. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add lemon zest.
2. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Whisk in lemon juice and lemon extract. Pour into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place in freezer. After about 40 to 45 minutes use a fork to stir up ice. Repeat every 30 minutes until lemon ice reaches desired consistency; about 3-4 hours. Note: The ice crystals should be finer than a snow cone.

Mexican Churros with Chocolate Chili Dipping Sauce

May 2, 2018

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with churros – a traditional Mexican deep-fried pastry treat. Serve with a chocolate chili dipping sauce.

Makes: 14 churros

Ingredients

For the churros:

• 4 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chocolate Chili Sauce:

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or deep fryer to between 350°F and 375°F.
2. Add water, butter, vanilla, and salt to a large saucepan. Heat until the butter is completely melted and mixture is just simmering. Remove from heat and stir in the flour.
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing until the eggs are fully incorporated into dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a large pastry bag fitted with a large star-shaped tip.
5. Working in batches, pipe the dough directly into the hot oil using scissors to trim to the desired length.
6. Cook until dough puffs and turns golden brown; about 2-4 minutes. If using a large skillet, turn churros halfway through cooking time so they cook evenly.
7. Remove churros from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
8. Add sugar and cinnamon to a large sealable plastic bag. Put one or two churros in the bag and gently shake until churros are coated in sugar and cinnamon mixture.

For the chocolate chili dipping sauce

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. You can also melt chocolate in the microwave. Cut chocolate into small chunks, place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium high for about 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. If the chocolate has melted completely, repeat heating at shorter intervals, 15 to 20 seconds, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted and has a smooth consistency.
2. Add cayenne pepper, chili powder, cocoa, and sugar. Stir until smooth.
3. Add cream and salt.
4. Serve with churros.

Palanqueta – a sweet Mexican candy

May 2, 2018

Palanqueta is a traditional Mexican candy treat made of roasted peanuts, caramelized sugar, a variety of seeds, with a touch of salt. It’s Mexico’s version of peanut brittle – sweet, crunchy, and delicious!

Makes about 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds, roasted
• 1/3 cup of toasted sesame seeds (or amaranth seeds)
• 2 cups dry roasted salted or lightly salted peanuts
• 1-2 tablespoons black raisins, optional

Directions:

1. Spray a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a saucepan, melt the sugar over low heat until it turns golden.
3. Remove from heat and add butter, seeds, peanuts, and raisins
4. Mix well and pour mixture onto greased baking dish.
5. Spread and press the mixture down firmly to compact the ingredients together.
6. Let cool completely; about 2 hours. Cut into rectangles or circles.

Lemon Chia Pancakes with Glaze

May 1, 2018

Lemony, light, fluffy pancakes with the goodness of chia seeds. Chia Seeds are a great way to add fiber, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals to any recipe. Apart from their health benefits, chia seeds are a great replacement for eggs in many recipes as they act as a binder.

Makes: 10-12 pancakes

Ingredients

For the pancakes
2 tablespoons chia seeds
¼ cup water
1½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 banana, mashed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups milk (or almond milk)

For the Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Ingredients

1. Mix together chia seeds and water in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together banana, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, milk, and the chia seed mixture.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Don’t overmix.
5. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Grease with oil or cooking spray.
6. Pour ¼ cup of batter per pancake onto the hot skillet. Flip pancakes over when the edges are brown and the middle of the pancake has bubbles; about 3 minutes per side.
7. To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. If mixture is too thick, slowly add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice until desired consistency is reached. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of pancakes. ENJOY!