Jan 12, 2015
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Total Time: 1hr 10 mins
Makes: 6 servings
A mix of onions and shallot adds a rich, complex flavour to this soup. Yellow and red onions retain their pungency, some of their sweetness, and more importantly, don’t cook away. The addition of a few shallots with their slight garlic undertones adds yet another layer of flavour.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter
- 5 yellow onion onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 5 shallots, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 12 fl oz. beer – pale or dark ale, or stout
- 1 quart beef stock
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Crusty Baguette or French Bread loaf, 6 slices, toasted
- 3 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
BEER MATTERS: If you want a full-bodied beer flavour, choose a dark ale or stout (Guinness). For a more subtle, sweet and fruity beer flavour, choose a pale ale.
Don’t Cry!
Tips for cutting an onion with fewer tears
• Chill the onion 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.
• Use a sharp knife.
• Cut onion under a vent or stove hood.
• Wear goggles. You may look silly but it works!
Directions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and stir until they just start to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and cook another 5 minutes, or until caramelized.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add beer, beef stock and seasonings – mustard, thyme, black pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Remove bay leaf from soup. Ladle soup into a large casserole or 6 individual ovenproof bowls, leaving about 1 inch of room at the top of the dish. Float slices of toasted bread in the soup and top with grated Gruyère cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.
TIP: Onion soup has a tendency to boil over the dish while in the oven. Placing bowls on a baking sheet or a layer of aluminum foil helps catch any messy drips.
Jan 5, 2015
Aah, meatloaf! A time-honoured comfort food enjoyed in restaurants, diners, and of course, from your own kitchen! This meatloaf recipe is moist, and full of flavour. Delicious served warm, or cold.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 package McCormick Meat Loaf Seasoning Mix, or 2 teaspoons McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1/2 cup ketchup, or tomato paste, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, milk, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce together until well blended.
- Shape meat mixture into a loaf. Place in foil-lined baking pan or loaf pan (9×5-inch). Top with ketchup or tomato paste, if desired.
- Bake 1 hour or until cooked through.
TIP: Progresso Italian-Style Bread Crumbs are a great substitute for ordinary dry bread crumbs – convenient and boosts flavour!
Jan 5, 2015
Gluten-free black bean spaghetti pairs perfectly with shrimp and mussels prepared in a light white wine, garlic and lemon sauce. Delicious and ready in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 7.05 oz package Explore Asian Organic Black Bean Spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
- 4 oz frozen mussel meat, thawed
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 medium Roma or plum tomato, diced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
- Red Caviar for garnish, if desired
Directions
- In a large pot, boil water and cook black bean spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add shrimp; sauté on each side for about 1 minute (when shrimp turn pink they are done).
- Add shallot, Roma tomato, and garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Remove shrimp from skillet.
- Add white wine to skillet and stir. Reduce wine mixture; about 3-5 minutes. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time and continue to stir until sauce thickens slightly.
- Return shrimp to skillet. Add mussels, lemon juice and crushed red pepper and cook for another 3 minutes; stirring frequently.
- Season with freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon seafood mixture over black bean spaghetti. Garnish with a tablespoon of red caviar, if desired. Serve, and enjoy!
Dec 30, 2014
This recipe couldn’t be any simpler. Start with specialty meats like salami or prosciutto, wrap around cheese and vegetables, and ‘neatly package’ by placing inside an onion ring to hold it all deliciously together! That’s it! Canapé anyone?
Makes approx. 24 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs salami or prosciutto, or use both, sliced
- 1 to 1 1/2 lbs cheese – Mozzarella, Manchego, Smoked Gouda, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Cucumber, washed, and cut into small strips about 2 inches in length
- 2 or 3 small, mild sweet onions, slice and separate rings
- Fresh Dill sprigs
- Green Olives, if desired
- 24 small, mild green chile peppers, if desired
Directions:
In the center of a slice of salami, or prosciutto, place a cube-sized piece of cheese and two pieces of sliced cucumber strips on each side of the cheese. Top with a sprig of fresh dill. Roll salami around cheese, cucumber and dill sprig and insert into an onion ring to secure. Tuck in a green olive, and/or green chiles, if desired.
Arrange on a platter to serve.
Dec 30, 2014
A delicious, easy to make, creamy smoked salmon spread you can enjoy on breakfast bagels, or serve to a crowd at your New year’s party.
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 12 oz. smoked salmon, chopped into very small chunks
- 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
- 2 or 3 drops pepper sauce (Tabasco)
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed (if desired)
Directions
- In a bowl stir the cream cheese until it is creamy. Add chopped salmon, onion, minced dill, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, and capers, if desired. Gently stir together until combined.
- Serve immediately with crackers, toast, crostini, or keep refrigerated. Garnish with a small slice of smoked salmon, if desired.
Dec 30, 2014
Smooth, silky chocolate ganache centers enrobed in a chocolate case, or simply rolled in your choice of coatings.
Makes about 35 truffles
Ingredients
- 12-ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Pour chopped bittersweet chocolate and cream into a medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour mixture into a clean bowl and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours until mixture is set.
- Using a small scoop or melon-baller tool, scoop out mixture and roll into 1-inch balls with hands. Roll in toppings – toasted coconut, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chopped nuts or sprinkles.
- Place on a baking sheet and return to refrigerator for at least an hour until truffles are firm.
Alternatively, you can coat the ganache balls in chocolate. Using semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate for a candy-shell creates a wonderful contrast of flavour to the bittersweet center.
You will need:
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips or white baking chips
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan over low heat melt shortening and chocolate chips, stirring constantly. When chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Using a fork or dipping utensil, dip truffles, one at a time, into chocolate. Place on aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet.
- If you wish to garnish a few of the truffles then immediately sprinkle some of the truffles with finely chopped nuts, sprinkles, or toasted coconut before the coating begins to harden.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until coating is set.
Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 days, or keep in freezer for up to a month. Move from freezer to fridge and allow to defrost overnight.
