Pizza Capricciosa

Jun 4, 2024

Topped with artichokes, ham, olives, tomatoes, and mushrooms with a tomato pizza sauce,
this is a pizza that’s popular with everyone!

Prep Time: 10 mins  •  Cook Time: 10 mins  •  Makes: 12-inch pizza

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 classic pizza dough
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp white sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1/8 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/8 tsp basil
  • 1/8 tsp oregano
  • 1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained & sliced
  • 3 white button mushrooms, cut into 1/8″ slices
  • 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 2/3 cup shaved baked ham, torn into pieces
  • 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 480°F.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste, salt, white sugar, water, garlic clove, parsley, basil, and oregano. Set aside.
  3. With your hands, stretch out your chosen pizza dough and stretch it onto a pizza pan or baking tray according to the package directions.
  4. Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza dough, leaving a 1/2″ border along the edge. Sprinkle the cheese on first, then drape the ham randomly across the surface, and add the olives, artichoke slices, sliced tomatoes, and mushrooms.
  5. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, turning after 4 minutes, or until the cheese has turned golden and bubbly and the crust is crispy. Remove from oven, slice, and serve immediately.

 

Nutella & Fruit Heart Pizza

May 8, 2024

Make a Nutella and fresh fruit dessert pizza for Mother’s Day. Sweet and simple made with refrigerated pizza dough.

Prep Time 10 min • Total Time 20 min • Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 can refrigerated pizza dough
  • 1 tablespoon butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ cup Nutella
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • 1/2 cup blackberries
  • 1/4 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 cup mandarin orange slices
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • 1 kiwi fruit, sliced
  • Whipped cream
  • 1/4 tsp Chia seeds, optional
  • Chocolate fudge sauce
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Roll the pizza dough out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Turn the baking sheet horizontally.
  3. With a sharp knife, gently draw a heart shape in the middle of the dough making sure not to cut through the dough.
  4. Cut an inch outside of the line you drew with the knife. This area will be the dough crust. Remove the excess dough to save for later.
  5. Shape the pizza to be a heart. Use the extra dough for added areas of crust where you need it.
  6. Bake the pizza dough for 8 minutes.
  7. In a small bowl, melt butter and add sugar to the butter. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Brush the butter mixture all over the pizza dough.
  8. Place the dough back into the oven to bake for another 3-5 minutes until the pizza is golden brown and cooked through.
  9. Remove from oven and let the pizza cool.
  10. Sprinkle the edge of the heart with powdered sugar then move your heart pizza to a serving board.
  11. Spread a generous amount of Nutella over the dough then place the fruit on top.
  12. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the fruit. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle on the Chia seeds.
  13. Slice when ready to serve.

 

Pan-Seared Halibut with Crispy Potato Coins & Cabbage Salad

Mar 19, 2024

Make this pan-seared, crispy-crusted Halibut and serve with Crispy Potato Coins and a flavourful, Indian-inspired Warm Cabbage Salad.

 

Crispy Pan-Seared Halibut

This technique will ensure a crispy skin on any fish—red snapper, salmon, cod, etc.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb halibut fillets (or other white fish)
  • kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons clarified butter or canola oil

DIRECTIONS

    1. Salt the halibut fillets early in the day or the night before. Salt the flesh side of the fish lightly. Then turn over and salt the skin side more heavily. Place the fillets on a rack, skin side up, and put in the refrigerator until one hour before using.
    2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil or butter, and heat just until smoking point. Add fish skin side down. Do not overcrowd the skillet. Gently press down on the fish fillets with a spatula to ensure the center of the skin also gets crispy.
    3. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or check after two minutes to see if the skin is crisp enough. Baste the fish by tilting the pan and spooning the fat from the bottom of the pan over the fish. Continue doing this until you see the color become more opaque on the fleshy side of the fish.
    4. Once the skin has reached the desired crispiness, turn the fish over, turn off the heat, and move the skillet off of the burner. Do NOT cover the pan. Let the fish rest in the hot pan for 5 to 7 minutes (time depends on the size and thickness of the fillets) until the fish is fully cooked through.
    5. Garnish the top with dry herbs and lemon zest, if desired.

Crispy Fried Potato Coins

These potato coins are baked in the oven until crispy and crunchy.

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 small russet potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut the russet potatoes into thin slices.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Using a brush, spread a thin layer of olive oil over both sides of the potato slices.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over potato slices, coating both sides.
  5. Bake at 450°F for 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy.

Warm Cabbage Salad

This flavorful cabbage salad can be enjoyed with any meal.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 head cabbage, shredded (preferably Napa cabbage)
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • ¾ cup to 1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
  • ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 2 –3 teaspoons mustard seed
  • ¼ tsp salt and black pepper (or more, to taste)
  • 1–2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2–3 green or spicy red chili peppers, sliced
  • ½ – 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar, optional

DIRECTIONS

  1. Place the shredded cabbage in a bowl. Remove excess water by squeezing with a paper towel.
  2. Add the shredded carrot to the cabbage mix. Add the salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Mix well.
  3. Toast the shredded coconut and almonds on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a preheated 400°F oven. Toast for about 3-5 minutes, or until the coconut is golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Add the mustard seeds and cover slightly so they don’t pop out of the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds or until they begin to pop). Add the cabbage/carrot mix to the skillet, and stir to mix.
    Add the coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, and 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut and almonds (save the rest for garnish/topping the salad).
  6. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
  7. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl. Top with the remaining toasted coconut and almond. Serve with the pan-seared halibut and crispy potato coins.

 

Crispy Fried Coconut Shrimp

Mar 19, 2024

These Fried Coconut Shrimp are plump, juicy, and crispy! Serve with a sweet chili sauce or a lemon garlic aioli.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined, with tails on)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • vegetable oil (for frying)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add the salt and 1 cup of water to a bowl and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the shrimp to the bowl of brine water, and let soak for 10 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water together until smooth, and then add the flour and whisk until the batter is free of lumps.
  3. Preheat a deep skillet with about one inch of oil until it reaches 360°F. Line a wire rack with paper towels.
  4. Fill a small bowl with the shredded coconut.
  5. Rinse the shrimp in cold water. Drain, and use paper towels to pat the shrimp dry.
  6. Hold each shrimp by the tail and dip it in the batter to coat it evenly. Let excess batter drip off, and then place the shrimp in the bowl of shredded coconut. Scoop some coconut on top of the shrimp and pat it into the shrimp, so it sticks. Transfer to a tray and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
  7. Gently lower the coconut-covered shrimp into the hot oil and fry until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Work in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding and soggy shrimp. Flip them over mid-way through so they brown evenly.
  8. Drain the shrimp on the prepared rack.
  9. Serve while hot with a sweet chili or lemon garlic aioli dipping sauce.

 

Potato Nests with Egg & Smoked Salmon

Mar 11, 2024

These spiralized potatoes are formed into nests and fried until crispy, golden brown. Served with a perfectly cooked egg and smoked salmon, this dish is ideal for any spring or Easter brunch.

Prep time: 15 mins • Cook time: 15 mins • Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 potatoes, scrubbed and spiralized
  • 2 tablespoons Ghee (or avocado oil)
  • 8 eggs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 oz. smoked salmon
  • Fresh dill, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

  1. Working in batches, heat half of the ghee, or oil, in a large nonstick skillet. Add half of the potato spirals and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes). Once tender form the spirals into four nests and crack an egg into each one.
  2. Cook the eggs, covered, over medium heat, until the whites set, and the yolk is cooked to your liking (about 3 minutes for runny yolks). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Repeat the process with the remaining oil, potatoes, and eggs.
  3. Top each nest with pieces of smoked salmon, garnish with dill, and serve with Lemon Dill Sauce, if desired – recipe below.

Lemon Dill Sauce

INGREDIENTS

  • ⅓ cup plain yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
  • 1 tablespoon capers, minced
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
  • Pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix the lemon dill sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve with the Potato Nests with Egg & Smoked Salmon.

 

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Mar 11, 2024

A forgotten crown-pleasing favourite that is perfect for Easter celebrations!

Prep time: 10 minutes  •  Chill time: 2 hours (or overnight) •  Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
  • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple (or chunks), drained
  • 1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the whipped topping and yogurt.
  2. Gently fold in pineapple, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, marshmallows, and shredded coconut.
  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.