Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

Grilled Cheese fast and yummy! I love everything about a grilled cheese sandwich. Enough that I have many styles and ways to make them! I own a sandwich maker. Loved it! But it is a messy, messy machine and no real way to clean it properly. Recently though I was told a new way to make them and after many attempts I have decided I will never make a grilled cheese any other way! Number 1! You can make numerous sandwiches at the same time. Bake them on low or you will end up with very crunchy edges. (as shown) 300 degrees seems to work on my oven. Number 2! In all my attempts I have not yet burned one! AND I have never had messy burnt cheese to clean up either. That means you can have a cheesy sandwich using less cheese. Number 3! It works with meat and cheese or just cheese. We like ours being stuffed with almost everything. We like onions, peppers or tomatoes! Number 4! My family loves them done this wa...

1 medium cabbage, chopped and spread on cookie sheet. 1 tbsp salt sprinkled over cabbage. Let stand one hour. Squeeze juice out by hand. Chop up celery, carrot, pepper, etc and add to cabbage. Mix together 1 cup white vinegar, 2 cups white sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp celery seed and 1 tsp mustard seed.  Boil one minute.  Let cool. Pour over cabbage.   Place in bags and freeze.

Lemon Pepper  Acini di Pepe This small, round pasta is named for its resemblance to peppercorns, so why not pair it with black pepper, which, along with lemon, adds brightness to the parmesan?  The pasta is VERY starchy! I ended up rinsing it and it turned out fine. I believe replacing the recipe with couscous or other smallish pastas will work the same. ingredients 2 cups  acini di pepe 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 1/2 cup shredded old cheddar (optional) 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper preparation Cook  acini in a large pot of boiling salted water (2 teaspoons salt for 8cups water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and rinse. Melt butter in same pot with lemon, pepper and cheese.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add pasta and stir. "Bon Appetit!"

When Mum and Dad got married, one of the items the guests of the bridal shower were supposed to do was write down their favorite recipe. A Ms. Heidi Turner gave this one to Mum. (Photo after it is out of the oven.) Ingredients. 1/2 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 large bananas (We had 5 small ones that NEEDED to go) 1 egg 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt (Like most of our recipes, cut it down to half at 1/8) nuts (optional) Directions. Cream butter and sugar. Mash bananas and add to mixture. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Add egg and mix. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 350F for 45mins or more. (Today's was done for 60mins).

I made these last year by a request of a friend who didn't get his yearly amount. Let's just say that people have since been pestering for more. (Photo will be posted after the recent batch) Ingredients -4 cups icing sugar -1.5 cups peanut butter -1 tsp vanilla extract -1 tsp maple extract (I've been using rum extract as we don't have the maple) -1/4 cup butter -2 cups of chocolate chips (This amount changes depending on how many of the balls get made) Directions Combine the butter, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and maple flavoring. Cream well and knead well. Form the dough into 1 inch balls and set onto cookie sheet with wax paper. (I put them in the freezer for 24 hours to help keep formation.) Melt the chocolate chips over low heat or in the microwave. To ensure the chocolate doesn't harden too soon on you, do it 1 cup at a time. Dip into melted chocolate chips before placing back on the...

Mum got the recipe from a co-worker's wife. It was delicious and Dad even went back for seconds. We had this with instant rice and a broccoli salad from Metro. Ingredients 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts We used 3 this time round but could definitely go for 4. Salt and pepper to taste 1½ cup cornstarch 3 eggs, beaten ¼ cup canola oil 1 cup granulated sugar 4 tablespoons ketchup ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic salt Instructions 1.       Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. 2.       In separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture. 3.       Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greas...

Tofu haters are going to go ew! yuck!  I didn't even try to serve it to Hal, the king of the tofu haters.  And it is his loss.  This chili was lovely and meaty and flavourful.  It also freezes very nicely (without the sour cream). 1 onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 dried chili peppers, minced 1 carrots, finely diced 1 stalk celery, finely diced 1/2 green peppers, finely diced 3 tbsp canola oil 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp brown sugar 260 g firm tofu, finely diced 1 2/3 cup red beans (canned) 1 1/2 cup canned tomatoes (diced) 1/2 cup water approximately 1 pinch salt [optional] ground pepper to taste 2 tbsp fresh cilantro [optional] 1/3 cup Cheddar cheese, grated Keep the serving plates in the oven at the lowest setting so they are warm when you serve. Prepare the vegetables: Chop the onion, mince the garlic and chili pepper, finely dice the carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic ...

Preparation 10 min / Cooking 35 min 150 calories per serving [See all nutrition info] Cooking dish: 30x38 cm vegetable oil spray, or butter , for the baking sheet 8 cups rolled oats 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes 1 3/4 cup hazelnuts, shelled, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup honey 1/3 cup maple syrup Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Lightly oil or butter a large baking sheet (about 30 x 38 cm). Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the oil, honey, and maple syrup into a small bowl, then warm it up about 30 seconds in a microwave oven. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients then toss well. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 to 40 min or until golden brown and crispy. Stir every 10 min to brown evenly and avoid burning the mixture. Let the granola cool down: It will become crispier and dry as it cools. Make sure to break up any large clumps of granola while the mixture is still warm. Once...

2 onions, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced 1 yellow or red sweet peppers, cut into match-like strips 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 3 cm cubes 4 tsp butter, unsalted 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil 4 tsp paprika 2 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1 cup chicken broth, or more 1 pinch salt [optional] ground pepper to taste 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 1 1/2 tbsp sour cream [optional] Prepare the vegetables : thinly slice the onions, chop the garlic, deseed and dice the tomatoes, and cut the peppers into match-like strips. Cut the chicken into 3 cm cubes. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Sauté the meat until it is well browned on all sides, about 8-10 min, then transfer the cubes to a plate. Lower the heat to low, add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally until they are well cooked, about 15 min. Return the meat to the pot, add the paprika and cumin, then cook 1 min with stirring. Add the...

I cooked this dish for supper tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!!!! 6 small potatoes, whole or halved 1 red onion, cut into 2 cm pieces 1 yellow or red sweet pepper, seeded, then cut into 2 cm squares 3 Italian sausages, cut into 2 cm pieces 2 tsp olive oil salt & pepper to taste Preheat the oven to 425F. Generously oil an oven-proof dish.  Prepare the vegetables and cut them into uniform pieces.  Put the pieces in the dish then coat them thoroughly with the oil.  Add the sausage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the middle of the oven until the potatoes are fork-tender and golden-coloured, about 30-35 minutes.  Stir once halfway through the roasting time. Makes 2 servings. This recipe is from www.soscuisine.com

Chocolate Banana Bread 1 chocolate cake mix 3-4 bananaa 3 eggs 1/3 cup veg oil Mix all together and bake at 350 for to 35 to 40 min or until toothpick comes out clean.  Bryan and I loved this want to try with a yellow mix. I tried with great success with a marble cake mix!

I had a roast. I am in the mood to cook. I am ready to try new recipes in 2015. 1 pork roast (mine was still partly frozen) *) Place roast in a deep large casserole dish (I use my pampered chef lasagna dish)  or small roasting pan 1-2 cups  rhutabaga cubed (turnip) *** I always cube my turnip small to ensure it cooks right through! 1-2 cups  carrots (diced, cubed, mini, shredded or chopped) 2-3 cups  potato (diced, cubed or sliced) 1 onion (pureed, diced, or sliced) *) place this mix of veggies around the roast in the casserole dish.  (Corn, parsnips, frozen peas and celeriac could be added if your family likes them) 2 tbsp of onion/garlic flakes *) sprinkle these flakes on the veggies.  2 cups of broth (chicken, beef or vegetable) *) pour over veggies 1/4 jar of apricot jam or orange marmalade 1/2 cup of pepper diced (we used yellow but any kind of pepper will work - spicy, red, green) 1 cup warm water 2 tbsp b...