BBQ Cheddar Studded Meatloaf

Growing up I was never a fan of meatloaf. It was boring, usually dry, and just tasted like a meatball without the spaghetti and sauce. When my husband came home with a kilo of medium ground beef I decided I would put an end to boring meatloaf and make it extra delicious!

In a frying pan add 1 tsp of Olive Oil, 1 Small Onion finely chopped, and 3 cloves of Garlic Minced. Saute until the onions JUST start to brown. Set aside to cool for a few minutes

In a large bowl combine the following:

 

2 1/2 Lbs of Medium Ground Beef

6 Strips of cooked and cooled Bacon, Chopped

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Ketchup

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Worsheshire

2 Tbsp Sirachia (Cock Sauce)

1/2 Cup cubed Old Cheddar

1 Tsp Each Kosher Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder

and your Sauteed Onions and Garlic.

 

 

 

Form the combined meat mixture into loafs and place on a foil lined baking sheet (I drizzled olive oil on the tin foil as well). Bake in a 350F oven for 15 Minutes.

 

After 15 minutes baste your meatloaves with some BBQ sauce. I used a sauce my husband had made that he refuses to give me the recipe for. I do know it contains Ketchup, Apple Cider Vinegar, Brown Sugar and Whiskey..the rest is "Spices". Throw the meatloaves back in the oven for 15 more minutes at 375F. Remove from the oven and cover with tinfoil for about 10 minutes to rest.

Slice and serve with some steamed veggies. Perfect Sunday Dinner for us!! And it was not dry!!

Cinnamon Bun Pancakes

We had a breakfast for dinner night a few weeks ago and my  Husband requested pancakes. So I decided to make them extra special this time around (and this is soooo easy to do!!)

 

 

In a bowl partially melt 2 tablespoons of butter. You don't want it hot and watery...just at that point where its about to melt. Add some brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until it forms a thick paste. Set this aside.

Make your pancake batter (1 Cup Flour, 2 Tsp baking Powder, 1/2 Tsp Salt, 1 Cup Whole Milk, 1 Egg, 1 Tbsp Canola Oil). Whisk your batter until just combined.

 

I have a lovely flattop grill that i like to make pancakes on. Pour out your batter on the pre-heated grill or pan and allow to cook.

 

 Pour the prepared butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture into a small zip lock bag and cut off one of the corners. Once you see some bubbles and they start to pop swirl on some of the butter sugar mixture as seen above.

now flip your pancakes.

Once they are cooked through and you flip them back over on your plate you will have a lovely cinnamon bun swirl! Awesome for kids breakfasts!

Lemon Cheesecake Mousse

Want to see a pretty dessert that only takes 4 Ingredients? Ready?

 

You will need about 6 Lemons. Right now Lemons are in season so they are super juicy and really huge too!

Chill your mixer bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and add 2 cups of whipping cream. Whip until stiff peaks form. Spoon out into another bowl and set aside.

In the same mixing bowl cream 2 bricks of room temperature cream cheese with 3/4 cup granulated sugar.

Add the juice of the 6 Lemons (about 3/4 - 1 cup)

Once mixture is nice and smooth add the zest of 3 of the lemons.

Fold in your prepared whip cream. Lightly combine using a spatula.

Pour into cute little cups and garnish with more lemon zest, lemon slices and a raspberry. A very refreshing summer dessert or in my case..a perfect dessert for a fish main course!

Dark Chocolate Panna cotta

This is one of those recipes for when you are having a dinner party and are crunched for time for dessert and need to make it ahead of time. Its easy, not too sweet and delish!

 

 

Take 1 Package (about 1 tbsp) of unflavoured gelatin and mix it with about another tbsp of water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes.

In a saucepan, heat 1 Cup of Homo Milk over medium heat. Scrape the seeds from a vanilla bean and add them, as well as the whole vanilla bean into the milk. Add the gelatin mixture and allow the milk to come to a simmer. Once gelatin is combined in the milk, remove the vanilla bean and remove from heat. Set aside.

In a bowl microwave 5 oz of good quality dark chocolate in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until it is thoroughly melted.

Slowly pour the hot milk mixture over the melted chocolate and whisk to combine. Add about a 1/4 cup of heavy cream, whisk some more and strain through a sieve to remove all the bubbles.

Pour the chocolate mixture into ramekins and cool to room temperature. Once cooled refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Top with fresh whipped cream and shaved chocolate!

Minestrone Soup

Everyone has their own version for Minestrone Soup. Its such an easy soup to customize based on what veggies and meats that you have. Its also very hearty and freezes really well!!! I decided to make this soup a couple of weeks ago when the weather was still pretty cold and we needed something to warm us up! I also had a big bunch of Swiss chard that needed to be used!

In a large heavy bottomed pan fry up about a half cup of chopped panchetta until crispy. Remove the cooked panchetta and set aside.

In the same pot add 1lb of ground sausage (no casing). Brown this as well and remove, set aside with the panchetta.

 

Again, same pot (with the panchetta and sausage drippings still in it) add 1 Chopped Onion, 3 Celery Stalks chopped, 3 Carrots chopped, and 3 cloves of garlic, minced. Season with salt and pepper. Saute over Medium high heat.

Once the Onions start to turn a light brown add 3 cubed potatoes and a generous couple of handfuls of chopped Swiss chard.

Add 1 large can of chopped tomato's, a bay leaf, and 1 Tbsp each of Basil, Oregano and Thyme.

Lower the heat to Medium low and add 6 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock and 6 Cups of water plus 1/2 cup of heavy cream.

Add back your Pork and Panchetta and throw in a Parmesan Cheese rind. Allow to simmer for about 30 Minutes or until Potato is cooked through. Add your pasta and turn off the heat. The heat of the soup should cook the pasta in about 10 Minutes. Test for seasoning and add more salt/pepper if needed

 

Serve with fresh shaved Parmesan cheese!

 

Chicken & Brie Mini Panini's

I have been eating a lot of grilled sandwiches lately (read: Grilled Cheese) mostly due to busy evenings with all the training I have been doing lately for some big races. I also make grilled sandwiches because they are a great way to use up leftover protein and lettuce hanging around in the fridge. This sandwich was made with leftover roasted chicken and the combo of chicken and brie is one of my favourites!!

First I found some mini panini buns at the local bakery.

Slice the buns and spread a nice thick layer of sundried tomato pesto (Also found at the same Italian Bakery)

Add some fresh baby spinich

And top with a generous helping of the cooked roasted chicken.

Lastly add a few thick slices of Brie cheese. I am obviously a cheese monster and added A LOT of Brie.

 

Throw your mini-paninis on the grill and drizzle some EVOO on top. Grill until the brie is all melted.

 I am pretty positive I am having these again tonight for dinner. And maybe lunch tomorrow too.

 

Breakfast Banana Bread Muffins

One of my favourite fruits is the Banana. Mostly because it is super easy to eat on the go and is a runners go to snack before, after and even during runs.

Because of this my husband and I always have bananas in our home...but sometimes we forget. Or are just not in the mood for them. And then they start to turn black. And no one wants to eat the black bananas. So what do I do? I throw them in the freezer! Black Banana's freeze really well and are very very good in banana bread and in these muffins!

You will need 2 bowls, one for your dry ingredients and one for your wet:

 

Dry Ingredients:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

3/4 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

(Optional-1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts)

 

Wet Ingredients:

3 Very Ripe (Or frozen ripe bananas-defrosted), mashed

1/4 Cup Balkan Style Greek Yogurt

2 Eggs Slightly Beaten

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

 

Make sure both the Wet and Dry ingredients are combined, then gently fold the wet into the dry. Do not over mix. You want it mixed to the point where there is no visible white flour.

 

Scoop your batter into a greased muffin tin (I use more butter to grease them).

Top each muffin with some pecans and a pinch of Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Nutmeg Mixture. Bake in a 350F Oven for about 20-25 Minutes.

This recipe makes about a dozen or so muffins. I usually double it and eat these all week for breakfast or for snacks. So yummy!