ArtandtheKitchen

Fettuccine Alfredo with Pan Seared Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 20:04:00 +0000

Happy New Year to everyone! May 2015 be a wonderful year for everyone full of love and laughter with family and friends. I like to make something special for New Year's Day dinner and this is a terrific recipe that is quick and easy to prepare. I bought these fresh jumbo shrimp that were amazing and gave this dish that gourmet touch!

Fettuccine Alfredo with Pan Seared Shrimp

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, 2 finely minced for sauce 2 smashed down for searing shrimp
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper
1 box fettuccine (12 ounces)
12 - 16 Jumbo raw shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil (for pan frying shrimp)
1 tablespoon butter (for pan frying shrimp)
salt and pepper for seasoning shrimp
parmesan cheese shavings for garnish

Directions:

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
Add garlic and sauté for a minute. (do not let garlic get brown)
Stir in cream and bring to a simmer, stirring often.
Season with pepper.
Stir in parmesan cheese, continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened, stir often.
While sauce is simmering prepare pasta and shrimp.
Cook pasta in large pot of salted water until desired doneness.
I cooked my shrimp and served with shells on, but if you prefer remove shells prior to frying.
Season shrimp with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet, medium high heat.
Add garlic cloves that have been smashed down.
Add shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink about 2-3 minutes per side.
Cook shrimp in batches to avoid overcrowding the frying pan. (keep cooked shrimp in warmed oven while preparing all the shrimp). Add more olive oil and butter as needed.
In large bowl toss pasta and Alfredo sauce together.
Serve topped with shrimp, garnished with parmesan shavings and fresh ground pepper.

This dish tastes great served with a side salad. Here are two tasty salads to try Avocado Citrus Salad and Pomegranate Salad.

Diet Boost Flavored Water Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 22:12:00 +0000

Yes it is that time of year again; New Year's resolutions and time for fresh starts. Did you over indulge during the Holidays? I certainly am guilty and now have a few extra pounds causing my jeans to be feeling a little too snug. The overload of sweet, high carb treats and high fat food have taken a toll on my waistline as well as my energy level. Are you feeling tired and sluggish, wanting to live in your sweat pants or pyjamas? Time to get back in control by eliminating the sugar, high calorie carbs and detox the body. Drinking an abundance of water will help you kick start that diet, detox and give you that much needed boost to get back on track!

I make up a large jug of flavored water the night before with an abundance of healthy detoxifying ingredients to sip throughout the day. Here are 7 days of my favorite Diet Boosting Flavored Water Recipes. A refreshing way to help curb your cravings for sweets shed those excess holiday pounds. Be sure to get your daily dose of fresh air and exercise and you'll be feeling energized soon!

Day 1 Apple Cinnamon Cranberry Water

Ingredients: apple slices, frozen cranberries, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, fresh grated ginger

Day 2 Citrus Twist Water

Ingredients: Slices of grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime, fresh mint leaves

Day 3 Cucumber Celery Parsley Water

Ingredients: cucumber slices, celery slices, fresh Italian parsley, fresh basil

Day 4 Cucumber Citrus Water

Ingredients: slices of grapefruit, lemon and cucumber, fresh mint leaves

Day 5 Mixed Berry Water

Ingredients: Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, fresh mint leaves

Day 6 Pomegranate Kiwi & Mango Water

Ingredients: Fresh pomegranate, kiwi slices, mango slices,

Day 7 Melon Medley Water

Ingredients: cubes of watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, fresh mint leaves

Some great options to add to your flavoured waters:

Fresh leaves of mint, parsley, basil, cilantro, rosemary
Spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg
Freshly grated ginger, coconut

Tostitos Appetizer Sliders

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 23:36:00 +0000

Here's a new twist on sliders, Tostitos Appetizer Sliders. Great little bites using Tostitos Scoops with the sensational flavours of cheeseburger sliders. Crispy scoops filled with guacamole, then topped with burger, cheese, tomato, pickle and bacon!

Tostitos Appetizer Sliders

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

makes: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
12 small cooked meatballs sliced in half
24 pieces cheddar cheese (sliced into small, thin slices)
24 slices dill pickles
24 slices fresh tomatoes (cut into small pieces)
24 slices cooked bacon
24 Tostitos Scoops

Directions:

Prepare your favourite meatball recipe, make into small meatballs and cook until done. (my Favourite Meatball recipe)
Slice meatballs in half.
Prepare ingredients for constructing sliders.
Using toothpick, skewer meatball slice, tomato, cheese, pickle and bacon together.
Add about 1 teaspoon of guacamole to each Tostitos Scoop.
Place skewer into guacamole filled scoop.

Leftover Turkey Dinner Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 16:22:00 +0000

Do you make an extra large turkey just to make sure you have leftovers? Sometimes I think my family looks forward to having leftovers more than the actual festive Turkey Dinner. I'm not sure I can even call my Leftover Turkey Dinner Pie a recipe because its simply taking all those delicious leftovers and making them into a tasty layered Turkey Pie. Tired of turkey, no problem, this freezes great! If you find you are short of stuffing, simply make a box of pre-packaged stuffing to add to any leftover stuffing you have, same with the gravy.

Leftover Turkey Dinner Pie

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 6 Bake Time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients:

3-4 cups leftover turkey cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups leftover gravy or 1 package of gravy mix prepared per directions
1 cup of cooked carrots sliced
3-4 cups stuffing (use leftover stuffing or package stuffing prepared per directions)
2-3 cups mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to season

Directions

In large bowl mix together turkey, carrots, and gravy. (I reheat the gravy a bit so it flows)
Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Pour into large pie plate.
Spread stuffing evenly on top of turkey.
Top with mashed potato layer. (add mashed potatoes in dollops and then spread, this prevents it from mixing into the stuffing layer)
Bake 350º for 45-60 minutes
Set oven to broil.
Melt butter and brush top of pie, broil until top of pie is nicely browned.

Here's another recipe you may enjoy for leftover turkey Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Honey Crust Pepperoni Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 03:46:00 +0000

Homemade Pizza is so easy to make, add your favourite pizza toppings and you've got a meal the whole family will love! You can make this delicious pizza crust ahead of time so the pizza is easy to throw together when the family comes home.

I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Dahna Sanderson, Director of Marketing & Communications for The Pampered Chef in Canada. I jumped at the opportunity to try out The Pampered Chef's new Large Round Stone with Handles, which will be available after January 1st, 2015. Function meets beauty is the best way to describe this stone that goes easily from the oven to the dining table. I was amazed at how nicely my pizza baked on this stone; thick and chewy but still crisp on the bottom.

Exclusive 15" round glazed pizza stone with handles, perfect for pizza, cookies, desserts and appetizers! The tall raised handles allow for easy lifting, and the raised lip helps prevent grease or batters from overflowing during cooking.

Here are some of the other wonderful products I used in making my delicious Homemade Pizza.

Microplane Adjustable Course Grater

Large Serving Spatula

Simple Slicer

Pizza Cutter

Honey Crust Pepperoni Pizza

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
thinly sliced pepperoni (enough to cover pizza 50-60 slices)
2 cups mozzarella cheese coarsely grated
1 cups cheddar cheese coarsely grated
2 cups fresh thinly sliced mushrooms
1 small can pizza sauce

Directions:

Add 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees) to small bowl with honey, add yeast to dissolve.
Combine flour and salt in electric mixer bowl with dough hook attachment.
Add oil to the yeast mixture and 3/4 cup warm water.
Add yeast mixture to flour and mix on low speed until dough comes cleanly away from sides of bowl.
Turn dough out onto floured work surface and knead by hand for 2-3 minutes.
Place in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let sit for 30-40 minutes.
Stretch dough evenly onto greased pizza stone.
Spread pizza sauce over dough.
Top with pepperoni slices, mushrooms, cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Bake 450º for 15-25 minutes until done.

*Disclaimer: I was given product from The Pampered Chef of Canada for this post.

Eggnog Cheesecake Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 05:54:00 +0000

These Eggnog Cheesecake Squares are made with a great little twist. The brownie crust is inspired with Holiday flavours of nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. You may want to double this recipe as it will fly off the dessert plate. A creamy layer of eggnog flavoured cheesecake on top of a chewy spice cake inspired brownie crust.

Eggnog is one of those items that the grocery stores only stock during the Christmas season so be sure to add these treats to your Christmas Baking!

Eggnog Cheesecake Brownies

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

makes: 16 squares

Ingredients for Spice Brownie Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Eggnog Cheesecake Layer Ingredients

2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
3/4 cup full fat eggnog
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven 350º. Grease 8x8 inch cake pan.
Blend together flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and salt, set aside.
With electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Mix in vanilla and egg.
Blend in flour mix just until combined, don't over mix.
Pour into cake pan spread evenly.
Bake 350º for 20 minutes or until top lightly browned.
Prepare cheesecake batter while brownie crust bakes.
Using electric mixer beat cream cheese with sugar until fluffy.
Add eggnog and vanilla, mix until combined.
On low speed add eggs, one at a time.
When brownie based is baked, reduce heat to 300º.
Remove from oven and pour cheesecake mixture on top of brownie base.
Return to oven and continue to bake 40-50 minutes until top has browned slightly.
Cool at room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Enjoy these other tasty Holiday recipes, No Bake Triple Layer Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Potato and Ham Ragu

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 17:34:00 +0000

My potato recipe features The Little Potato Company potatoes. These little potatoes are so delicious and easy to use. They come pre-washed, no peeling or extra prep required, and best of all they are available Year Round! These little gems are so versatile; boil them, bake them or simply throw them into your roasting pan with whatever meat you are cooking.

The Little Potato Company is a family based business located in Edmonton, my next door neighbour! It is North America's leader in the breeding, growing, and marketing of proprietary fresh creamer unique potatoes. The virtues of being small - the perfect little potato!

For my Potato and Ham Ragu I used two varieties; Blushing Belle and Something Blue. The Something Blue potatoes add a bold and unique colour to the dish with a slightly exotic flavour. The Blushing Belles deliver a soft, light texture with mild delicate flavour.

Heat butter and oil in large skillet. Cook ham, garlic and leeks.

Cut potatoes into chunks and add to pan.

Stir in brandy, chicken stock and oregano. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add cream and fresh parsley, season with salt and pepper. Serve as a main course with some fresh bread or as a side dish.

Potato and Ham Ragu

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4 Total Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz ham cut into small cubes
1 cup leeks, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs potatoes cut into chunks (1 bag of Little Potato Company Potatoes)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp brandy
1/4 cup cream
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to season

Directions:

Heat butter and oil in large skillet. Cook ham, garlic and leeks over medium low heat for 10 minutes.
Add potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine stock, brandy and oregano together, then slowly stir into the potatoes.
Cover and cook low heat for another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender but not mushy.
Add parsley and cream, season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for additional 5 minutes.

Read more about The Little Potato Company and their other products such as their convenient microwave roasting kits that come packed in a cooking tray with seasoning packets.

*The Little Potato Company supplied me with the potatoes for this post.

Honey Baked Crispy Phyllo Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 00:30:00 +0000

I recently received a book from Raincoast Books to review. "Sweet Alchemy: Dessert Magic" by Yigit Pura is a delightful book full striking desserts, beautifully written. Pura, the winner of Top Chef Just Desserts is also the owner of San Francisco's Tout Sweet Patisserie. In his book Pura shares his secrets from perfect pastries to sweet formulas such as his recipe for Burnt Caramel Sauce.

One of the recipes that intrigued me from Sweet Alchemy Dessert Magic was "Honey Baked Crispy Phyllo Squares". These cookie type squares were deliciously light and crisp, perfect with a cup of tea! I really enjoyed perusing this cookbook and am looking forward to try many more recipes.

Honey Baked Crispy Phyllo Squares

recipe courtesy Yigit Pura's book Sweet Alchemy Dessert Magic

Yield: 10 squares

Ingedients:

Grated zest of 1/2 orange
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
6 sheets phyllo dough
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325º
Line baking sheet with parchment paper and cover a cutting board with parchment paper.
Combine orange zest with 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl.
Rub the orange zest into the sugar to release the essential oils.
Add cinnamon and cardamom to the mix.
Lay 2 sheets of phyllo dough onto the work surface.
Use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of the melted butter, then sprinkle liberally with a layer of the sugar mix.
Lay another 2 sheets of phyllo dough on top of the first layer and press lightly.
Add more melted butter and then sugar mix.
Add final 2 sheets of phyllo and a final layer of butter and sugar, you should have used up all the butter and sugar by now.
Cover completely with DAMP paper towels to prevent phyllo dough from drying out, place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until butter returns to a solid state.
Remove paper towels, and use a pizza cutter to cut into squares..
Place squares onto prepared baking sheet, cover the phyllo squares with another sheet of parchment paper. Weigh the top down with another baking sheet. This will ensure that the phyllo squares will puff just enough to be flaky and crispy while still maintaining a crisp linear look.
Bake for 10 minutes, squares should be lightly browned.
Remove top baking sheet, rotate, and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until squares are caramelized and golden.
Heat honey in microwave for 20 seconds or until liquid, brush freshly baked phyllo squares with honey, then sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Some more cookie recipes to enjoy Baileys Irish Cream Macarons, Mom's Whipped Shortbread and Best Ever Sugar Cookies (Pumpkin Spice and Cardamom Orange)

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Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 17:46:00 +0000

Christmas Baking got to be a whole lot more entertaining when my friend Wanda came over to bake her old time family recipe for shortbread with me. So while sipping on some Cosmopolitans and playing festive Holiday tunes we proceeded to make a mess of my kitchen making these awesome Shortbread cookies that her family has been making for 3 generations.

This shortbread cookie recipe is so easy to make with only 4 ingredients! A great recipe for using decorative cookie presses and topping with candied decorations or cherries.

Wanda came over fully loaded with all kinds of amazing things to bake with from The Pampered Chef. Wanda is a consultant for The Pampered Chef; be sure to check out her site and get equipped with great tools for the kitchen. http://www.pamperedchef.biz/wandac

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

recipe courtesy Wanda Corcoran

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups butter room temperature
1 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
1 cup cornstarch

Directions:

Beat butter in mixer until fluffy.
Add flour, icing sugar and cornstarch.
Beat together until soft and fluffy.
Scoop onto baking sheets and flatten with a fork or decorative cookie press.
Add candied cherries or decorative candy sprinkles or silver balls.
Bake at 375º for 10 minutes or until cookies just start to brown.

My friend Wanda enjoying some Holiday cheer and freshly baked cookies!

Enjoy these other great cookie recipes, Coconut Molasses Cookies, Chia & Hemp Seed Oatmeal Cookies and Whipped Shortbread Cookies

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Candy Cane Popcorn Balls

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 05:04:00 +0000

Holiday baking with your children is a magical time for making lifelong memories. Who can’t recall time spent with your Mom or Grandma baking cookies and treats, licking spoons, our clothes all covered in flour. While my son was growing up I loved having his friends come over to make gingerbread houses or decorate sugar cookies. We would all wear Santa hats, play Holiday music and make a complete mess of the kitchen.

The first year my son was away at University and not able to be at home to help with with some Christmas baking, his very special friends Jenn and Scott came over to decorate cookies with me. We wore our Santa hats and now all grown up we enjoyed some cranberry cosmopolitans as we decorated our cookies.

One Holiday treat my family always enjoys is chocolate coated popcorn flavoured with candy cane pieces. Smashing the candy canes into little bits seems to be the job kids love best.

Candy Cane Popcorn Balls

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Ingredients:

1 bag plain popcorn popped (about 12 cups)
4 oz good quality white chocolate
1 bag of mini marshmallows.
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup crushed up candy canes

Directions:

Pop popcorn in microwave, transfer to large bowl, remove any unpopped kernels.
Chop chocolate into small pieces, then melt in microwave at 50% power, stir occasionally. Don’t overcook! Just until melted.
In large bowl melt butter in microwave.
Stir in marshmallows, return to microwave and cook until marshmallows are melted.
Drizzle chocolate over popcorn, stir to coat all the popcorn.
Pour melted marshmallows over popcorn stirring constantly to coat all popcorn.
Sprinkle crushed candy canes throughout popcorn.
Coat hands with butter and form popcorn into balls.
Push whole candy cane into popcorn to form stick.

Do you have a family holiday recipe that everyone should try? Take the #BetterFoodForAll Challenge with Sobeys and you could win $1,000 in groceries! Or follow the #BetterFoodForAll hashtag on Twitter and Instagram for more holiday recipe inspiration from Canadians.

Ground Turkey Cabbage Roll Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 12:45:00 +0000

Homemade cabbage rolls are always part of my family's traditional Holiday meal. My husband and I have fond memories of watching our Grandmas and moms skillfully roll tasty filling inside delicate cabbage leafs. The King family topped their cabbage rolls with sauerkraut; my family used tomato soup. Classic cabbage rolls can be time consuming to make and difficult to roll up. This easy to make recipe deconstructs the cabbage rolls into a delicious casserole that tastes the same without all the fuss. Our old family recipe used ground beef and pork, but I decided to make a healthier recipe using lean ground turkey. My family absolutely loved this new, easy to make, healthier version of cabbage rolls.

Cut core from cabbage head.

Bring water to boil, cook cabbage for 3-5 minutes.

Using tongs to separate leaves.

Saute onions and carrots

In large bowl mix together all ingredients.

Mix until combined, but do not over work mixture.

Grease baking pan. Place 2 layers of cabbage leaves.

Scoop turkey mixture on top of cabbage, spread evenly.

Cover with 2 more layers of cabbage leaves.

Top with tomato soup.

Cover and bake 350º for 1 hour 30 minutes; uncover to brown last 15 minutes.

Ground Turkey Cabbage Roll Casserole

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4-6 Bake Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 head green cabbage
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 can tomato soup
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cook rice (I used my rice cooker prepared as per cooker instructions)
Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil.
Cut core out of cabbage head.
Place cabbage into boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from water and using tongs gently separate cabbage leaves. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
In skillet heat olive oil, add onions and carrots, sauté until onions are translucent.
In large bowl combine ground turkey, sautéed onions, carrots, rice, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and two tablespoons of the tomato soup.
Blend until combined but don't overwork mixture.
Grease a 1-2 quart baking pan.
Place 2 layers of cabbage leaves into baking pan.
Scoop turkey mixture on top of cabbage, spread evenly.
Cover with 2 layers of cabbage leaves.
Top with remaining tomato soup.
Cover and bake 350º for 1 hour 30 minutes. Uncover to brown top for last 15 minutes of baking.

Be sure to try these other terrific family recipes Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff and Chicken with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Eggnog Cranberry Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 04:29:00 +0000

This recipe for Eggnog Cranberry Oatmeal will have you wishing they would make eggnog year-round. The eggnog adds such incredible creamy, nutmeg flavour you'll think you're eating dessert for breakfast. Spice it up a bit more with extra cinnamon and nutmeg. I added some dried cranberries for a nice balance of tartness to the rich creaminess of the eggnog. For this recipe I used Old Fashioned Oatmeal, but any variety will work, even steel cut oats.

Eggnog Cranberry Oatmeal

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal (I used Old Fashioned Oats)
1 cup of eggnog
1 cup water
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Directions:

In large pot add water and eggnog, bring to a boil.
Sprinkle in oatmeal, reduce heat to low.
Add dried cranberries.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is evaporated.
Serve with extra eggnog and brown sugar.
Sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Enjoy these other great breakfast recipes, Baked Apple French Toast, Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal and Fuel to Go Pancakes

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Swedish Meatballs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 17:44:00 +0000

This recipe for Swedish Meatballs is comfort food at its best. Flavourful meatballs smothered in a rich creamy gravy!

The browned meatball bits on the bottom of the skillet after frying the meatballs is the key to making a sensational sauce! I use a combination of butter and olive oil when browning the meatballs, this helps prevent burning the butter. Burned butter will not made a great tasting sauce, so keep an eye on the heat while browning your meatballs! Serve with egg noodles or even mashed potatoes and you've got a recipe the family will be asking you to make more often!

Swedish Meatballs

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4 Cook Time: 30 minutes Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp. fresh oregano chopped or 1 tsp. dry oregano
1 egg
1 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups beef broth (warmed up)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

In small bowl combine panko bread crumbs and milk. Let sit for 10 minutes until bread crumbs have soaked up milk.
In large skillet heat 1 tbsp. olive oil with 1 tbsp. butter, medium heat.
Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, add garlic and oregano and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
In large bowl, combine ground beef sautéed onion, garlic and oregano.
Mix in salt, pepper and egg, combine until egg is mixed in.
Add bread crumbs to meat mixture and combine well.
Use a tablespoon or scoop to make equal sized meatballs. Recipe makes approximately 20.
Reheat skillet used to sauté onions and garlic, adding a bit more olive oil and butter if needed.
On medium heat, brown meat balls on all sides, carefully turning so they don't break apart.
Don't overcrowd skillet with meatballs, work in batches.
Transfer meatballs to baking sheet and keep warm in oven while making sauce.
Add 4 tbsp. butter to skillet, when melted whisk in flour, cook until golden brown.
Slowly stir in heated beef broth, cook at temperature that keeps sauce at slow bubble.
Stir in cream, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard.
Add meatballs into sauce, cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
Serve with egg or broad noodles or mashed potatoes.

Enjoy these other ground beef recipes. Sicilian Meatloaf and Basket Weaved Bacon Meatloaf

Great size for Pinterest photos.

Bacon Shallot Peas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 16:48:00 +0000

This is a great recipe to perk up your peas! No more plain boring peas with this quick and easy to make recipe.

Bacon Shallot Peas

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen summer peas
1 cup diced bacon (I use the more meaty sections with less fat)
1 shallot finely sliced
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tbsp. butter
salt

Directions:

Cook bacon in skillet until slightly crispy.
Add finely sliced shallot, cook until browned.
Drain excess grease, add lemon zest, set aside while you cook the peas.
Fill medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil.
Add peas and cook peas 3-5 minutes.
Drain peas add to bacon, shallots and lemon zest.
Add butter and season with salt.

This side dish is great with Sunday Chicken Dinner and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Superfood Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 06:36:00 +0000

Smoothies are a great way to pack in a ton of nutrition with very little preparation. No cooking, easy cleanup, and best of all you can enjoy it on the go! So when Williams-Sonoma contacted me to ask if I would be interested in participating in their "Not Your Typical Smoothie" campaign I accepted the challenge and got thinking of an unusual smoothie recipe.

This brought me back to a post I had done some time ago "Superfood Breakfast". This breakfast plate included an eclectic array of ingredients that I thought would work well in a smoothie. The only ingredient I couldn't bring myself to adding was the hard-boiled egg. My superfood loaded smoothie actually tasted pretty good, something I will be making more often. It feels great to start the day off knowing you've fuelled your body with some supercharged healthy food!

Superfood Smoothie

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Ingredients:

10-15 raw almonds
1 cup plain sugar-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon hemp seed
1 tablespoon chia seed
1/4 cup fresh Kale
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 avocado
1/2 packet stevia
1/2 cup ice cubes

Directions:

In blender, grind almonds to fine crumbs.
Add yogurt, kale, hemp and chia seed, blend together for a few seconds.
Add raspberries, blueberries, avocado, stevia and ice cubes.
Blend until smooth

If you're looking for a new blender be sure to check out the great options at Williams-Sonoma

Perfect Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 16:55:00 +0000

This is a very simple recipe to make delicious Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Mashed potatoes - is there anything that says comfort food more than that. Add some savoury gravy and you've got "Take me Home Country Roads".

Great mashed potatoes start off with the right potatoes. Yukon Gold or Russet work great because they have a higher starch content that produce a fluffy, smooth mashed potato. Another important aspect to making perfect mashed potatoes is cooking them properly. This starts off by cutting potatoes into equal chunks to ensure even doneness. Add cold water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until cooked. Potatoes are done when fork tender (poking a fork into the potatoes it has little resistance). Mashing the potatoes is the most important step! Under mixing causes lumpy potatoes, over mixing and you have gluey mashed potatoes. I start with a potato masher to mash down the potatoes with the garlic and butter. Then I switch to an electric hand mixer to add the cream. When using the hand mixer combine only until mixed and fluffy on low speed, remember over mixing will cause your potatoes to turn to glue! Not good, garbage, start over!

Perfect Garlic Mashed Potatoes

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 6 Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. Yukon gold or russet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 cloves roasted garlic (see recipe)
3/4 cup half and half cream (warmed)
1/4 cup butter (room temperature)

Directions:

Peel and cut potatoes into equal chunks.
Place in medium sized pot and cover with cold water.
Add salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.
Drain well.
Warm cream (not hot, just warmed)
Using a potato masher, mash potatoes, roasted garlic and butter together.
Pour in warmed cream and with electric hand mixer (do not use immersion blender) combine on low speed until potatoes have no lumps. You can also continue to use potato masher.
Do not over mix, or potatoes will become glue like.
If necessary season with a bit more salt.

Garlic mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for Roast Chicken. Here are my recipes for
Sunday Dinner Chicken and How to Make Roasted Garlic.

Need some more great potato recipes, check these out Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, Creamy Dill Potatoes and Irish Colcannon

How to make Roasted Garlic

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 21:53:00 +0000

Roasted garlic is so easy to make and adds great flavour to many recipes such as dressings, veggies and sauces. Roasting garlic mellows the flavour and brings out a rich caramel taste I roasted up some fresh garlic for my mashed potatoes. Be careful to not burn garlic as it becomes very bitter with a very unpleasant taste.

How to Make Roasted Garlic

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Bake Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large bulb of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Slice top off garlic bulb. (do not peel outer layers)
Place in heavy baking dish. (I use my small cast iron frying pan)
Drizzle olive oil over top of garlic bulb.
Sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake 30 minutes or until top golden brown. (do not burn)
Squeeze bottom of the garlic bulb to release the roasted garlic cloves.

Some more recipes to enjoy Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sunday Chicken Dinner

Sunday Dinner Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 16:43:00 +0000

This recipe for Sunday Chicken Dinner brings back some very fond childhood memories of Sunday Dinner at Grandma's house. My Grandma and Grandpa had the tiniest little farm house but that never stopped them from having over 20 people for Sunday Dinner. If someone stopped by they were invited to pull a chair and have some dinner. Life was so much more informal back then, you didn't need an invite to pop by someone's house. One never worried that it could be dinner time as there was always plenty to feed everyone.

My Grandparents raised their own chickens; a time when we didn't even know what organic meant. The tiny chicks were bought at the local hatchery, kept under heat lamps until they were large enough and it was warm enough outside for them to roam. Then came the fall and that time of year I dreaded...butchering chickens. It was quite a production of Aunts and Uncles and cousins all working together to get those chickens butchered, bagged and put into the freezer to keep us supplied for the upcoming winter. When we were little we started off being the feather pluckers, then advanced to gutters, and finally the expertise job of cutting the chicken into pieces and bagging them. I must say I am quite a pro at cutting up a whole chicken! Following a day of hard work we all sat down to a feast of chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies. That chicken was amazing and I have yet to taste chicken that good; maybe it was my Grandma's wood burning oven that added to incredibly flavourful chicken! This recipe is simple with only salt and pepper to season, allowing the full flavour of the chicken to shine.

Sunday Chicken Dinner

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

recipe from Grandma Lopinski

serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 4-5lb chicken cut into pieces
1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
2-3 tbsp. sunflower oil (or any type of cooking oil)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350º F
Cut chicken into pieces or use any pre cut chicken pieces you like.
Put flour onto plate for dredging chicken.
Heat oil in heavy bottomed frying pan.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge chicken pieces into flour, shake off excess, then place in heated frying pan.
Fry both sides medium high heat until golden brown, transfer to heavy roasting pan.
After all chicken is browned, deglaze frying pan with chicken broth, scraping up all the flavourful bits from pan.
Pour over chicken, just until bottom of pan is covered! Don't add too much liquid or you will have soggy chicken skin. If pan starts to dry up while roasting simply add a bit more broth.
Cover and roast for about 1 hour until chicken is done.
Use pan drippings to make gravy. Link to making the perfect gravy

Season chicken pieces with salt a pepper, dust with flour.

Pan fry until golden brown on both sides

Recipes for side dishes Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and How to make Roasted Garlic

You may also enjoy my recipe for how to make Roast Turkey, Stuffing and gravy!

Strawberry Coconut Bread French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 06:32:00 +0000

This recipe for Strawberry Coconut Bread French Toast makes for a special weekend breakfast or brunch. It is very easy to prepare and tastes so delicious. I bought the coconut bread from a local Asian grocery store where they make it fresh everyday. Add some fresh strawberries to the dish and you have a special brunch recipe to serve your weekend company.

Strawberry Coconut Bread French Toast

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

5-6 slices of fresh Coconut bread
5 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups fresh strawberries cut in half
2-3 tbsp. sugar (adjust depending on the sweetness of your strawberries)
1 tbsp. fine minute tapioca
4 tbsp. butter
maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F
Mix together strawberries, sugar and tapioca.
Grease casserole baking dish or 9x9 pan with butter.
Pour strawberries into baking pan.
In large bowl whisk together eggs and milk, cinnamon and vanilla.
Dip coconut bread into egg mixture, coat both sides. Leave bread in egg mixture long enough to allow bread to absorb a good amount of the egg mixture.
Place bread on top of strawberries.
Bake uncovered 350º oven for about 30 minutes until bread is golden brown.
Serve with a pat of butter and maple syrup.

Here is another great French Toast Recipe, Oven Baked Apple French Toast

Almond Breeze Steel Cut Oats Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 02:21:00 +0000

Thank you Food Bloggers of Canada for offering me the opportunity to work with Almond Breeze. I actually had never tried Almond Milk, what's with that? So when I received this great package from Almond Breeze the taste testing began.
For my initial taste experience I created an Almond Breeze Steel Cut Oat Smoothie. The seasonally fresh Okanagan wine grapes and fresh ripe pomegranate added delicious flavour to my morning shake. This super healthy smoothie was made with steel cut oats that I ground to a fine powder; who needs to buy expensive protein powders. I did not add any form of sweetener to my shake as I found it tasty just as is, but if your sweet tooth craves it, add a bit of honey or stevia. Almond Breeze has so many tasty varieties of almond milk - even Chocolate! It comes in Refrigerated or Shelf stable options. I loved the taste of Almond Breeze - it was "Almondiciously Good"!

Almond Breeze Steel Cut Oats Smootie

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1/4 cup steel cut oats finely ground to powder consistency
1 cup Almond Breeze Orignal (or any other Almond Breeze variety)
1/2 cup wine grapes or 1/2 fresh pomegranate
1/2 cup ice cubes
optional- honey or stevia to sweeten

Directions:

Finely grind steel cut oats in blender to powder consistency.
Add Almond Breeze milk, fruit and ice cubes.
Blend until well mixed.
optional - add a tad of honey or stevia is you like it a bit sweeter.

Another great recipe using Almond Breeze is my Dairy Free Potato Soup

*This post was sponsored by Almond Breeze. I received remuneration and product. Opinions expressed are my own.

The Original Turducken

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:42:00 +0000

I have always been curious about a Turducken ever since I saw one a few years ago in a specialty food market. What an intriguing concept - de-boned duck, chicken and stuffing wrapped up into a whole deboned turkey (except for wings and drumsticks). So when Echelon Foods contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying their product, I jumped at the opportunity!
A turducken definitely makes for a unique dining experience that will certainly impress your guests.

I chose to try the Original Turducken made with chicken-apple stuffing. The Turducken is very simple to prepare; simply defrost in the refrigerator for approximately 4 days, unwrap, place in roasting pan and roast for required time depending on cooking method you choose. I roasted mine at 250º F for 6 hours (internal temperature of 165º). For the first 4 hours I covered the bird with foil, then uncovered it for the remaining 2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour. After removing the Turducken from the oven, cover with foil and leave rest for 30 minutes. Carving is a breeze, slice in half (shown in above photo, then slice in servings.

What I liked about the Turducken - it was very easy to prepare, and carving was a breeze. A very impressive looking dish that is memorable and conversation striking. For those that fear roasting a stuffed turkey this is a great option as everything is done for you!

What I didn't like about the Turducken - I found the stuffing seasoned a bit stronger than I would like. I would prefer a more traditional tasting stuffing to allow the flavour of the poultry to come through better. Also would have preferred less stuffing.

Note: Echelon Foods provided me the Turducken free of charge. Opinions written are my own.

Fuel To Go Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 02:15:00 +0000

Two of my most popular recipes are my Fuel to Go Muffins and my Fuel to Go Protein Bars, so I decided to add one more nutritionally dense recipe to the repertoire with some loaded up pancakes. These pancakes are made with the healthy goodness of whole wheat flour, chia seed, hemp seed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Added to all that goodness is a collection of dried fruit, apple and pineapple.

These pancakes are a bit more dense than your usual white flour pancakes due to all the super healthy ingredients in them. They are sweetened with 100% organic Maple Syrup and tastes great with a mix of sugar-free berries.

Fuel to Go Pancakes

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Cook Time: 7- 10 minutes serves: 4
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup non sweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon Hemp seed
1 tablespoon Chia seed
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup well drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup shredded fresh apple
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons 100% organic Pure Maple syrup

Directions:

In large bowl stir together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, coconut and all the seeds and dried fruit.
Add pineapple and apple, combine well.
In separate bowl mix together milk, egg and maple syrup.
Add milk mixture to dry ingredients, combine well.
Cook scoopfuls of batter on hot griddle or non-stick skillet medium heat.
Flip when nicely browned on bottom, then continue to cook until done. These pancakes will take a bit longer to cook than regular pancakes.
Serve with fresh berries or frozen berries cooked until hot.

You may also like my Fuel to Go Muffins and Fuel to Go Protein Bars

Dairy Free Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:40:00 +0000

I love a hearty potato soup, comfort food at its best and this dairy-free version is the Best Ever! I created this recipe with delicious tasting Almond Breeze which is a great alternative to dairy and soy milk!

A simple collection of ingredients make a very flavourful soup that is easy to prepare. While most potato soups are loaded with calories, this is the guilt-free skinnier version of Potato Soup without compromising on taste. Use ham instead of bacon to cut calories even further. I used new red potatoes and left them unpeeled, just cut the eyes out as they can sometimes be bitter tasting. I also diced the potatoes in bite size chunks but if you prefer dice into smaller pieces. My family really enjoyed this dairy free version of Potato Soup using Almond Breeze almond milk.

Dairy Free Potato Soup

by Laureen King from ArtandtheKitchen

Serves: 6 Cook Time: 1 hour

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

5 cups potatoes, scrubbed, diced, peeled (if using older potatoes)
1 cup leeks finely sliced (white and light green parts only)
3/4 cup onion chopped
2 cloves garlic finely minced
3 ribs celery sliced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup Original Almond Breeze
1 bay leaf
5-6 slices lean bacon chopped
salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:

In large dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. With slotted spoon remove and set aside.
In same pot, drain excess fat, leaving 3-4 tablespoons.
Add leeks, onions, garlic and celery, cook until softened (5-10 minutes)
Add broth and Almond Breeze, combine together.
Add reserved bacon and potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 1 hour.

*Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Almond Breeze. I received compensation for this post. The opinions are my own.

Thank-you for your support, earning a bit from my blog allows me to buy some very expensive camera stuff to take better photos for your viewing pleasure!

Homestyle Borscht

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 16:47:00 +0000

A while back I did a recipe for Huffington Post Canada new site Kitchen Daily Canada; Homestyle Borscht. This is the best recipe I've ever made for Borscht. Hope you'll check out my recipe and the many others by some amazing food bloggers.

Homestyle Borscht -get full recipe at Kitchen Daily Canada

Ergo Chef - What Each Knife in Your Knife Set Is Made For

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 18:02:00 +0000

Do you know what each knife in your knife set is made for? Do you have a complete set of knives in your kitchen drawer or knife block and find you only use a few of them? What is the difference between a Chef's knife and a carving knife. It's time to sharpen up your knife knowledge and take advantage of all those knives!

I recently received a complete set of Ergo Chef* Crimson G10 series knives. My first reaction upon opening the box was "WOW" these knives are gorgeous!, but in the kitchen just being pretty doesn't cut it, so I went to work trying out every knife in the set. These knives are exceptional! I love how they feel in my hand, the perfect balance and weight make easy work of cutting, chopping, slicing and dicing. Top-Quality Engineering with blades made of Precision German High Carbon Steel and handles from The World's Strongest handle material G10 fiberglass resin in a beautiful wood grain look. So what is each knife in your set made for, lets get started with the most important knife in your collection; the Chef Knife.

Chef Knife- this is the most used knife in your collection. A versatile knife used for chopping, dicing, mincing and cutting. Weight and balance are most important with this knife, its got to feel good in your hand.

Carving Knife - Its length and very sharp edge allow for precise, thin slices of meat with ease. Excellent for cutting thin and even slices of meat from roasts and whole poultry.

Paring Knife - a small, light version of the chef knife used for smaller jobs requiring a bit more precision such as peeling, cutting, trimming or making garnishes; small items of food that you hold in your hand.

Bread Knife - this serrated knife is used for cutting hard or soft bread, cake, and delicate produce such as tomatoes.

Utility Knife - a medium sized knife used for finer cutting and more detailed work than a chef knife allows such as cucumbers, shallots, garlic, all your small fruits and vegetables.

Santoku Knife - this Asian style knife is perfect for chopping, slicing and making paper-thin cuts. The Granton edge on the blade helps to release thin slices and sticky food while slicing. The large blade also works great for picking up sliced food.

Nakiri Knife - designed for chopping vegetable and fruit. Shaped like a cleaver, typically you use the knife by pushing straight down to the board with very little push or pull; slicing and mincing with ease.

Steak Knives - made to accompany your table setting when serving meat. A good quality steak knife enables you to cut through meat easily and cleanly with great control.

Poultry Shears - these shears are designed to easily cut through bone and other tough materials. They can also be used as multi-purpose kitchen shears or gardening shears.

Honing Rod - designed to keep all your straight edge knives performing between sharpening. It straightens the burrs you get on your knife edges from regular use.

Ergo Chef Crimson G10 18 Piece Cutlery Set

There is nothing more important in the kitchen than a good quality set of knives. This is the incredible set I own from Ergo Chef. I am very confident that you will be extremely pleased with ERGO CHEF CUTLERY and enjoy them for years. They will probably be the only set of knives you'll ever have to buy!

* I was compensated for this post by Ergo Chef with complimentary product. I personally took all photos contained in this post.