Chicken Soup with Wild Rice

4-6 c - chicken broth (depending on broth amount preference)
1 - chicken bouillon cube
~5 - bay leaves
1 tbsp - uncooked barley
2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 - celery stalks, chopped
1/4c - carrots, chopped
1-2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
1c - cooked wild rice
pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Combine chicken broth, bouillon cube, bay leaves, barley, and garlic into large pot. Bring to boil.
2. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add celery, carrots, and rice. Season with pepper. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken, simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. 

Steak marinade

 (no oil, no Worcestershire)
~ good for about 3 small-2 medium-1 large steak(s)

1/3 c soya sauce
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
2-4 tbsp red wine
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ground pepper

1. Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Add more wine/brown sugar as needed to balance out saltiness from the soya sauce.
2. Marinate for at least 4 hours in a plastic ziplock. Refrigerate.
3. Top steak with grilled tomatoes and roasted garlic cloves.

Caramel-filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat: 350 F

Bake time: 13-16 minutes

Yield: ~50 cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c - butter, room temperature/softened

1 c - granulated sugar

1 c - brown sugar

1 tbsp - pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

3 c - all-purpose flour

2 tsp - baking soda

1 tsp - salt

1 1/2 to 2 c - semisweet chocolate chips

50 Rolos or caramel squares, frozen

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars together. When evenly incorporated, beat in vanilla. Then beat in eggs, one at a time.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly beat flour mixture into butter mixture, a little bit at a time.

3. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Refrigerate dough for 30 minute to overnight. 

5. Roll dough into 1.5" balls, and flatten. Place Rolo or caramel in centre of flatten dough and re-roll into a ball. 

6. Place dough balls in freezer for 10-20 minutes before baking.

7. Place cookies 2" apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 13-16 minutes (or until golden brown) at 350 degrees F. Cool for 5-10 minutes.

*Note: these cookies are best when right out of the oven and caramel is melted. For day-after cookies, especially when using caramel squares, reheat cookies in microwave for about 20 seconds to remelt the caramel.

Seasoned Roasted Potatoes

Preheat: 450 F
- Line baking sheet with aluminum foil

Ingredients:
- Potatoes (red, baking, etc)
- Paprika
- Seasoning salt
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Parmesan cheese (~2-3 tsp per potato)
- Olive oil (~2 tsp per potato)

Directions:
1. Wash potatoes, slice them to a approximately 1/4", soak in cold water while oven is preheating (or for approximately 10-30 minutes - the longer the more starch removed)
2. In plastic ziploc bag, mix seasonings in equal parts, add parmesan cheese, and olive oil
3. Add potato slices to bag, and shake to coat all potatoes well
4. Spray tin foil to with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place potatoes on tin foil. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once

Parmesan-Paprika-Garlic Popcorn

Ingredients:
Canola or olive oil
Popcorn kernels
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp - paprika
1 tbsp - parmesan cheese
garlic salt
pepper

Directions:
1. In small bowl, mix paprika, parmesan cheese, dash of garlic salt and pepper
2. In small to medium sized pot, pour oil in pot just enough to cover the bottom surface. Drop in 3 kernels, place over medium heat and cover.
3. Once the 3 kernels have popped, add minced garlic to oil and add enough popcorn kernels to pot to cover the bottom surface, place lid back on pot. Shake pot to prevent burning. Remove from heat once pops are about 3-5 seconds apart. Once remove from heat, leave lid on until kernels have completely stopped popping.
4. Pour popcorn into bowl and pour seasoning mix over popcorn and mix until well blended.

Minestrone Soup

2-3 c - chicken or vegetable broth
1 can - diced tomatoes

1/2 c - chopped sweet onion
1 - 1 1/2 c - chopped vegetables
1/4 c - chopped fresh spinach
1 can - kidney beans, rinsed
1 c - shell pasta or elbow macaroni

basil
Italian seasoning
2 - garlic cloves, minced
garlic salt
pepper


Directions:
1. Season diced tomatoes in a medium bowl with basil, pepper, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Let marinate for 15 minutes
2. In a large pot, saute onions in 5 tbsp of broth until translucent. Add rest of broth.
3. Strain diced tomatoes into pot through a sieve. Set tomato chunks aside. Add basil, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and last clove of mined garlic. Bring to a boil.
4. Once at a boil, add beans, vegetables, spinach, and pasta. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5-10 minutes.

Healthy Omega-3 Granola

Preheat: 300 F
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Ingredients:
1/3 c - maple syrup
1 tbsp - honey
1 tsp - vanilla2 1/2 c - rolled oats*
1 - 1 1/2 tsp - cinnamon
2 tbsp - ground flax seed
1 tbsp - whole flax seed
1/4 - 1/2 c - chopped walnuts (and/or almond slivers)

1/2 c - dried cranberries

*substitute 1/2 c of oats for dried cereal, such as Shreddies or Honey Nut Cheerios


Directions:
1. Whisk together maple syrup, honey, and vanilla.
2. Add oats, cinnamon, whole and ground flax, and walnuts to wet ingredients. Fold together, until mixed well and there is no excess wet ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Spread evenly on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring half way through. When finished baking, for added crunch, broil on low for an addition 2-4 minutes, stirring half way through. 
4. Let granola cool, then add dried cranberries. 


*can be stored in air tight container for about a month

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Yeild: 12 cupcake/24 minicupcakes
Preheat: 350 F
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c - all-purpose flour
1 tsp - baking powder
1/4 tsp - salt
1 tbsp - cocoa powder
1/4 c - unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c - white sugar
1 - egg
1/2 tsp - pure vanilla extract
1/2 c - buttermilk
red food colouring
1/2 tsp - white vinegar
1/2 tsp - baking soda
Icing:
1 pkg (250 g) - light cream cheese
1/2 tsp - pure vanilla extract
1 c - icing sugar, sifted
1/4 c - unsalted butter, room temperature


Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until soft (1-2 minutes).
- Add sugar to butter and beat together until light an fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add egg, beat until incorporated, scarping down sides of bowl.
- Add vanilla and beat until just combined.

3. In a small bowl, add red food colouring until a bright red colour appears (approximately 1 1/2 tsp).

4. Add a little flour mixture then a little red buttermilk to butter mixture, alternating for thee additions - starting and ending on the flour. Continually beating on low speed until just incorporated.

5. In a shot glass or small cup, combine baking soda and vinegar. Quickly mix together, let the mixture fizz for a few seconds, and then fold into the batter.

6. Spoon into lined or greased cupcake tins. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool completely before icing.

Icing:
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and butter until creamy.
- Mix in vanilla, then slowly add icing sugar.
- Chill in fridge for 30 minutes before icing cupcakes.

The Bacon Cupcake (with Maple Cream Cheese Icing)

Preheat oven to 325 F. 

Devils Food Cupcakes:

2 c - all purpose flour
1 tsp - salt

1 tsp - baking powder

2 tsp - baking soda

3/4 c - unsweetened cocoa

2 c - sugar

1 c - vegetable or canola oil

1 c - milk

1 c - hot coffee

2 - eggs

1 tsp - pure vanilla extract

~1 package - bacon (more or less)

Icing:

1 package (250g) - Light cream cheese, room temperature

5 tbsp - Unsalted butter, room temperature

2 c - Icing sugar

1/3 c - Pure maple syrup

Directions:
1. In a skillet, cook bacon slices until crispy. Place a piece of paper towel on a plate. Once bacon is cooked, place on paper towel and cover with another paper towel to remove excess fat.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and sugar. Add oil, coffee, and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat for  another 2 minutes.  

- Crumble 2/3 of bacon and stir into cake batter. Break remaining pieces of bacon into thirds or fourths to make up about 24 pieces for garnish.

3. Spoon batter into lined or greased cupcake tins. Bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once baked thoroughly, cool cupcakes completely before icing on wire rack.

Icing:
1. In a medium to large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy.
2. Add icing sugar a little bit at a time, beating on low speed until just blended.
3. Add maple syrup and stir or low-speed beat until just blended. 

4. If icing is runny or too soft to ice, chill covered in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

5. Ice cupcakes with piping bag and garnish with bacon piece.

Stuffed Caprese Salad

Photo credit: Sarah G

Ingredients:
20 - grape tomatoes

1 block of fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella 

20 - fresh basil leaves (stems removed)

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Slice a large portion of the top of each tomato so that it can be hulled. Slice a very small portion of the bottom of each tomato so that it will stand up right on a plate. Once each end is sliced, hull the tomato with a small spoon.
2. Place tomatoes on serving plate and drizzle the balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the tomatoes.
3. Cut the mozzarella into 20 small cubes - small enough to fit inside the tomatoes. Once cubed, wrap a fresh basil leave around each cube of mozzarella. Place each basil wrapped cheese cube in a hulled tomato.
- If desired, drizzle more vinegar and/or oil over added mozzarella.

Balsamic Strawberry and Prosciutto Crostinis

Photo credit: my good friend Sarah G

Preheat oven to 350F

For Crostini:
1 baguette
olive oil
For Topping:
2 oz - Strawberries
1 tbsp - balsamic vinegar
1 tsp - superfine/caster sugar (better to dissolve in the vinegar)
250 g (1 pkg) - Light cream cheese
75 g - Prosciutto
Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Wash strawberries, hull tops, slice thinly vertically.
- Place strawberries in a small bowl. Pour caster sugar and balsamic vinegar over strawberries. Place in fridge and marinate for about an hour.
- Once marinated, season with black pepper.

2. Thinly slice the baguette, brush or drizzle both sides with olive oil. Place slices on baking sheet.

3. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once. Cool on wire rack.

4. Once cooled, top crostinis with cream cheese, then prosciutto, and finish with one or two slices of marinated strawberries.