Roasted Chicken and Sausage Lasagna

Most likely everyone has had lasagna, and maybe even made their own. What I like about lasagna is that once you get the process right, you can personalize it and add your favorite ingredients. It doesn't have to be a basic, ground beef, tomato and cheese dish.  This version, has roasted chicken, chorizo sausage, two homemade sauces and lots of fresh veggies. Great for welcoming back a good friend, from the great white north. (For Kathy, and 3 others)

Wash and cut your peppers in half, put in a pan, set oven to broil and put on middle shelf of oven. They should be ready by the time your tomato sauce is simmering, in about half an hour. Keep an eye on them. For tomato sauce, follow directions 2 and 3 from 10 Veg Tomato Sauce, you can begin this once peppers are in.

Meanwhile, once your tomato sauce in simmering, in another small pot, on med high heat melt 3 tablespoons of butter, once melted, add flour and mix well. Then while mixing, slowly add your milk, bring to a boil while stirring continuously. Reduce heat to low and add half an onion, with a bay leaf pinned to it with a clove. Stir to keep sauce from sticking, once the sauce starts to thicken ( in about 15 minutes) remove onion and discard, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat

Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon.

While your tomato sauce is cooking, mix ricotta mixture, set aside

Remove peppers from oven, place in bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, the steam will help the skin come off peppers once they've cooled. Remove skin, seeds and slice. Set aside. 

At this point your tomato sauce is ready to be pureed, do so, then season with salt and pepper and basil. On stove top in a large pot, on med high, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, skin side down brown chicken and season with salt and pepper, add about 1 cup of tomato sauce and bake at 375*C for an hour (half for boneless), in last 15 minutes of cooking add sausages. Remove chicken, discard skin,  it should just fall off the bone, so it can be shredded. Remove sausages and slice. While chicken is cooking you can saute mushrooms, with butter, salt and pepper, on med high heat until soft. (about 10 minutes) Set aside, then with the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute spinach for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove as much liquid as possible from spinach. 

 In a large pot bring salted water to a boil, cook just a few lasagna sheets at a time, place them in boiling water and when they begin to float (in about 90 seconds) remove, strain and rinse with cold water. Cut your sheets to fit your pan, and make sure they aren't too wet before assembling lasagna. All your ingredients are now ready, start with a thin layer of tomato sauce on bottom of pan, then lasagna sheets. On each layer, spread sauce thinly and sprinkle with a little bit of mozzarella cheese. The order, and what your put on each layer doesn't matter, make it your own!!

The top layer, again spread your sauce thinly, then add most of mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake at 375*C for an hour. Remove foil, turn oven up to 400*C and bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown. With left over cream sauce and tomato sauce, spoon a little on each plate, cut lasagna into desired sized cuts and place over plated sauce. 

Ingredients:

• Tomato Sauce:
• 1/2 chopped sweet  large onion
• same amount chopped carrots (about a cup and a half)
• 1 chopped leek
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cans of unseasoned chopped tomatoes (800g each)
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 8 - 10 fresh basil leaves chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Refer to 10 Veg Tomato Sauce steps 2 and 3 for sauce, puree sauce, season and lastly add fresh basil.

• Bechamel Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 3 generous tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups of homo milk
• 1/2 onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove
• salt and pepper to taste

• Ricotta Cheese Mixture:
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 container of ricotta cheese ( 475g about 1 lb)
• 8 -10  chopped fresh basil leaves, chopped
• fresh cracked pepper, about 1 teaspoon

• Everything else:
• 6-10 fresh lasagna sheets (once they've been par boiled, cut them to size to fit your pan)
• 2 Red peppers, roasted and chopped
• 1 package of cleaned fresh spinach, sauteed with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (once cooked, squeeze out most of the water)
• 1 package of fresh mushrooms, chopped, sauteed with 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 chicken breasts, bone in, skin on is optimal for flavor, but if you must boneless, skinless is fine. A purchased rotisserie chicken, would be great for this as well.
• 2 chorizo sausages
• Shredded mozzarella (450-500g about 1 lb)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Port and Fig Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Lentils

I set out in search of pomegranates for this tenderloin dish. After scouring a few of my favorite grocers and specialty shops, I simply could not find any. Then, at the check-out, feeling a little discouraged, I saw these beautiful, ready to eat figs and I was newly inspired. So here it is; a sweet port and fig glazed pork tenderloin, with smoky warm romaine lettuce and creamy mustard lentils. Prepare your taste-buds because this is a sophisticated dish that's ready in just 45 minutes. (Serves 4)   

Start by marinating your tenderloin and refrigerate. You can do this the night before, but a few hours before cooking is fine as well.

In a large pot, on med high heat add 1 tbsp of butter and saute  one whole chopped shallot until softened (about 5 minutes) add rinsed lentils, about 2 cups of chicken stock (enough to cover lentils) and bring to a simmer. Then add 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 2 tbsp of butter, 4 tbsp of prepared mustard and about 1 tsp of each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and remove from heat.

Meanwhile in another large pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock, 1 cup of pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup of port, 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350*C, cover lentils and put in oven.

Bring 1 tbsp of each butter and olive oil to a sizzle on med high  heat in a pan. Gently put in tenderloin and sear meat. Rotate the meat 4 times and brown each side of the meat for about 2 minutes per side.

While meat is browning, cut your figs into quarters.

Remove tenderloin from pan and place in glaze,  spoon glaze over meat , then place figs into pot. Put in oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes for medium pork. Pork will be a touch pink in the middle, if you're not comfortable with pink pork, cook 5 minutes longer.

Remove pork from pot, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

While your meat is resting, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil  in a pan on high heat,  when it begins to smoke, remove from heat and add clean, trimmed romaine lettuce, season with salt and pepper. Toss lettuce and remove right away, you just want to warm the lettuce and give it a smoky flavor. 

Remove lentils from oven and plate, with sliced pork, lettuce and spoon glaze over pork. Be gentle with figs, they are quite delicate. Finally, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Pork Marinade:
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 2 tbsps of olive oil
• juice from 1 fresh lime
• 1/2 tsp of fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp of port
• salt and pepper about 1 tsp of each

• Port Glaze:
• 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup of port
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce
• 4 figs, quartered

• Mustard lentils:
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 4 tbsps of prepared mustard, I used 2 of maple whole grain, and 2 dijon
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 3 tbsps of butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 whole shallot

• Everything else:
• 1 pork tenderloin, cooked, then sliced.
• fresh romaine heart , about 3 per person ( with 1 tbsp of olive oil and salt and pepper) you could also use spinach, kale or brussel sprouts. 

Steak and Raita lettuce wraps

Tired of Taco Night? Try these spicy steak and cool raita lettuce wraps. Just as fun to assemble, but twice the flavor. Easy to prepare ahead, so if you're having a dinner party spend your time with your guests and not slaving away in the kitchen.  

(Serves 4)

Start by preparing your Raita*, peel, remove seeds and chop cucumber. Put in food processor with green onions, 2 garlic cloves, fresh cilantro, yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, 1 tsp of paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Make ahead and refrigerate to let the flavors combine.

Steak Marinade: combine 1/4 cup of ketchup, 2 tsp of olive oil, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 1tsp chipotle paste, 1 tsp paprika, 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 2tbsp shoyu (or soy sauce) and 1 chopped garlic clove. Pour over steaks and refrigerate for several hours, or make ahead the night before. 

Clean button mushrooms by brushing with a dry paper towel.  Toss in 1/4 cup of shoyu,  3tbsp of worcestershire sauce and 1 tbsp of steak spice.  Let mushrooms marinate for about an hour before cooking. At this time you can also wash and dry lettuce and set aside until ready to serve. Keep lettuce dry and cool to keep lettuce crisp.

Remove steaks from fridge and let sit for about an hour.  Then in hot pan or bbq, cook steaks. I used NY striploins, about 2 inches thick, on med high heat, I cooked each side for 4 minutes for med-rare. Brush marinade onto steaks while cooking.

Remove steaks from heat and cover  with aluminum  foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  While steaks are resting, in 2 hot pans, add 1tbsp of butter to each on med high heat. In one, saute mushrooms, in other, saute red peppers with 2 tbsp of ketchup, 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar and some fresh cracked black pepper. Cook both peppers and mushrooms until tender, about 10 minutes. 

Slice steak and assemble a platter so that everyone can make their own wraps.

Ingredients:

• Raita: 
• 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• juice from one fresh lime
• 1 whole cucumber
• about 2 handfuls of fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

• Steak Marinade:
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp shoyu ( or soy sauce)
• 1 chopped garlic clove

• Mushroom Marinade:
• 1/4 cup shoyu
• 3 tbsp of worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp steak spice

• Everything else:
• 1 container of button mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper ( with 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and fresh cracked pepper)
• 1 head of bib lettuce, boston lettuce or 2 heads of romaine hearts
• steak enough for 4 people, ( I used 2, 10 ounce NY striploins from Saslove's meat market) http://www.saslovesmeat.com/

* Raita is a yogurt based sauce, typically served as a cooling agent for spicy dishes in Indian cuisine.

10 Veg Tomato Sauce

To me, nothing says comfort food like spaghetti. Serve it with a perfectly cooked striploin steak and you have the ultimate meal. This recipe is for a hearty tomato sauce, packed full of 10 different vegetables. Every step is an exercise in building flavor, so that every veggie's taste is highlighted and enhanced. Bon appetit! (makes about 3L)

In a large pot bring salted (about 1tsp of salt) water (enough to cover broccoli and cauliflower) to a boil, cook broccoli and cauliflower for 3 minutes, drain then return to pan. Add 2tbsp of butter, grated Romano cheese and 1 tbsp of cracked black pepper, toss and set aside until later. 

Meanwhile in another large pot, on med high heat, bring  1tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil to a sizzle, add chopped onion, carrots, garlic and leeks, saute until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and 1 cup of olive oil to previous mixture, bring to a boil on high, then reduce heat to med and simmer for about 45 minutes.

While your sauce is simmering, in another pan heat 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil on med high, saute mushrooms first until they begin to turn golden, about 10mins. Then add chopped zucchini and red peppers and oregano and saute for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In batches with food processor or hand mixer, puree tomato, onion, carrot and leek mixture. Return to pot and add, mushroom mixture, and broccoli mixture. Add fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste ( about 2 tbsp of each). You can also add a little fresh cream if you'd like. Simmer to allow flavors to blend, then serve with fresh pasta or spaghetti squash.

This sauce is a great base, you can add ground beef, turkey or chorizo sausage.  Or serve it with your favorite white fish or red meat.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a cauliflower head cleaned, stems removed, chopped uniformly
• equal amount of broccoli or broccolini (about 3 florets)
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• chopped carrots (same amount as onion)
• 1 leek (cleaned and chopped, refer to Leek and potato soup for know how)
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 1  and a1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped (or more)
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tbsp dried oregano (fresh is great too)
• 2 cans of whole or chopped unseasoned tomatoes ( 800ml each)
• 1cup and 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 5 tbsp of butter
• 3 tbsp of cracked black pepper (to taste)
• 2-3 tbsp of sea salt (to taste)
• 1 and1/4 cup shredded romano pedano cheese

optional; add 1/4 cup of heavy cream.

Maple and chili glazed duck with creamy barley risotto

Creamy, buttery, cheesy risotto is one of my favorite dishes. While it's traditionally made with arborio rice,  this version is made with pearl barley. Served with decadent duck breast, this dish is sure to impress your guests. But what will impress you, is how easy this dish is to prepare. ( serves 4)

In a small pot, bring maple syrup, beef broth and chili flakes to a boil.  Reduce heat  and simmer for about 15 minutes. Until liquid reduces to about half. In another large pot,  heat stock and keep on low heat.

 In a third large pot, on med high heat  saute chopped onion and shallots in 2tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of cooking oil until soft (about 5 minutes). Add rinsed barley. One ladle at a time, add hot stock and stir until liquid is absorbed, repeat this step until all stock has been added to barley. Stir continuously, to keep barley from sticking to pot. This takes about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saute pan, heat on med high  1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once butter is completely melted, add chopped mushrooms, fresh ground pepper and shoyu ( organic soy sauce) or salt. Saute until soft (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add peas. Set aside. 

Once all of the stock has been absorbed, remove pot from heat and add grated cheese and 2 tbsp of butter  and stir.  Also stir in mushroom and pea mixture. Remember to taste while cooking and add seasoning where you feel it's necessary.  When all is combined, put lid on pot and set aside. Risotto will stay hot until you're ready to serve.

Take, thawed duck breasts and score skin. ( with a sharp knife, cut  through the skin, almost all the way through the layer of fat, on a diagonal, you'll cut a checkerboard pattern) Season duck, with salt, pepper and paprika.

In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of butter, and 1 tbsp of cooking oil on med high heat. When butter reaches a sizzling point, gently place duck, skin side down into hot pan. Cook, for 5 minutes and turn over and cook for another 8 minutes. ( for med rare) *

Remove duck from pan, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes.

Slice duck and serve over risotto. Spoon about 2 tbsp of  maple glaze over duck .  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 Thawed duck breasts ( purchased from Aubrey's Butcher shop http://www.aubreysmeats.ca/ )
• 1/2 cup real maple syrup
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tsp of chili flakes
• 1.8L of chicken (or vegetable) stock (2 standard containers)
• 2 cups of rinsed pearl barley ( hulled in great too, but be prepared to double your cooking time)
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cups of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sweet peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 tbsp shoyu ( organic soy sauce)
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ( I used romano pedano)
• 6 tbsp butter ( approximately)
• 3 tbsp cooking oil (approximately)
• salt and pepper to taste

*  Cooking with butter alone is fine, but often butter will burn. By adding a little cooking oil, you retain the flavor you get from butter, but keep it from burning. Oil has a much higher smoke point than butter.

Black and white cheesecake bites

Cheesecake everyday, without bursting the seam of your pants? Possible, with these bite sized, dark chocolate dipped, mini white chocolate cheesecakes.  Sounds like a mouthful? You betcha. Great for parties, or just keep them in the freezer and have them as a treat. The key though, is having just one at a time - Good luck!

Create a double boiler with a small pot, fill only 1/4 of pot with water.  Cover pot with a bowl, stainless steel is ideal, but oven safe bowls are just fine. The bowl should fit in pot, but not sit in the water. Bring water to a boil, add white chocolate chips to bowl, stir while melting.   

Melt butter and mix thoroughly with oreo crumbs.  

Grease spring foam pan with butter. Pour in oreo mixture into pan and press down evenly throughout. Something with a small flat surface can help you with this, I used the bottom of my measuring cup.

While your chocolate is melting, you can start mixing your cheesecake. Start by mixing cream cheese, add sugar and then add eggs one at a time. If you're using an electric mixer, stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Continue to mix and finally add vanilla, lemon juice and melted white chocolate.

Tip: to avoid egg shells getting into your recipes, break eggs into your hand. Let egg slip through your fingers into the bowl. If there are any shells, they'll stick to your hand and won't end up in your food.

Pour batter over oreo crust and with a spatula, spread batter gently and evenly throughout.
Bake cheesecake at 325*C for 45 minutes on middle rack. Remove and cool.

Once Cheesecake has cooled, run a sharp knife around the edge, then gently remove cheesecake from pan.

Trim edges and square off cheesecake.

With a clean knife cut cheesecake into squares. With every cut, wipe your knife clean, otherwise you'll end up with little bits of cheesecake that will eventually end up in your melted dark chocolate. Then chill squares in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.

Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler on high heat. Once the chocolate is melted, turn heat to low. While holding the bottom of cheesecake between your thumb and index finger, dip square into chocolate upside down, let excess drip off. You  could also use toothpicks. On a parchment lined tray place cheesecakes in freezer.

Keep cheesecakes in fridge, or keep in freezer for a later date.

Ingredients:

• 2  250g packages of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups oreo cookie crumb
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

The key to this dessert is being organized so you can work quickly. Have all you squares cut and chilled and your trays lined with parchment paper, before you begin to dip them in the melted dark chocolate.