Cilantro Jerk Marinade

I'm not sure how authentically Jamaican this jerk recipe is but I do  know that it is very tasty. My family loves it. I hope yours will too.

Fresh and full of flavour, this grilled chicken is a great recipe for your summer arsenal.

You will need a food processor or blender to make this marinade.

Add all of the ingredients to the processor or blender.

I love my citrus press.

Add caption

Process well until everything is pureed. It looks kind of like pesto.

I have used chicken breast today but you could use boneless/skinless thighs or even pork tenderloin if you wish.

Add marinade to chicken into a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for  at least three hours to overnight.

The flavour of the marinade really penetrates this meat. It goes all the way through.

Barbecue chicken on a medium hot grill for 10-15 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.

Just a delicious marinade. I have used boneless, sinless chicken breasts, but I think that this would also work with chicken thighs and even pork tenderloin.



Watch me make it on You tube.




Cilantro Jerk Marinade

1 jalapeño
1 cup, packed cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
4 green onions
6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon allspice(in the video I put one tablespoon in. It was a mistake, it should have only been a teaspoon)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

6-10 chicken breasts,thighs, or 4 pork tenderloin

Combine first 11 ingredients in food processor. Process until well blended. Mixture will resemble a thick paste. Combine meat and marinade in a ziplock bag. Place bag into the fridge and let meat marinate for a few hours. Barbeque on a medium hot grill for 10-15 minutes.

Three Cheese Spinach Filo Roll

A great lunch or light supper. Serve with a green salad or sliced tomatoes.

Hello meatless-Monday. This is a really satisfying dish.
If your family likes spanakopita they will love this. Cheesy and lemony wrapped in a light crispy shell, my family loves it.



Start by sauteing the onion in oil. Cook on medium low for 5 minutes until the onions are transparent.

Squeeze all of the moisture out of the spinach.
Add the garlic and spinach when the onions are just about done.  Cook for a few minutes until all of the moisture has evaporated from the spinach.

Cook the green onions for a few minutes

Let the mixture cool a bit before adding the cheese or eggs

Add the cheese, pine nuts,lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, dill, salt, pepper and eggs

Thaw the filo pastry in the packaging in the refrigerator overnight.
Cover with plastic wrap and a clean,damp tea towel. Filo dries out really quickly. The plastic wrap and the tea tower prevents it from drying out.

Combine 3 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp melted butter. Working with one sheet at a time, brush each sheet with oil/butter mixture. Stacking the sheets on top of each other as you go.

Spoon the filling onto the pastry, leaving about an inch on each side.

Carefully roll pastry like a jelly roll. Pinch the sides together. Brush the top with the remaining oil/butter.

Using a serrated knife make slices in two inch intervals slicing half way through the roll.
This step provides a way for steam to escape during the baking process and allows for easy cutting after the roll is cooked.

Bake until golden and crispy.

Serve one or two slices with a green salad or sliced tomato.



Watch me make it on Youtube.




250 grams frozen spinach(you may use fresh spinach, Swiss chard or kale cooked and drained)
1 tbsp oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green onions chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 cup ricotta, drained
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill(or 1 tsp dried dill)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts(may substitute slivered blanched almonds)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs
8-10 sheets filo pastry(half of a package)Thawed overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for four or five hours
3 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp olive oil

A Tale Of Two Pizzas- Pepperoni and Indian Inspired Curry Pizza

 I make two 10x15 inch pizzas for one supper for my family.
Start with one recipe of basic pizza dough. I like to make the dough the night before I make the pizzas. The dough will rise slowly in the fridge. It will be perfect after rising in the fridge in about 24 hours. ( the times are flexible, anywhere from 10-24 hrs in the fridge or 1-1.5 hours at room temperature should be good, the dough should have doubled in size)
Remove the dough from the fridge for 30-60 minutes. It should warm up a bit before it does in the pan.

Place the dough into the pan and deflate it. Gently press it out to the sides being careful not to tear it. Be patient, eventually it will reach out to the corners.

Pepperoni Pizza

Now that the dough is in the pan lets work on one pizza at a time. First the pepperoni. My boys are purists. They like their pizza rather plain.

Mix one small can of tomato sauce with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp oregano.
Spread the tomato sauce on the dough. Cover the entire surface.

Lay slices of pepperoni on top of sauce.

Cover with grated mozzarella cheese.

That is all that my kids like on their pizza. You can add whatever your family likes.

They adore pizza for breakfast. We usually have leftovers.

Watch me make it on YouTube. 

Indian Inspired Curry Pizza

Now for the grown-ups pizza.


Combine 1 cup of prepared butter chicken sauce, half of a can of coconut milk and one tsp honey.

Spread the curry sauce over the dough.

Put chopped onion, chopped green pepper, pineapple, fresh baby spinach, banana pepper rings, grated cheddar and grated mozzarella cheese.

We kept our pizza vegetarian, you may add cooked chicken if you would like.

Place pizzas in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the crust has browned lightly.

Sooooo tasty!

Pepperoni and Indian Inspired Curry Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza
One half recipe basic pizza dough
213 mls tomato sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
100 grams sliced pepperoni
3 cups grated mozzarella

Combine tomato sauce, garlic powder, and oregano. Press dough into a 10x15 inch sheet pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread tomato sauce mixture over dough. Lay pepperoni slices over tomato sauce. Top with grated mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30, until cheese is golden and dough is lightly browned.

Indian Inspired Curry Pizza
One half recipe basic pizza dough
1 cup butter chicken sauce(like pataks brand)
1/2 can coconut milk(combine the solid bits with the liquid)
1 tsp honey
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup chopped pineapple (I used fresh, you can used canned as well)
1/2 cup banana pepper slices (use more or less, depending in your families tastes)
2 cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated cheddar

Combine butter chicken sauce, coconut milk and honey. Press dough into a 10x15 inch sheet pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Spread curry sauce over dough. Layer with vegetables. Top with cheeses. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minute, until cheese is golden and dough is lightly browned.

Grilled Bruschetta Portabella Mushrooms

My family loves these mushrooms. I only make them when I can use my barbeque. There are only a few ingredients, but WOW do they have flavour! This dish appeals to vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The mushrooms are very 'meaty' and remind me of steak. If you would prefer to make vegan mushrooms, see the suggestion at the bottom of the recipe.

There are only a few ingredients. Using the best quality vinegar and oil will take this dish to another level.

Start with 6 large portobella mushroom caps. Brush the dirt off with a dry paper towel. If they are very dirty you can run them under water very briefly. Mushrooms are like sponges and will absorb any liquid that they come in contact with.
Break the stems off and scoop the gills out with a spoon.
You will have created a nice little cavity in which to put the stuffing.
Combine the marinade ingredients. Spoon the marinade over each side of the mushroom. Salt and pepper both sides. Let them sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours(the time in the marinade is flexible, just make sure they sit for a minimum of 30 minutes)

Combine the stuffing ingredients. Crumbs, tomato, onion, parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese, fresh bread crumbs and melted butter.

Spoon stuffing into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese.

Grill for 15 minutes on a medium grill. Until the mushrooms are softened and the tops are slightly browned.

Enjoy this absolutely delicious dish.

My son asked me to include this picture of him enjoying the mushrooms to prove that kids also like this dish.



Watch me make it on Youtube

Grilled Bruschetta Portabella Mushrooms
4-6 large portabella mushroom caps

Marinade

• 1/4 cup cold water
• !/4 cup good quality olive oil
• 2 tbsp. good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper both sides of the mushroom

Stuffing

• 3 or 4 cups of fresh bread crumbs. Depending on the size of the mushrooms. I used four cups for the six mushrooms that I made.
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling the top
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/3 cup melted butter

If you would like this dish to be vegan, replace the cheese with nutritional yeast and the butter with vegan margarine.

Fish Fillets in Parchment

My family loves fish. This is a mild flavoured fish dish that seems to appeal to small people. I hope you give it a try. Another one dish meal, its quick to put together and clean-up is a breeze.

Start by softening the carrots, onions, and celery in a bit of olive oil. I like to julienne the veggies. You can cut them however you like.

Cook them for five or ten minutes. They don't have to be completely cooked as they will be cooked some more in the oven.

Once the veggies are tender. Place about 3/4 cup onto a 9x13 piece of parchment.

Place a thawed fillet on to of veggies. You can use any fish that you like. This is sole. It is a very thin fillet which is why it only takes 10-15 minutes to cook. If you have a thicker fillet you will have to cook it a bit longer. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. You can add some lemon pepper or pickled lemon if you would like.

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Add some uncooked asparagus spears. A splash of white wine and a small square of butter.

First fold the paper in half. Then make small folds starting at one side and going to the other side. You will have a rough semi-circle in the end. Follow the instructions on the video below.

Put all of the packages onto a sheet pan and put into a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. The packages will puff up a bit because of the steam and the parchment paper will become a little brown on the edges.

Open the packages carefully. They are hot and full of steam.

Voila! a Healthy, nutritious, easy supper. My guys love this dish. Serve with rice of you wish. We usually have it with a side salad and skip the carbs. You can broccoli instead of asparagus.







Fish Fillets in Parchment
5 Frozen sole fillets, thawed (substitute with any fish that you like)
2 ribs celery, julienned
4 carrots, julienned
1 large onion, julienned
2 tbsp olive oil

Season each fillet with salt, pepper, paprika, lemon pepper or pickled lemon, finely minced( see description at the bottom of recipe)
1 tbsp dry white wine per package
1/2 tsp butter per package

1 bunch asparagus(can substitute broccoli)
Parchment paper torn into 9x13 rectangles

Saute carrots, onions, and celery in oil for five to ten minutes. Place about 3/4 cup carrot mixture onto one end of parchment rectangle. Put fish on top of carrot mixture. Sprinkle salt, pepper, paprika and lemon pepper onto fish. Put 4 or five asparagus spears on top of fish. Gently pour wine over top of asparagus and, lastly place the tablespoon of butter on top of asparagus. Fold the paper in half and fold to seal as described in the video. Place package onto a sheet pan and put into a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Let packages sit for a few minutes and then cut them open, carefully. They will be filled with steam.

Fish Tip- If your fish has a fishy smell after thawing soak it in some milk for a bit. The smell should be better after that.


Pickled Lemon- my new favourite thing. It comes from the middle east where it is used as a condiment and a flavouring for a variety of dishes. Very easy to make and it lasts for months in the fridge. All you need is organic lemons, a glass jar and coarse sea salt. Cut the lemon into eighths. Put a half inch of salt into the bottom of the jar. Put the lemon slices onto the salt. Layer the lemons and salt into the jar. Press the lemons until the juice rises above the lemon. You may need to add more juice. Keep at room temperature for three weeks making sure that the lemons are covered by the juice at all times. After three weeks put the jar into the fridge. They will keep for months. I like to discard the pulp and rinse well with water. Chop the rind very finely. Especially good on grilled chicken and fish dishes. Use it wherever you want a salty lemony punch.
Video tutorial coming soon.

Auntie Di's Chicken Thighs

This recipe was  first introduced to my family by my sister-in-law, Diane. My kids called it Auntie Di's Chicken Thighs, and the name has stuck. I modified the original recipe to suit my family. It is a perennial favourite. My family prefers chicken thighs to chicken breasts, but the recipe works well with either. When barbeque season arrives, you can bet this is on the menu. I always make extra so we can have chicken caesar wraps during the week. See the Salads and dressings tab for my no raw egg, no fish caesar salad dressing.

1/2 cup soy sauce
!/2 cup thawed lime juice concentrate(can substitute orange juice concentrate or lemon juice concentrate)
2 tsp chicken seasoning (like Mrs. Dash 'chicken grilling blends')
zest from one lemon
1 tsp minced garlic
16-20 chicken thighs (or 6-8 chicken breast)


Combine the first six ingredients, Stir to combine. Unroll the chicken thigh and place into a ziplock plastic bag. Refrigerate for about 5 hours.

Bring the chicken out of the fridge for one hour before grilling. Preheat barbecue and cook for 15-20 min, until juices run clear and there is no more pink inside the chicken.







Just the best, easiest marinated chicken ever. This is a great one to have in your summertime arsenal.

 

Spin-off weekday meal- Don't forget to save some for chicken caesar wraps. Place  sliced, cold chicken and romaine lettuce on to flour tortillas. Top with caesar  salad dressing. Wrap and go. Presto! Supper on the go.

Check out the video on You Tube