When it came to roasting butternut squash, I used to just chop it up, toss it with some oil and whatever herbs I had on hand, and let it go in the oven. The other day though while grocery shopping, I found some butternut squash all peeled, chopped up, and ready for me to just take home and cook – no prep needed! Did you know that this existed? Did you know that you no longer have to go through the agony of peeling squash and then dropping all your weight on the knife just to chop the darned thing? It’s true – you don’t have to do it anymore! And if you also opt to choose the easier life of buying pre-peeled and pre-chopped squash, you might just also find a beautiful recipe on the back of the package just like I did!
Ingredients:
1 package peeled, chopped butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown butter
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) Place butternut squash into a large bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. When fully mixed, pour the butternut squash onto the baking sheet, making sure that all cubes are in a single layer.
3.) Place the squashinto the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
4.) Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Dot with the butter and brown butter and place back in the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Traditions are big this time of year and in this house, along with Christmas traditions, we also have birthday traditions. Brent’s birthday is on the 16th and, Turtles being his favourite chocolate, he gets loads of them. We also have the tradition of the cake I make him, and it’s always top secret until the unveiling after dinner. This year I figured it made sense to combine the two and make him a Turtle cheesecake.
This cheesecake is so smooth, so decadent, and so, so filling. You’ll definitely need to save room for this one, and even then you only need a small slice.
1 cup packed brown sugar 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup heavy cream 4 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt
For the cheesecake filling:
3 packages cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla 3 eggs 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Start by making the Oreo cookie crust. Mix crumbs and butter together, then press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the side of a 9″ springform pan. I find it’s easiest to spread the crumbs onto the bottom of the pan, then start pressing them in the centre, moving your way out and up.
3.) Next, make the caramel sauce. Combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it thickens. Add the vanilla and cook another minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans.
4.) Pour half of the caramel sauce into the prepared crust and place in the fridge while you make the filling. Refrigerate the remaining caramel sauce for later.
5.) Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over caramel layer in crust.
6.) Place the cheesecakein the oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until centre is nearly set. Remove cheesecakefrom the oven and run a knife along the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing rim and then refrigerate for 4 hours.
7.) Warm the remaining caramel sauce in a microwave or in a double boiler. Pour over cheesecakejust before serving.
8.) In a double broiler, melt the chocolate. Very carefully lift the bowl out (it will be hot, so use oven mitts or a tea towel) and use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the caramel sauce.
9.) Run a sharp knife under hot water to make it easier to slice. Then, serve and enjoy!
Just like any time you bake fresh bread, homemade hamburger buns are so much better than the store-bought kind. Mine came out a bit more like slider buns than they did hamburger buns, but luckily we were having beef on a bun, so size really didn’t matter. And while the sesame seeds aren’t completely necessary, I do think they give the buns an added touch.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup warm water
1 package dry active yeast
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions:
1.) In large bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon of the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over top; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.
2.) Meanwhile, in saucepan, heat milk, remaining sugar, butter and salt over low heat just until butter is melted. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Let cool until the mixture is lukewarm, then add yeast mixture to it.
3.) Add 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, to the bowl of the stand mixer while running it at medium speed. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a wooden spoon, mix in the remaining flour until a stiff dough has formed.
4.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
5.) Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a log and divide into 16 pieces. Shape each into a ball by stretching the dough on top down towards the bottom, and then pinching and sealing. When finished rolling hamburger buns, place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and flatten slightly. Cover and let rise again until it’s doubled in size, about 1 hour.
6.) Whisk egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and brush gently over the tops before sprinkling with sesame seeds.
7.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then bake the hamburger buns for 20 to 25 minutes, until the buns are golden on top and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
For the past few years, cinnamon rolls have been our traditional Christmas breakfast. Well, except for last year when they completely flopped, sending my mom out in a frantic panic on Christmas Eve to find something suitable for the next morning. That’s why this year, I needed a new recipe. This one has cinnamon baked right into the dough, and they’re so soft when they come out of the oven (and for hours after), that they practically melt in your mouth. We prefer pecans over raisins, but fill yours with whatever filling you like best and they’ll be delicious. These really are the best cinnamon rolls. Ever.
But the taste might not even be the greatest thing about these cinnamon rolls. The fact that you can prepare them the day before and then let them rise in your fridge overnight makes them a quick breakfast any day of the year.
Ingredients:
For the cinnamon rolls:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 package rapid-rise yeast
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing pan
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling:
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup pecans, chopped and lightly toasted
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Directions:
1.) Start by making the dough. Place flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well combined. Add eggs and mix on low to combine.
2.) In a small saucepan, heat milk, butter, and cinnamon over medium-low heat until butter is melted and mixture is warm, but not hot. (I stick my very clean finger into the mixture and when I can only hold it there for a couple of seconds, I know it’s ready.)
3.) Add warm milk mixture and salt to stand mixer. Beat on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough comes together. It will be very sticky.
4.) Place dough onto lightly floured surface and just bring it together. Do not knead at this point, you just want to bring it into a ball.
5.) Place a teaspoon of olive oil into the bottom of a large bowl. Place the dough in and turn to coat in oil. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours.
6.) While dough is rising, butter two 9-inch cake pans, then fit with parchment, and butter the parchment. In a bowl, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt for the filling and set aside.
7.) After the dough has risen, punch it down lightly and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, approximately 16″ x 12″. Spread the butter over the dough, leaving a 1/2 border on the longer sides. Sprinkle the filling mixture even over the butter, then sprinkle pecans over top.
8.) Starting at the long edge closest to you, roll dough up to the other longer edge, pinching it gently underneath as you do. Once you’ve rolled the cinnamon rolls into a log or loaf, cut the dough crosswise into 6 even pieces. I do this by first cutting it in half so that I have two pieces. I then cut those two pieces into half so that I have four pieces, and so on until I have 16 pieces. This will help you create even pieces.
9.) Divide the rolls between the cake pans, arranging them cut-side up. It’s okay if the rolls are touching, but don’t cram too many into one, as they will still rise in the fridge.
10.) Cover rolls with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and place them into the fridge for an overnight rise.
11.) In the morning, remove rolls from the fridge and allow them to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
12.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Once oven is hot, bake rolls until the tops are golden, about 25 minutes.
13.) While rolls are baking, prepare the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt.
14.) When rolls come out of oven, allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Then drizzle glaze over top while cinnamon rolls are still warm.
Whether you’re using them as a main course, or you just need juicy chickenfor tacos or a salad, there’s more than one way to cook a good bird. Pan-roasting is a quicker way to cook chicken, and I find that because you have so much more control over it, it doesn’t dry out as easily. Any cut works for pan-roasted chicken, and taking or leaving the skin is also up to you. When everything is working right in my world I keep a couple of pan-roasted chicken breasts in my fridge for quick suppers and sandwiches.
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Pat chickenas dry as you can with paper towel and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.) Melt the butter and the oil together in a cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down. Yes, I realize this is a skinless chicken recipe, but the side where the skin is found should be placed down in the pan first. Cook chicken on this side for about 10 minutes.
3.) Flip the chicken breasts over. The skin should be crispy and golden. Continue cooking skin-side up until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes. Some like to place a lid over the chicken at this point to help the chicken cook more quickly, but this can wreck all your hard work and can make the skin soggy and rubbery.
4.) Once the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and juices no longer run pink, remove chicken from pan and let rest for 5 minutes.
If you don’t know anything about her, you might think the most notable thing about Anne Burrell is her smart mouth and her blonde punk hairstyle. You’d never guess that she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and then from the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners before she went on to cook in some of the fanciest restaurants in New York. You’d never guess this about Burrell because she’s so relatable, so down-to-earth. And so is her food, as she demonstrates with these meatballs.
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 1/4″ dice
Salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
Pinch crushed red pepper
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup water
Directions:
1.) Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic, but have no colour. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
2.) In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmesan, parsley, and the bread crumbs. Squish the mixture with your hands to thoroughly combine. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt before squishing and mixing some more. Add the water and do one final good mix.
3.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Shape the meat into meatballs the size of your choice.
4.) Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballson all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballsare cooked all the way through.
5.) Serve, with marinara sauce or on their own, and enjoy!
I would’ve never thought to put tomatoes and jam together until tomato jam showed up on one of our feature menus at work. And to be honest, even then I was a little hesitant to try it. Once I did though, I could not believe how good it was – or why I hadn’t thought of it before. The natural sweetness of the tomatoes works beautifully in the jam, but a slow simmer and the addition of other ingredients makes it very “jammy” and not at all like tomato paste (which I have to admit, is what I first envisioned.)
When I asked my co-worker who made the recipe how to make it she said, “Grab a potful of tomatoes, lots of brown sugar, and simmer on very low heat for two days while stirring occasionally.” I had some questions. I mean, two days? Does that include overnight? (Apparently it does.) I just didn’t see it working. What if you had to leave your house? Everyone knows you can’t leave the stove on and just walk out the door. So instead of taking the chance, I’ve played around with tomatoes and sugar a little bit and have come up with a tomato jam that is delicious, and perfectly safe to make!
Ingredients:
2 pounds tomatoes (Romas are best, but any tomato will work)
1 cup sugar
Juice from 2 limes
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Directions:
1.) Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2.) Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cool completely before refrigerating. Chilled jamwill keep for at least two weeks.
3.) Serve on sandwiches, scone, or wherever you want delicious jam, and enjoy!
Jelly bean cake was one of my favourites as a kid. My grandma made them for birthdays and while they’re so simple in concept, they really are something that’s truly special to me. Feeling nostalgic when Paige turned 10 last month, I decided to forego buying a cake and make her one myself (something I promised her I’d never do after a certain birthday cake disaster.) I knew I had to make the jelly bean cake.
The cake is easy – two layers joined by rich and creamy frosting (or jam, if you want to stay authentically true to grandma), decorated by frosting and of course, jelly beans. But I never appreciated just how much time they can actually take – especially when you’re making a different kind of cake for each layer. This is also a spin off the original jelly bean cake that grandma used to make, but what the birthday girls wants, the birthday girl gets. It ended up looking pretty cool, and let’s face it. All you really need to make a jelly bean cake are some very colourful jelly beans.
Ingredients:
For the white cake:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
For the frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
3 – 4 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 – 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Pinch of salt
For the decoration:
30 – 40 jelly beans
Directions:
1.) Start by making the white cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and coat a 9″ round cake pan with non-stick baking spray or butter and flour.
2.) With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each addition before adding another. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, also making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another.
3.) Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and vanilla extract into a measuring cup and whisk together with a fork. Add to butter and shortening mixture, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
4.) Gently stir all ingredients until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, making sure all ingredients are mixed well.
5.) Pour the cake batter into the cake pan, making sure that its’ even at the surface. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes before inverting and removing cake from pan, allowing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
6.) Next, make the chocolate cake. Keep the oven preheated at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare another 9″ round cake pan by spraying with non-stick spray or by buttering and flouring.
7.) Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until it’s well-combined.
8.) Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until it’s well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
9.) Pour the cake batter into the cake pan, making sure the surface is even. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the cake pan for 5 minutes before removing from the cake pan and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.
11.) Make the frosting. Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in colour, about 3 minutes.
12.) Add icing sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto its highest speed for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
13.) Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until everything is fully incorporated.
14.) Add heavy cream, until the frosting has reached desired consistency. If frosting is too thick, add a touch more cream; if it’s too loose, add a bit more icing sugar.
15.) When cakes have completely cooled, start frosting. Level both of the cakesby cutting off any pointed or rounded tops, making sure the cake is completely level. Then, spread a layer of frosting across the top of one cake. Place the non-frosted cake on top of the frosted cake to make one layered cake.
16.) Place the cake on the plate you’ll serve it one and begin frosting. Start by coating the entire cake in a very thin layer of frosting. This is known as the “crumb layer” and will coat any crumbs on the sides and top of the cake so that they do not end up in the finishing frosting layer.
17.) Start really frosting the cake. Mound a large pile of frosting in the centre of the top of the cake. With a slanted spatula, or frosting spatula, push the frosting down and out towards the edges of the cake. It’s perfectly okay if the frosting slips over the edge and starts to travel down the sides of the cake. Move that frosting around the sides of the cake. Pick up more frosting with the slanted spatula and move around the sides of the cake until an even layer of frosting, at your desired thickness, has been applied. Then just use your slanted spatula to move around the cake, including on top, completely smoothing out the frosting and ensuring that it’s even.
18.) Place the jelly beans around the top edge of the cake.
There are a surprising amount of ways to dress up plain old green beans, and adding spiced breadcrumbs might be one of the most unexpected. The crumbs bring a nice crunch to the already crispy beans, and also bring a new layer of flavour to the spices. Don’t worry about packing carbs onto your veggies, though. This recipe does away with the butter that I typically mound onto my green beans, but if you use a good olive oil you won’t even notice.
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) In a medium-sized bowl combine breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
3.) Pour breadcrumbs onto a baking sheet and bake until they are golden, about 5 minutes.
4.) While the breadcrumbs are baking, place a steamer basket into a saucepan with 2 inches of water. Place the green beans into the basket, cover, and bring the water up to a boil. Let the beans steam for about 3 minutes, just until they are crisp-tender.
5.) Transfer beans to a bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
6.) Lay green beans out on a plate or platter and spread breadcrumbs evenly along the centre of them.
Pot pie of any kind isn’t really exciting. Just ask my kids. We eat it so often around here that it’s definitely not one of those dishes that has them running to the table. Making it a few nights ago, I once again wondered how I could jazz it up a bit, but felt as though I had run out of things to do with it. Cutting the top crust out into cute shapes, done. Using phyllo pastry instead of pie dough, done. But what if I took that same phyllo and instead of putting it on top, left it on the bottom of the pie? Turns out, not only did I get the cutest chicken pot pie possible, but we also had a tasty chip-like crust to eat at the end of it all.
Ingredients:
6 sheets of phyllo dough
1/2 cup butter, melted, plus more for greasing
3 cups roasted chicken, cubed
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 egg, beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon of water
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter.
2.) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the diced carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir to coat everything in oil and then saute just until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted chicken, the oregano, and the thyme. Stir to combine everything.
3.) Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and allow to melt. Sprinkle the flour over top and then mix so that everything becomes lightly coated in flour. Allow to cook for 2 minutes.
4.) Slowly whisk in the chicken stock, making sure there are no lumps as you pour in the stock. Bring the entire mixture up to a simmer. Taste, add salt and pepper, and taste again. Adjust seasoning if necessary and turn heat to very low.
5.) Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough, keeping those you’re not using covered to prevent them from drying out. Brush the entire sheet with butter and sprinkle (very lightly) with salt. Lay another sheet on top, brush with butter, and lightly sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all six sheets have been layered on top of one another, and all have been brushed with butter.
6.) The next step is to cut the phyllo dough so that you end up with squares that will fit into the muffin tins. You’ll need 12 squares in total, and there’s a very easy way to do it. Start by cutting the phyllo in half right down the centre. Now you’re left with two big squares of layered phyllo. Cut those two squares right down the centre, and now you’re left with 4 narrow strips. Move your knife to the side of the phyllo dough, and once again, cut straight down the middle. Now you can see squares starting to form. Move to one side of that cut, and cut straight down the middle of the remaining dough on that side. Then move to the other side, and cut straight down the middle of that as well. Now you have 12 squares of phyllo dough!
7.) Gather one square of layered phyllo dough and place it into the muffin tin. Push it down gently to the bottom of the tin and up the sides. Repeat with each remaining phyllo square. (My squares were really big so I had to use every other well, using two muffin tin pans in total so the squares didn’t overlap each other.)
8.) Place the phyllo cups into the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the phyllo is golden brown and crispy along the edges.
9.) Remove phyllo squares from the oven and place on individual plates, or one large platter. Fill with the chicken pot pie filling.
