Check Out Epicure Selections' NEW Fall-Winter Brochure HERE!
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Great Back-To-School Lunchtime Ideas available HERE.
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My Kids' Favourite School Snack Mix:
(Adapted from Epicure Selections Caesar Rim Trimmer Recipes)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp VE Classic Vinaigrette
Salt/Pepper to taste (I find I don't have to add salt due to salted pretzels in recipe)
1 Cup Shreddies cereal
1 Cup Cheerios cereal
1 1/2 Cup Prestzels
1/2 Cup Unsalted peanuts (I refrain from adding nuts during the school year due to peanut ban in effect in most schools)
1. Preheat oven to to 250*F
2. Combine butter, oil, vinaigrette, salt and pepper in microwave safe bowl. Microwave until butter melts, approximately 30 seconds.
3. Combine cereals, pretzels and nuts (if using) in large bowl. Drizzle with melted butter mixture and toss evenly to coat.
4. Pour mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
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August 20th Edition of Meals In Minutes available HERE.
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Em's Mom's Potato Salad
(Adapted from recipe shared with me by a fomer Parliament Hill colleague)
- 1 lb Green Beans, cut into 2" pieces, blanched and submerged in ice water bath.
- Red Potatoes, boiled until almost soft, cubed and sprinkled with 1-2 Tbsp vinegar (see below), while still hot.
- 1 Small red onion, sliced.
For Dressing:
Whisk 1 Tbsp VE Classic Vinaigrette Mix with 1/3 cup olive oil and 3 Tbsp VE White Balsamic vinegar or White Wine vinegar.
Toss all cooled ingredients together in a large bowl and enjoy!
*Please note that VE White Balsamic Vinegar will return to our summer catalogue in 2010!
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August 6th Edition of Meals In Minutes available HERE.
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Peter’s Best® Tiramisu Muffins (Makes 10 – 12)
Love it when clients send me recipes! Set oven to 350F
Prepare muffin trays and paper cups (if necessary) then place tray on cookie sheet. Preparation time: 10 minutes or less plus 20 minutes baking Wet Ingredients ½ cup margarine or butter ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 2 eggs beaten lightly 1 cup milk 1 cup quick or rapid rolled oats ½ cup raisins 1 tsp vanilla Dry Ingredients: 1 cup cake or pastry flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt Epicure Tiramisu Dessert Dip Mix In a large bowl: HINTS: Never beat a “quick bake” or
baking soda and/or baking powder recipe but merely blend so the liquids
can make contact with the soda/powder to get it started to produce the
gases that lift your baked goods. A
non-stick muffin sheet is ideal but try placing parchment paper between
the muffin sheet and the cookie sheet used to support it to avoid
burning the bottom of the muffin sheet. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Menu for Long Weekend Eats and Treats available HERE. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 9th Edition of Meals In Minutes available HERE.
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Melissa's Maple and Chili Lime Salmon
When my colleague Melissa first shared this recipe with me I was frankly a little skeptical about how it might turn out. One bite however, was all my family and I needed to become fans! The maple and chili flavours truly complement each other and are livened up by bursts of lime. THIS is one of those recipes I talk about at all my Tasting Parties...
1. Place salmon filets or steaks in dish and coat with maple syrup (I use a medium to dark syrup for a more pronounced maple flavour).
2. Sprinkle liberally with VE Chili Lime Sansel. Cover and place in fridge for at least an hour.
3. Place salmon skin side down on heated grill and cook no more than 8-10 minutes per inch of thickness of fish (colour of salmon should be a slightly darker shade of pink at centre).
h/t Melissa Norman
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June 25th Edition of Meals in Minutes available HERE.
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Kids made the "Mom! I Made it Myself" Chocolate Cake for Father's Day... Easy and delicious! Recipe HERE.
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Menu for Great Canadian Backyard Barbecue available HERE.
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June 11th Edition of Meals in Minutes available HERE.
A week's worth of easy, tasty, healthy and economical recipes from Epicure Selections®, Created by our own Dietitian and Chef!
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Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
(Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food)
2 pork tenderloins (about 12 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat
1 Tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
1 jar apricot jam, about 1 cup - I use highest fruit concentration / lowest sugar option I can find to control amount of carbs and calories...
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard (I often use grainy mustard-lighter flavour for kids)
1. Heat grill. Rub pork with oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, whisk together jam and mustard. Cook over medium heat until jam melts, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat. Transfer half to a small bowl for brushing. Keep remaining sauce warm.
3. Brush pork with reserved sauce, continue grilling until pork is blackened in spots and registers 150*F on a meat thermometer, 5-10 minutes more.
4. Cover pork loosely with foil; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining sauce. Serves 4.
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My Family's Favourite Turkey (or Chicken) Burgers
(Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food)
**These burgers are so juicy and flavourful, I often eat them without the bun!
1. Heat grill to high. In bowl, gently combine 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken (92-93% lean) with 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, 4 thinly sliced green onions, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard and 1 minced garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Form mixture into four 1-inch patties.
2. Lightly oil grill. Place patties on hottest part of grill, sear until browned 1-2 minutes per side. Move patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5-10 minutes per side. Serves 4.
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Easy Summer Salad With Raspberry Honey Vinaigrette
Vegetable oil
VE Raspberry Vinegar (available until August 31st)
Honey
Salad greens
Toasted pine nuts (I used sliced almonds)
Crumbled goat cheese
Combine roughly equal quantities of oil, vinegar and honey (I used about 1/3 cup oil, a little less vinegar and less honey)
Pour over salad greens, toasted pine nuts, VE Cherries and Berries and crumbled goat cheese. Toss and serve.
h/t Dana Kayal
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Smoky Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup low fat natural yogurt
1.5 Tbsp VE Smoky Ranch Dip
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, snipped chives
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Mix yogurt, buttermilk and mayonnaise, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve on salad greens, also makes a great dip for chicken fingers!
Makes 1.5 cups and keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge.
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Balsamic Bread Dipper With Classic Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. VE White Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. VE Classic Vinaigrette
Combine ingredients in shallow bowl and serve with bread cubes for dipping.
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Tiramisu Cheese Ball
1 250g brick of light cream cheese (do NOT use spreadable unless you want a cheese blob!)
3 Tbsp. Icing sugar
1-2 Tbsp. VE Tiramisu Dessert Dip Mix
Optional: I added a handful of VE Milk Chocolate Belgian chocolate chips (because you can never have too much high quality chocolate!)
1-2 Tbsp. VE Indulgence Hot Chocolate Mix (polished beads of Belgian chocolate-I used lots more, see above)
Combine three first ingredients. Add chocolate chips if using, form into a rough ball.
Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll in chocolate beads and place on serving dish.
Serve with cookies such as shortbread, Icebox cookies, Graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, chocolate wafers etc.
h/t Dana Kayal
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Father's Day Menu and Recipes HERE.
To make vanilla pudding for from scratch for Tiramisu Pudding Trifle, please see Canadian Living Recipe HERE
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No Knead Bread
Bakery Quality Crusty Bread From Your Own Oven - You Tube Video HERE
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Abby's French Toast Pudding
(6 servings)
12 oz Challah bread or baguette, torn into 3/4 inch pieces or sliced
7 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp VE Poudre Douce
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (bake for 6-7 minutes at 350*F)
Warm Maple Syrup
~Butter 11" x 7" x 2"baking dish. Place bread in dish.
~ Whisk eggs and next 4 ingredients together and pour over bread.
~ Using spatula, lightly press down on bread to moisten completely. Cover with foil and chill until ready to bake (make-ahead: prepared night before and chill overnight).
~ Place foil-covered dish in cold oven. Set over to 350*F and bake 30 min.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mother's Day Brunch Menu & Recipes HERE.
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Marinated Flank Steak
(Adapted from Canadian Living)
1/4 cup VE Balsamic Vinegar (available until August 31st)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp VE Teriyaki Seasoning (or VE Oriental Stir-Fry Seasoning)
2 lb flank marinating steak
~ In large plastic bag, combine vinegar, soy sauce, VE Teriyaki seasoning and sugar. Add steak, seal bag and refrigerate for at least one hour. Meat can be left to marinate in refrigerator for up to 2 days (can also be prepared to this point and frozen-thaw before proceeding to next step).
~ Broil or grill steak over medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes per side for medium-rare.
~ Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
~ Slice thinly across the grain and serve.
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