Dinner
Air Fryer Salmon with Maple Soy
1. Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
In honor of St. Paddy's Day, I am selecting classic Irish Stew, cooked in the slow cooker. Whether you add the Guinness and / or wine or not, you'll still be left with a lot of heartiness to warm you on cold nights.
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 hr 20 min
Total time: 6 hr 40 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
• 1lb Beef stew meat
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp flour (opt)
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (opt)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 or 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup beer (opt)
• 1/4 cup red wine (opt)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup peas (opt)
Instructions
Prep
1. Beef – Sprinkle with salt and pepper and tenderize.
2. Garlic / Onions / Carrots – Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
3. Potatoes – Prep as directed.
Make
1. Optional step: Toss meat with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add oil and then sear meat until browned on the outside.
2. While meat is browning, mix together tomato paste, soy sauce, beef stock
(use more if you like it more soupy than stewy) and Guinness & red wine
(if using) in slow cooker.
3. Transfer meat (browned or not) to slow cooker. Add garlic, onions, carrots,
potatoes, bay leaves, and black pepper.
4. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 until meat is falling apart and
tender.
5. If using peas, microwave for ~1 minute and then fold them into stew.
6. Remove bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Comments
1. yummy, yummy , yummy!
2. I used 2 cups of beef broth, next time I will use 3 cups.
3. I added all the optional ingredients except the beer.
4. I added a small turnip to the recipe.
5. Next time, I will cut the potatoes and turnips into smaller pieces.
6. I used the soy sauce substitue as described in the first menu dropdown.
7. I like this recipe because it only makes 4 servings.
I don't have to freeze any of it (potatoes and trurnips turn too mushy for me after freezing)!
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2. Easy Baked Fish and Chips
This baked fish and chips recipe yields crispy, flaky baked haddock (or any fish) and tasty potato wedges.
Ingredients:
• 2 large baking potatoes (1-1/2 lb.), each cut into 8 wedges
• 1/4 cup KRAFT Lite Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1 pkt. SHAKE 'N BAKE Extra Crispy Seasoned Coating Mix, divided
• 4 haddock fillets (1 lb.)
• 1/4 cup MIRACLE WHIP Light Dressing
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 400°F.
spread fish with 2 Tbsp. Mayo; press, dressing sides down, in coating mix.
Repeat to coat remaining sides of fillets. Place on rack of broiler pan.
3. Add fish to oven with potatoes. Bake 15 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork and potatoes are tender.
Comments
1. I used Panko bread crumbs instead of SHAKE 'N BAKE Mix
2. I used the homeade Italian dressing as described in the first menu dropdown.
3. I used the homemade mayonnaise as described in the first menu dropdown.
My Star Rating:
3. Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered
• 4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a 6-qt slow cooker.
Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds,
thyme, rosemary, paprika, caraway seeds and bay leaves until well combined;
season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth.
Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or
until thickened.
6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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4. Chili Con Carne
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5. Sweet and Sour Chicken
The following recipe is from the youtube video below:
I have organized the content and proceedures below.
Ingredients:
• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp of canola oil
• 1 1/2 lbs chicken cut into 1 inch squares
• 8 oz can of pineapple chunks
Vegetables
• 2 carrots very thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper cut into 1/4 inch squares
• 1/2 yellow onion cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
Batter
• 1/3 cup white flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp soy sauce (or soy sauce substitute)
Sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp soy sauce (or soy sauce substitute)
• 1/4 tsp red food coloring (optional)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
1. Combine the batter ingredients and insert the chicken.
Coat the chicken thouroughly (by hand) in the batter.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3. Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees in a small skillet (about an inch of oil).
Insert chicken in oil for 3-4 miutes a side.
Repeat for all the chicken. Place aside on a paper towel on a plate.
4. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in the skillet and stir fry the vegetables for a couple
of minutes. Add the sauce mix. Add 8 oz can of pineapple chunks with the juice
and bring to a boil.
5. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Turn heat off.
Comments
1. I used a full can of pineapple chunks, almost double the amount suggested.
It was too much pineapple juice, next time I will follow the recipe.
2. I need a liquid thermometer to measure the temperture of the oil.
For the first batch, it was way too hot.
3. I did not use any food colouring.
4. Overall, it tasted pretty good. I definately recommend this recipe.
My Star Rating:
6. Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken
Tender and juicy lemon garlic roast chicken with crispy, golden and flavourful skin!
A Skillet (or Pan) Roast Chicken recipe with so much flavour and easy to find ingredients! Garlic, onions, lemons, olive oil, fresh herbs and a splash of white wine (optional) create the most amazing pan juices loaded with incredible flavour! No dry chicken over here. You’ll be so surprised at how moist the meat is!
how to butterfly (spatchcock) a chicken
Using kitchen scissors, cut down either side of chicken’s backbone. Turn over and place chicken breast side up, then press down on breastbone to flatten
how long to roast chicken
This roast chicken recipe is different in that we use a butterflied (or spatchcocked) chicken to create a uniform thickness so it cooks quicker and evenly. Butterflying a whole chicken helps reduce cooking time, meaning you can have a roast chicken on the dinner table within a fraction of the time!
1. Take your chicken out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before roasting to shave off another 5-10 minutes cook time!
2. Roast at 450°F (or 230°C) for 45-55 minutes, depending on the size of your chook, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of breast reads 165 degrees F (75°C) and juices run clear.
3. Broil for an extra 5 minutes or so until you get a beautiful golden crisp skin.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 4 teaspoons salt divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to your taste
• 1 lemon halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick (see note)
• 1 onion halved and sliced 1/4-inch-thick
• 3 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 4-5 pound whole chicken backbone removed and butterflied
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio) -- or low sodium chicken broth/stock
• Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Thoroughly pat chicken dry all over with paper towel.
2. Combine the oil, minced garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, 3 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Arrange the lemon slices, onion slices and garlic slices in the base of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or oven-proof pan). Place the chicken, skin-side down, on top of the lemon/onion slices. Pour over half of the oil/herbs and rub all over the meat. Turn the chicken over (skin-side up) and pour over remaining oil/herb mixture, rubbing the oil into the meat under the skin as well. Pour the wine and lemon juice into the base of the pan.
4. Season chicken skin with remaining salt. Roast for 45-55, basting half way through cooking time, until juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer.
5. Baste again, then broil for a further 5-10 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken from the oven, cover skillet tightly with foil and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving, allowing the juices to recirculate through the meat.
6. Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths, sprinkle with a little extra salt and pepper. Serve, drizzled with pan juices and cooked onions/garlic
Notes: Adapted from Ina Garten's Skillet Roasted Chicken
Nutrition:
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 265mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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Next time I will use less garlic!
7. Marinated Grilled Pork Chops
The best marinade for making juicy and tender pork chops!
The marinade comes together quickly. It’s basically a mixture of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, a touch of brown sugar and other spices. Let the pork chops marinade for a few hours, then grill it and you are ready for a delicious dinner! These were so tender, juicy and packed full of flavor!
Ingredients:
• 4 to 6 pork chops
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or soy substitute)
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown mustard or gourmet mustard blend
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 clove garlic finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I skipped this!)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Wash pork chops and pat dry. Put in a large food storage bag. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chops. Seal the bag and turn to coat the pork chops. Refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Grill the chops over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until the chops register about 160° on an instant read thermometer.
Notes:
1. I used a Foodsaver vacuum seal container to marinate the pork chops!
2. To cook in the oven: Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
3. I used a soy substitute and skipped the salt altogether.
Before I could barbecue I had to shovel about 2 feet of snow off of the deck!
For the mashed potatoes, I used this recipe:
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8. Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
The best dinner recipe so far this year:
This baked honey mustard chicken with vegetables is an easy one pan meal! Lean white meat topped with a lightly sweetened tangy sauce. This post is sponsored by Nature’s Intent Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
How to bake chicken breasts:
Pound It: To ensure even cooking times, it’s best to use a meat pounder or rolling pin to flatten the chicken to an even thickness, about 1/2-inch. This technique helps to reduce cooking time since the surface area is larger and allows for quicker heat transfer.
Sear It: To add more flavor and texture before baking, the meat is briefly seared in a hot pan to promote color and crust formation on the surface through the Maillard browning reaction.
Bake It: Completing the cooking process in the oven at a consistent temperature keeps the chicken moist and tender. The best part is that the vegetables roast along with the chicken, catching the flavorful drippings.
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to 3/4-inch thickness
• 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon honey, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 8 ounces brown mushrooms, washed, dried, cut in half
• 12 ounces vine ripened tomatoes, cut in half, or quartered if large
• 1 pound asparagus, cut into 3-inch long pieces
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions:
• Adjust oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 450°F.
• To make the marinade, in a medium-sized bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon honey, garlic, thyme, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
• Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag, top with marinade. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes, flipping bag over after 15 minutes. Do not marinate longer than 1 hour.
• To make the sauce, in a small bowl whisk together 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a large 12-inch oven proof pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, once hot add the chicken. Sear chicken for 5 minutes, flip and cook another 3 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a plate and clean the pan.
• In a medium-sized bowl add tomatoes and mushrooms. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add to the same large oven proof pan used to cook the chicken. Place in oven and roast for 5 minutes.
• In the same medium-sized bowl add asparagus. Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Remove pan from the oven. Add in asparagus, top with 2 sprigs rosemary and seared chicken. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and internal temperature reaches 160 to 165°F, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Season vegetables with more salt and pepper as desired.
• Serve chicken with vegetables, honey mustard sauce and top with parsley.
Notes:
1. I needed 6 servings so I multiplied the recipe by 1.5.
2. I added 3 carrots to the recipe.
3. I used 2 smaller pans instead of 1 big one for the oven, so I split the ingredients!
This was a very tasty meal!!
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9. Air Fryer Salmon with Maple Soy
This Air Fryer Salmon recipe with a maple soy glaze is one of my favorite salmon recipes! Quick and easy with just five ingredients!
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 4 wild salmon fillets
Instructions:
1. Combine maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha and garlic in a small bowl,
pour into a gallon sized resealable bag and add the salmon (I bypassed
the bag and used a "Foodsaver" container and removed the air with a Foodsaver vacuum device!).
2. Marinate 15 to 20 minutes, turning once in a while. If you don't have time, 5 minutes will still
be enough.
3. Lightly spray the basket with oil spray to prevent sticking or use air fryer parchment.
4. Remove the fish from the marinade, reserving and pat dry with paper towels.
5. Place the fish in the air fryer, in batches, air fry 400F 7 to 8 minutes, or longer
depending on thickness of the salmon.
6. Meanwhile, pour the marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat
and reduce until it thickens into a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes, careful not to dry it out.
Spoon over salmon just before eating.
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