Mum's Shortbread Stack

I was in BC last weekend visiting my parents and my mum made this amazing dessert. She stacked delicious gelato and chocolate shortbread cookies - it was to-die-for!

Sticky Ribs

Ribs have always been a favorite of mine. My mum used to make me my favorite dinner on my birthday and I used to alternate between ribs and chicken wings. This recipe is a little different than the one she used to make, but its pretty tasty and very easy.

2 racks of pork baby back ribs

4 shallots

3 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp dry mustard

1/2 cup red chili sauce

1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup ketchup

Salt

Fresh Pepper

1) Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

2) Put ribs into a large roasting pan.

3) Heat olive oil in a frying pan (low heat). Add shallots and saute them until they are soft.

4) Add garlic, ketchup, chili sauce, worcestershire, salt, brown sugar, and dry mustard - warm all of these ingredients in the frying pan.

5) Pour over the ribs.

6) Cover with foil and bake until the ribs are fork tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Mmm Cookie's

Mmm is for MORGAN! It's her Birthday today. I wish she was here tonight to enjoy a cookie, a glass of wine and a chat on the sofa. I love you morgs.

Gluten free oatmeal cookies:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3/4 butter

3/4 vegetable shortening

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2) Cream butter and sugar together

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3) Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix

1 1/2 gluten free oats

1/4 tsp xantham gum

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

4) Add dry ingredients to butter, sugar and egg mixture

1 cup chocolate chips (or raisins)

5) Stir in chocolate chips, nuts, cranberries, or raisins

6) Bake for 8-12 minutes - or until the edges are golden brown

** You can half this recipe - this will make 2- 3 dozen as is **

ENJOY!

Beef Short Ribs

My mum used to say that for as long as she could remember her mother would prepare a sit down Sunday dinner - usually meat, potatoes and apple pie for dessert. She continued the tradition on with our family because she said that it was a nice way to start the week. I agree.

Beef Short Ribs and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Short Ribs:

6 short ribs

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1) Heat (dutch oven, or deep/oven proof frying pan) to med/high, add olive oil and butter.

2) Season short ribs with salt and pepper

3) Add ribs to pan and brown each short rib on all sides (about 3 minutes per side)

4) Remove ribs from pan and place on a plate (covered with paper towel)

5) Reserve oil and butter in pan (used to cook vegetable puree)

2 shallots

3 stalks of celery

2 carrots

4 medium tomatoes

5) Puree all the vegetables in food processor

6) Add vegetables to pan (med heat)

7) Let vegetables brown, stirring every 2 minutes or so (10 minutes total)

8) Scrap bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. You want the vegetables to brown nicely on the bottom as that is what gives the dish its great flavour

1 can (150mL) tomato paste

9) Add tomato paste to vegetable mixture, stir and let brown (5 minutes)

2 cups dry red wine

10) Add red wine and let the vegetables, tomato paste and wine reduce by half

11) Season with salt and pepper and throw in a bundle of thyme

12) Place browned short ribs back in the pan

3 cups beef stock

13) Fill pan with beef stock until the short ribs are covered in liquid

14) Cover with tightly fitting lid and place in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours.

Mashed Potatoes

3 Russet Potatoes

3 cloves of garlic

1) Place peeled and coarsely chopped potatoes in boiling salt water with whole garlic cloves

2) Once the potatoes are soft (about 25 minutes), drain the water

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp heavy cream

salt

3) Mash potatoes and garlic with butter, heavy cream and salt.

Sauce:

Once you pull the pan out of the oven, remove 3 tbsp of braising liquid and place it in a small sauce pan with 3/4 cup of beef stock, 2 tbsp of brown sugar and 1 tbsp of chili sauce. Whisk together and let simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Place ribs atop of the mashed potatoes and pour sauce over top. garnish with fresh thyme.

Ian's Sunday Brunch

This brunch is dedicated to Ian. He's always been supportive, but the rave reviews I got when I made this for him were unprecedented.

Its simple and tasty - just scrambled eggs, bocconcini/tomato salad, avocado and toast - the avocado is best spread (like butter) onto the toast.

Honey and Salmon Puffed Pastry

I created this appetizer tonight while experimenting in the kitchen and it turned out great - I will definately use it at a dinner or cocktail party. I tried to balance the salty smoked salmon with the fatty puffed pastry and sweet honey. It is very easy and would be a huge hit with salmon lovers.

It has gluten in it - the puffed pastry - but I am going to try and find a great way of adapting it to be gluten free. I suspect that you could place the goats cheese, honey, and almonds atop a rice chip (Riceworks or Lundberg are great brands) - but I think that a warm cracker, pastry type base is best. I will investigate.

1) Preheat oven to 400 degree.

2) Roll out puffed pastry and cut into 2 inch by 2 inch squares. Poke puffed pastry squares with a fork and place on a baking sheet.

3) While puffed pastry bakes, dice smoked salmon into small chunks and toast slivered almonds with salt and a little olive oil.

4) Remove puffed pastry after 10 minutes of baking and smear with about 1/2 tsp of goats cheese. Put pastry back in the oven for five more minutes.

5) Once goats cheese has melted place smoked salmon on top of the puffed pastry and goats cheese and bake for 2 minutes to warm the salmon.

6) Remove the baking sheet and drizzle the puffed pastry squares with honey.

7) Then place some slivered almonds on top of the salmon stack.

ENJOY!

Nikala's Pho

Nikala is a lovely and beautiful woman who lives in my building and has become a very good friend of mine. Lucky for her boyfriend, Oliver, she is also a great cook! Amazing!

She and I made the boys dinner tonight and decided on Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup). It is a delicious and healthy treat and has a very different flavor than most of the dishes that I normally make. The authentic version is much more time consuming; our version can be whipped up with ingredients from your own fridge and the local grocery store... we are not apologizing - it was delicious!

Ingredients:

5 large chicken breasts

8 cups of chicken broth

4 cups of water

2 basil stalks

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 handful of cilantro

3 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp grated ginger

1) Place all of these ingredients in a large stock pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 1 hour. The basil, cilantro and cinnamon can be placed in a spice bag or cheesecloth - or just tossed into the pot.

2) In the mean time prepare garnish.

Garnish:

Torn basil

Torn cilantro

2 limes (cut into slices)

Sriracha hot pepper sauce

Bean sprouts

Fish sauce

3) Once the soup has simmered for (roughly) an hour. Remove basil, cinnamon sticks, cilantro. Then tear the chicken breasts with a fork into bite size pieces.

4) Cook 1/2 package of brown rice vermicelli in boiling water for approximately 2 minutes.

5) Arrange the garnish on the table and ENJOY!

The noodles are first placed in the bowl, the broth and chicken chunks are ladled atop, and then garnishes can be added. The beauty of this soup is that each person can build their dish in a way that suits their taste-buds.

Baked Apple Rings

This dessert is like apple pie minus the pastry crust. It is so simple and delicious.. It will not take you longer than 10 minutes from start to finish.

1) Turn oven on to broil (place rack in middle)

2) Peel 2 MacIntosh Apples, slice them into 1/4 inch rings - remove the pith and seeds - Place on baking sheet

3) Melt 1 tbsp butter - and brush onto apples

4) Broil for 5 minutes until slightly browned

5) Remove from oven and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon

6) Broil for another 2 minutes

7) Serve with vanilla ice-cream

Tomato and Bocconcini Salad

If you are in the mood for something fresh and easy - this dish is a great option. I often serve it as a side to lamb/beef or I throw some chicken on top and make it a full meal.

This salad is all about the ingredients. You will need fresh tomatoes, bocconcini and basil.

Dressing:

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp salt

** Press garlic and mash with salt in a bowl **

1/2 tsp sugar

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp mayo

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

** Add remaining ingredients to the garlic and salt **

1/2 cup olive oil

** Whisk in olive oil slowly until dressing has emulsified **

Salad:

Grape tomatoes

Bocconcini

Avocado

Basil