Fruit and Goat Cheese Salad with Orange Raspberry Dressing

Ingredients

For the Salad:
• 1 cup Pecan Halves
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 12 oz package Romaine lettuce, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 8 oz fresh strawberries, quartered
• 4 oz fresh blueberries
• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup red onion, sliced (cut into small pieces)
• 15 oz can Mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)
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For the dressing:
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup raspberry vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp poppyseeds
• 1/4 cup reserved mandarin orange juice

Instructions

1. To candy the pecans: In a small skillet over medium heat, saute pecans with sugar and butter. This will take several minutes for the sugar to dissolve as you stir the pecans. Set aside and cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, berries, oranges, cheese and onion. Toss gently.
3. In a small mason jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake with lid on.
4. When ready to serve, add candied pecans and drizzle with dressing. ENJOY!

Grilled Sesame Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

Marinade and dressing -

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, sliced into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

Salad - 

• 1 lb Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, grated 
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced and cut on the diagonal
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted with some sugar if desired
• 1 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Mix marinade/dressing ingredients together. Remove 3 tbsp of mixture and fry boneless, skinless chicken in a hot frying pan. Fry chicken until cooked through. 

Place salad ingredients in a large bowl. Top with cooked chicken from frying pan. Drizzle remaining dressing on top. Toss salad and serve. 

Greek Style Burgers

• 1lb ground Chicken 
• Chopped Garlic – 3 cloves
• 1/4 cup Finely chopped Red Onion
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Red Chilli 
• 1 tsp Cumin 
• 1 tsp Kafta spice (equal amounts of cumin, coriander, and cinnamon)
• Salt to taste
• pita bread, to serve

Tzatziki-style sauce

• 4 tbsp cucumber with skin on, chopped
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp dried Mint
• 1 tsp epicure lemon dilly dip mix
• 1 tsp garlic powder

toppings

• Few leaves of fresh crunchy lettuce
• red onion, sliced thinly
• feta cheese, crumbled or with herbs in brine

For making the Chicken burger, bring together in a mixing bowl, the chicken, spices, and onion. Mix it well with your hand and form flat patties and fry them in a few drops of olive oil on a non stick pan or bake them in the oven until browned. 

For the sauce,  together the cucumber, Greek yogurt, mint and spices. Warm the pita bread slightly and then spread sauce on entire surface. Place the cooked patty on the sauce and then top with lettuce, onion, and feta cheese.

Greek Style Roasted Lemon Potatoes

Ingredients

1.5 pounds mini potatoes, cut into wedges

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice 

3 teaspoons dried oregano

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Add potatoes and and boil for 8 minutes and then drain potatoes.
3. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt in a large bowl (large enough to hold the potatoes). Add potatoes, and gently toss in lemon mixture. Spread potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet...I like my pampered chef baking stone. 
4. Roast potatoes until crispy, turning half way through, about 40 minutes.

Pear, Brie, and Fig Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1/2 wheel brie cheese

1 firm pear, cored and chopped (peeled if desired)

6-8 dried figs (I used mission figs bought in the produce section), chopped with scissors

2 flour tortillas

Directions: 

Place thin slices of brie cheese (leave rind on if desired) on 1 half of flour tortilla. Top with pear and fig pieces. Cover with additional thin brie cheese. Fold tortilla over and place in a frying pan at medium-low heat, cover and cook on one side until golden. Flip carefully and then cook on the other side. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Crockpot Pulled Pork for Tacos

Ingredients:

1-2 cups of your favourite salsa - blended if you want to remove chunks

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon brown sugar, if desired

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1-2 lb pork tenderloin

1 package soft tortilla shells

taco toppings:  grated cheese, peppers, onions, corn, salsa, sour cream

Instructions:

Place salsa and spices into crockpot and stir well. Place pork loin on top and scoop some of the sauce on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. When done, shred the pork using two forks. Serve in warmed tortillas with desired toppings.

BBQ Spare Ribs

I don't have a lot of experience with doing ribs, but I needed to find something different to make.  I was in a rut of making the same thing over and over again.  

This is a recipe from my Mom-in-law and it was super easy and very tasty.

I cut the pork ribs (2- 2 1/2 lbs) into sections and baked them on a foil lined pan for an hour at 350.

Then I mixed up this sauce:

1 tbsp celery seed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 - 10oz tin tomato soup

I transferred the ribs to a roaster, dumped the sauce on top and baked it for an hour at 350, uncovered.

There were no left overs.  The sauce is great over rice.