Yolanda’s Antipasto
This is a wonderful, traditional and easy recipe for making your own Antipasto. This family favorite recipe comes from my Aunt Yolanda, and has been a wonderful addition to many family dinners.
6 Medium Size Green Peppers (chopped fine)
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1 Can Mushroom Pieces
1 Small Can Pimento
20 Green Olives
20 Black Olives
1 Jar Green Pickle Relish
1 Jar Chili Sauce
10 oz. Ketchup
2 Cans Tuna
Cook peppers and mushrooms in the olive oil 10 minutes. Add everything but the tuna and bring to a boil, stirring often. Add the tuna, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
Place into sterilized jars.
Can be stored 3-6 months in the refrigerator.
Best served on crackers!
My Brother Michael recently came up with this wonderful recipe for Broccoli Soup, and I wanted to share it here! While I haven’t yet tried the soup, it got rave reviews from my family members. Enjoy!
Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 small red onions
2 small or 1 large bunch of broccoli
1/8 stick of butter
125ml flour
1l milk
250ml water
1 boullion cube (chicken or mushroom preferred)
Dice onions and separate broccoli into small flowers.
Peel broccoli stem and dice.
Sautee onions & broccoli 3-5 minutes.
Add water and boullion cube and allow to simmer on low heat.
In a large saucepan melt butter.
Stir flour into butter and cook for 10-15 seconds stirring constantly.
Add milk a little at a time, stirring constantly and allowing to thicken.
Add vegetable & stock mixture.
Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes being careful not to burn.
Tis’ the season to eat goodies…Fa, la, la, la,la…la, la, la ,la! I wanted to post my favorite Christmas Recipes for all to enjoy! Leave a comment or two to let me know what you think!
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Cathedral Windows
Scottish Shortbread
Butterscotch Confetti
Ginger Cookies
This Scottish Shortbread Recipe (no, it’s not Scotch as some like to say) is soooo easy!!! I was skeptical when made them yesterday, as they seemed to good to be true, but they are so tasty, and so easy! I swear, I think my 3-year-old could make these himself if only he could read! 
Truly decadent and buttery, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are sure to be a crowd pleaser this Christmas! I took them to a church gathering yesterday, and they were gone quickly!
Scottish Shortbread
1 Cup White Sugar
1 tsp. water
1 Pound Butter, softened
4 Cups White All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
Put sugar in bowl, and sprinkle with the teaspoon of water. Cream in butter until well blended. Add flour and salt, and mix in until the mixture is crumbly. Press into a 9X13 ungreased cake pan, and poke holes about every inch or so. Bake in a 275 degrees oven for 1 hour, until top edges are a light golden colour. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter. Yum!
Now here is a nifty idea! While perusing our local Lens Mill Store the other day, I came across Gingerbread House Kits on sale for $5.99, so I bought one to make a Halloween House with the kids! What a fun project to do with children. Of course, normally one waits until the Christmas season to do this type of craft, but I figured it would be something fun to work on now, so we made it in a Halloween theme!
It was very easy to do, just by following the step-by-step instructions provided with the kit, and then by buying some additional candies in a Halloween theme, we made our own little “Hansel and Grettel” house, complete with a Jack-o’-Lantern waiting by the door!
Liam enjoyed decorating the cookie shapes that came with the house, and also eating as he worked!
What a great seasonal, fun craft! All in all it took about 2 hours to complete. I plan to go back and buy another kit to make one for Christmas as well! $5.99 for a couple of hours entertainment? You just can’t go wrong with that!
These past few days have seemed cooler, almost autumn-like (although I haven’t even left the house to really know for sure!) At any rate, I have been inspired to think about tummy-warming recipes that are delicious and low fat. Healthy and good-tasting, these baked beans are a family-pleasing , easy meal. This recipe makes a HUGE batch that freezes nicely, and can be added to chilis and soups too 
Grampa’s Baked Beans
Soak 3 Cups of dry Navy Beans overnight in enough water to cover them with about 2 inches extra water. Next morning, cook the beans on the stove-top on low heat to soften (this takes several hours!) Once softened, add in with them:
1 Medium Onion chopped
1 Cup Ketchup
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Water
2 tsp. Dry Mustard Powder
1/2 Cup Molasses
1 TBSP. Salt
1/4 Pound Chopped Bacon (I use Turkey Bacon)
Mix Well. Bake in a large casserole (or several) in a 325 oven for several hours more until soft. Serve with salad, or better yet, fresh homemade bread! MMMmm!
Well, I finally took the plunge and re-joined Weight Watchers! I am a firm believer in this successful program, and have lost a lot of weight following it in the past. I decided a few weeks ago to kick my own ass back into gear, to lose the remainder of my baby weight (well, actually I am already back to my pre-pregnancy size, but want to do a bit better and get closer to my highschool weight!) Anyhow, part of the program is just eating sensibly, so I will devote a lot of my attention in future recipe posts to healthy eating…like this easy and delicious recipe for simple chicken and veggie shish-kabobs! They are extremely low in points/calories/fat, the whole deal! Not to mention so simple! Healthy summer eating at it’s best! Serve with fresh salad greens! Yum!
Chicken Shish-Kabobs
2 - 3 Chicken Breasts cut into bite size pieces
Your favorite vegetables (zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onions)
2 TBSP Light Italian Salad Dressing
*You can also throw on some fresh pineapple or other grillable fruit*
Alternate chicken pieces and veggies on skewers, brush with dressing and grill on low heat barbeque (top rack works well) for about 10-12 minutes. Easy, healthy, good!
Cooking is *not* like baking, in that it is *not* an exact science…if you omit this, or that, or add a new ingredient, your recipe may turn out just as good, if not better than the original! This is something I have learned in the many years I have been cooking it up, and one of the things that makes cooking so great! When friends ask for the recipes I make, I am often not sure that I am giving the recipe exactly as I make it, as I tend to change, and add to my recipes on a regular basis.
This being said, the following recipe is one of my “not exactly exact” recipes, but the garlic and marinating time are the key elements that make it great!
Chicken Souvlaki
3 or 4 Chicken Breasts (cut into cubes)
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
4-5 Cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp. Oregano
Marinate the cubed meat in the mixture made from the oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano. I like to marinate it overnight when possible to allow flavours to permeate the meat. Once marinated, thread meat onto wooden skewers. Microwave the skewers for about 5 minutes, just to ensure they are lightly cooked before transferring them to a hot barbecue. Finish the cooking on the grill for about 5 - 10 minutes, until cooked through, and nicely grilled on all sides! Best served with Greek Potatoes, Salad and Rice. Enjoy!
P.S. You may not want to make this recipe if you are entertaining or going out on a special “date” afterwards. Due to the high garlic content, you may not have any friends left after eating it!
Even if you have never cooked with tofu before, do not fear, Cat is here to help with an EASY recipe anyone can make! This is a recipe I invented yesterday…it was really quick to do and it has only four ingredients. It was yummy too!
Easy Tofu Lasagna
1 Pkg. Extra Firm Tofu
1 Jar Pasta Sauce
1 Pkg. Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 Cup Shredded Mozarella Cheese
Drain tofu, and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Lightly brown in 1 TBSP. oil. Line shallow baking pan with half of the slices of tofu. Top with spinach, sauce and cheese. Repeat again with another layer of tofu, spinach, sauce and cheese. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for about an hour. So simple, and so good!
Well…at least there is still cooking (as a hobby that is)
I’ve been feeling the pressure lately to do nothing but pack for our move which takes place in 3 weeks! Ack! Well, frankly my dear, this is no fun at all! Actually, in a wierd sort of way it is fun, but I’d rather be doing other things. Cooking is one thing you can do for yourself (if you’re like me and actually enjoy it) but at the same time, not feel guilty about it because you are doing something for your family too! Brilliant!
I made a nice dinner tonight. Broiled Scallops with Button Mushrooms, Curried Rice with Raisins and Steamed Peas. Lovely.
My husband and I have however, turned into senior citizens, often eating dinner at an extremely early time (um, like 4 in the afternoon!) Then again, when you’re up for the day at 4:45, it sort of throws the whole day off now doesn’t it?!?
At any rate, here is my recipe for the BEST Broiled Sea Scallops..enjoy!
Broiled Sea Scallops
1 Pound Sea Scallops
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Pinch of Table Salt and Dash of Pepper
4 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter, melted
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Arrange Scallops in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt & pepper. Mix together margarine and lemon juice, and pour over scallops. Broil in oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they appear whitish in colour instead of opaque. Do not over-cook them though or they will be rubbery!
