Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp dry mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large saucepan.
Boil until thickened.
Use immediately and freeze leftovers for future use.

BBQ Sauce for Chicken

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2  5.5 oz cans Tomato Paste
1 cup dark Brown Sugar, packed
3/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Water
2 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cayenne

Heat oil in a sauce pan; sauté onion and garlic until brown.
Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened.

2 Heads Salad

1 head broccoli, chopped
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

* optional 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

Place broccoli, cauliflower and bacon in a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar and salt.  Pour over broccoli mixture and toss so all is coated.  Add cheese and optional dried fruit  and repeat, trying not to let the cheese clump together.

Churros with Mayan Hot Chocolate

Makes 24 Churros

Churros
1 cup water
4 Tbsp salted butter
2 Tbsp + 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
vegetable oil for frying

Mayan Hot Chocolate
1 vanilla bean
3 cups Homo (whole) milk
200 g good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter and 2 Tbsp of the sugar.  Bring to a boil then  remove from heat. Add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated; stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 3/8" pastry star tip.  Mix together the remaining sugar and the cinnamon in a wide shallow bowl and set aside.

Fill a large pot with vegetable oil, about 4" deep, and heat the oil to 375F.

Meanwhile, make the hot chocolate.  Halve the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a paring knife.  Place the seeds and the pod in a small saucepan.  Add the milk, chocolate and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer over med-high heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has been thoroughly incorporated and the mixture has thickened.  Discard the vanilla bean pod and keep the mixture warm until ready to serve.

Hold the piping bag vertically above the hot oil.  Pipe a 6" length of dough, then quickly cut the dough from the tip of the bag with an oiled paring knife, letting it slide away from you into the oil.  Repeat, frying up to 5 churros at a time, turning once and cooking until golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet, and while still hot roll each churro in the cinnamon sugar mix. Serve with the Mayan hot chocolate for dipping.

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

 

Okay, so this isn't really a recipe as there are no measurements; it all depends on how many sweet potatoes you use, and the flavour you like.

 

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes

Butter

Cream

Brown Sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Pecan Halves

Steam the sweet potatoes and mash with butter and cream.  Add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
Place in a casserole dish and top with pecan halves and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake at 375 until heated through.

Coleslaw

Salad Dressing
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp honey

4 cups sliced cabbage (red, green, or a combo of both)
1 shredded carrot (use a cheese grater or a peeler to get ribbons)
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.  Add other ingredients and toss.

Variations can include:
Add 2 apples, scrubbed well, cored and quartered and thinly sliced + 1/4 cup dried cranberries.
or
Add 2 oranges peeled and coarsely chopped + 1/4 cup dried cranberries.

Arugula with Goat Cheese and roasted Beets

 

 

 

8 cups (142 g) arugula

4 beets, roasted (you can boil them but there is more flavour if you roast them)

2 oz (50g) goat cheese at room temperature (you can use a flavoured goat cheese for a different twist)

 

Dressing

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
1 large shallot, minced

1. Roast the beets the night before. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Place washed, whole beets in a metal baking pan lined with foil or parchment paper and bake for 1-2 hrs until soft (will depend on size of beets and desired softness). Cool and place in covered container in fridge overnight.

2. One serving day: Clean and dry arugula.  Place in a large bowl.

3.  Peel beets and cut into chunks or slices, depending on your preference. *Wear rubber gloves unless you want purple fingers

4. Whisk together liquid dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then stir in shallots.  Reserve 2 Tbsp and toss the rest with the arugula.

5. Divide the arugula between 4 plates.  Top each plate with 1/4 of the beets and 1/4 of the goat cheese, crumbled. 

6. Drizzle each plate with 1/4 of the reserved dressing before serving.