Osso Bucco

Osso Bucco

This is one tasty and easy meal to make.  There isn't one person that has tried my Osso Bucco that hasn't asked for seconds.

It's all about using your favourite tomato sauce ... We use our very own homemade sauce and will be sharing that recipe with you in  September.  (Once we've made our annual batch).  

Searing the shanks to lock in their natural flavours and simmering on low for a good 45 minutes should guarantee the meat's tenderness.  

Add your favourite pasta on the side and voila! ~ A meal to lick your chops!

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

I was out and about running errands all day and knew I wouldn't  have much time to fuss over dinner.  Knowing the day would be running long, I transferred the shrimps from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw earlier in the morning.  Within 15 minutes, dinner for 4 was served and it was accompanied by a salad.

Garlic shrimp pasta is a very quick and no-fuss dish that is full of flavour and takes minutes to prepare.  Removing the shrimp's shell is the most time consuming part of this meal, but this can be done while the pasta water is coming to a boil.

Don't be afraid to experiment and add a little green to this dish, even if it's just a spring onion during the cooking process.  This will add flavour on top of colour.  If you're looking for an even prettier presentation, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley overtop just before serving.

Depending on your need, this could be a quick fix meal for someone that doesn't have a lot of time after a hectic day or this could be turned into a gourmet dish for a party of 2 or more.

Broccoli Pasta

Broccoli Pasta

While grocery shopping at Longos on the weekend, I came across some fresh organic broccoli.  They were so green and looked so appetizing, I just had to buy a few bunches.  I didn't know what I was going to make with this broccoli, but I knew I had to do more than just steam them.

The other night I started remembering the days we lived in Belgium and a recipe I learned from our Italian friend, Francois.   He made this dish so quickly and it was ever so tasty.  An afternoon invitation to watch the soccer game on his big screen TV turned into a no frills dinner to lick your chops! 

Beef Stew Pasta

Beef Stew Pasta

Did you ever wonder what to do with super tough meat that is impossible to chew?  Well, I had this happen to me yesterday.

I was so excited about the marinated beef shish kabob  I had prepared and grilled, only to encounter pure disappointment due to the toughness of the meat.  My no-fail marinade was not able to tenderize the stewing beef I chose to use.  We were barely able to chew the meat ;(

I had to come up with a solution.  There was no way I was going to throw this cooked meat into the garbage.  This was quality Angus Beef free from antibiotics and hormones that we're talking about. 

I went down to the cellar and picked up a jar of Passata.  Poured it into a cooking pot and added an equal portion of water.  I took the grilled meat, peppers and onions off the skewers and added them to the sauce.  Once the sauce came to a boil, I reduced the heat and allowed the sauce to simmer for an hour.  There was no need to season, as the meat was already rich in flavour from the marinade.

Before you knew it, we were eating the most tender meat you could ever imagine.  This meat went from super tough to super tender.  We poured the stew sauce over bowtie pasta and had a wonderful meal.

Bowtie Pasta With Chicken & Leek

Bowtie Pasta with Chicken & Leek

My younger daughter and I had a quick and tasty luncheon this week.  We grilled some free from chicken breasts and boiled up some MISKO Bow pasta that we picked up from Kosta's Meat Market.  We added our leftover leeks and chicken pieces to the pasta, resulting in a flavourful meal.

This lunch was so delicious!  It took us less than 20 minutes to prepare this meal from start to finish.  We even had leftovers that my other daughter will also be able to enjoy since this MISKO pasta is egg free.  This pasta is imported from Greece and seams to be the number 1 pasta of Greece.

My daughter and I had so much fun preparing this meal.  Fortunately, it didn't take too long to make which allowed us time for extra conversation while enjoying our lunch prior to getting on with the rest of the day.

Baked Pasta au Gratin

Pasta Bake

Macaroni au Four is what my mother-in-law calls it, but we'll just call it Baked Pasta au Gratin.

I was at Longo's doing my grocery shopping over the weekend and stumbled across this ham.  It was on special and I thought I could make use of it in my baked pasta recipe.  Normally, I make this with fresh sliced black forest ham from the deli, but this was a deal I couldn't refuse.

My youngest daughter has been requesting this meal for a while now, but I've been avoiding making it due to my other daughter's allergy to pork.  She recently underwent BIE treatments and has been asked to avoid pork for 6 months to 2 years.  (The waiting time for her body to reprogram before getting updated blood work).

Momma to the rescue once again!  If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you will see a pork free version I made for her before mixing the pork into the creamy cheese sauce.

This meal is a big hit with small children and is an even bigger one as they get older.

There is no need to season with salt.  The pork and cheese are quite salty on their own.

Pot Luck Pasta

Pot Luck Pasta

Pot luck meals are made up of whatever you have available in your fridge and pantry.  It's a great way of cleaning out your fridge and using up some staples.

In this recipe, I added the leftover burgers from yesterday, vegetables from the fridge, as well as pasta and a can of tomatoes sitting in the pantry.

There's no rule with pot luck meals.  Just be creative!

Salmon & Leek Pasta

Salmon & Leek Pasta

While on route to Florida, I bought a piece of Pacific Coast Canadian Smoked Salmon from Duty Free and had to make use of it while away.  Although the recipe below calls for lox, this salmon substitute made for a very tasty meal.