Cocktail Sauce

 Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

12/2024 from Elizabeth Cook

1 cup Heinz Chili Sauce

3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs horse radish

2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp tabasco

Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

This serves about 6 people. You can serve it over rice with tzatziki and hummus, in pita bread, or over a salad.

Ingredients: 

• 3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt 
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tbsp minced garlic 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 1 large red onion
• Olive oil spray 

How to: 

• Preheat oven to 425F. 
• Dice chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes. Add to a large mixing bowl with all of the other ingredients, except for the red onion.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 20 minutes on the counter, or place in the fridge for up to 12 hours for even more flavor!
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the chicken into an even layer. Slice the red onion and sprinkle it over the top of the chicken, then lightly spray everything with olive oil spray.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, then I like to turn the oven to broil for 3-5 minutes until the tops of the chicken get a little char. 
• You can serve this over rice, in a pita, or on a salad! Enjoy! 

SHEET PAN CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Brown Sugar Kielbasa

Ingredients

• 2 12 oz packages kielbasa
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 5 tbsp stone ground mustard
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a large sauce pot, combine sugar, mustard, vinegar, and pepper and whisk over medium heat until the sugar has melted, about 2 minutes, then lower the heat all the way.
• Cut the kielbasa down the center, longways, then into small, bite-sized chunks. Add them into the sauce and let them cook for a minute or two as you stir to coat each piece.
• Using a slotted spoon or tongs, place the kielbasa onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 15 minutes. ***Parchment is essential here!!!!
• Taking the edges of the parchment, pick it up and slide the kielbasas back into the sauce.
• Toss them again to coat then repeat the step of placing them back onto the sheet and baking for another 15 minutes.
• Take them out and enjoy!

Brown Sugar Kielbasa

Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce

Prep Time: 15mins

Cook Time: 3hrs

Total Time: 3hrs 15mins

Ingredients

• 5 - 6 beef short ribs, 300-400g/10-14oz each (Note 1)
• 1.5 tsp each salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped (brown, yellow or white)
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups (500ml) dry red wine (Note 2)
• 2 cups (500ml) beef stock/broth, low sodium
• 2 sprigs thyme (optional)
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F.
2. Sprinkle beef all over with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over high heat. Add half the ribs and brown aggressively all over (~5 - 7 min in total). Remove and repeat with remaining ribs, then remove.
4. Turn heat down to medium. Add onion and garlic into the same pot and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add carrot and celery, cook for 5 minutes until carrot is softened and sweet.
6. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add wine, broth, thyme and bay leaves. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.
8. Return beef into liquid, arranging them so they are submerged (Note 3). 
9. Cover with lid and transfer to oven for 3 hours, or until the meat can easily be pried apart with forks. (Note 4 Other cook methods)
10. Remove beef carefully, keeping the meat on the bone. (Note 4) Cover to keep warm.
11. Strain all liquid in the pot, pressing juices out of the onion, carrot etc. (Optional - can skip if you don't mind chunky sauce) Return sauce into pot, bring to simmer and stir. Adjust as necessary - simmer to reduce/thicken, add water to thin, season with salt and pepper if needed.
12. Place beef on serving plate, spoon over sauce. Serve!

Notes

1. Beef Short Ribs - 300g/10oz bone-in weight raw should be enough per serving as they are rich. But recipe makes enough sauce for up to 400g/14oz ribs.

This recipe will also work great with any slow cooking cut of beef, even a whole beef pot roast. Chuck beef (cut into tennis ball size pieces), shanks, beef osso buco, even a whole brisket piece. Just bear in mind the size of the meat so it cooks in around the same time, though it's easy to adjust: if beef cooked before sauce reduced, just remove then reduce sauce. If it needs longer, just add water and keep cooking.

2. Red Wine - Use a good value full bodied red wine, like cabaret sauvignon or merlot. Shiraz is ok too. No need to use expensive wine for slow cooked recipes like this. Pinots not suitable, too light.

3. Cooking vessel / liquid level - the liquid should cover the meaty side of the ribs, if necessary, top liquid up a bit with water, then at the end if Sauce is too thin, just simmer it to reduce. If you don't have an ovenproof pot large enough, transfer everything to a casserole dish that the ribs fit in snugly, place the ribs meat side down and pour the liquid over.

4. Other cook methods:

Stove - 2.5 hours on low simmer, lid on

Slow cooker - 8 hours on low, 5 hours on high. Sear beef and sauté vegetables in a skillet, add the liquid, bring to simmer then tip it all into a slow cooker. When beef is fork tender, strain liquid into a large skillet and simmer liquid rapidly for 10 minutes or until it reduces down to a syrup consistency. Optional: spray beef lightly with oil and grill/broil on high for 5 minutes to brown.

Pressure cooker - 1 hour on high, follow slow cooker directions above. Depressurise naturally for 10 minutes, then release valve. 

Instant Pot - Follow slow cooker directions above but do the searing in your Instant Pot. Cook using slow cooker or pressure cooker function using above times.

5. General notes: - Sauce: reduces by half so should be thickened to syrup consistency. If not, simmer on stove for a bit. - Sauce excess fat: If the sauce is too fatty for your taste, pour it into a jug and leave for a bit so the fat rises to the surface, then scoop it off.- Bone attachment: In order for the meat to be fork tender, it needs to be cooked far enough so that the connective tissue holding the meat to the bone becomes tender. So the meat is not really attached. But if you handle it carefully, it stays together. - Remove bone: At some fine dining restaurants, beef short ribs are served without the bone. The bone is removed, the fatty bit on the underside of the meat that was attached to the bone is cut off and the meat is served by itself. It looks quite posh!

Tater Tot Casserole

 Tater Tot Casserole

From AllRecipes 2/2025

Prep Time : 5 mins

Cook Time : 40 mins

Serves : 4

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 16 ounce package of frozen tater tots

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat over to 350 degrees F

2. Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until completely browned and crumbly, 7-10 minutes. Stir in condensed soup; season with salt and black pepper

3. Transfer beef mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish; layer tater tots evenly on top and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

4. bake in the preheated oven until tater tots are golden brown and hot, 30-45 minutes

Per serving:

345 calories

Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

 Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

3/4 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

5 Tbs Red-Wine Vinegar

3 Tbs Lemon Jiuce

1 1/2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

1 clove garlic grated

3/4 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

130 calories per 2 tbs

Pickled Cucumbers

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-0dPanpLpu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

• English cucumbers
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce (Japanese)
• smoked fish sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil (I used spicy - can also add Siracha)
• 1 Tbsp Pomegranate Concentrate or (Simple Syrup or Sugar)
• 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp Scallions (can substitute with chives)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
• kimchi sprinkle

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 (16-oz) package gnocchi

- 1-2 pints grape tomatoes (2 pints if you want a saucier final dish)

- Vegetables of choice, chopped into bite-sized pieces (I used broccoli, but use what you like! Carrots, cauliflower, or cabbage would all be good here too)

- 1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed

- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 Tbsp dried oregano

- 2 tsp fennel seeds

- Kosher salt and black pepper

- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from about 1/2 large lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) Place the gnocchi, grape tomatoes, and chopped vegetables on the lined baking sheet. Tear the sausage into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the top.

3) Drizzle the olive oil over everything and season with garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Toss together until everything is evenly coated.

4) Place in preheated oven to roast for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are crispy and sausage is cooked through.

5) While the pan is still hot, sprinkle the Parmesan on top and squeeze over the lemon juice. Break up the tomatoes with a spatula or spoon, then stir the whole thing together to coat in all that tomatoey, cheesy, lemony goodness. Serve immediately.