20140916

May

2013

The Perfect Side Dish for Summer

by: Maija Moments

Baked Cheesy Tomatoes Recipe

I love barbeque. I love that my husband is a master barbeque-er even more and I take it on as a personal challenge to find the yummiest and the easiest sides to accompany his grilled creations.

These baked cheesy tomatoes are one of my favourites and my husband likes them because they are baked inside and do not take up precious room on his grill.

Ingredients

4-6 vine ripe tomatoes
1 Tbsp. sea salt (or other coarse salt)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4-6 slices mozzarella cheese (I like the round kind from the deli for simplicity but grated would work too)
4-6 fresh basil leaves
Olive Oil (for drizzling)

Preheat oven to 450F.

Slice off top of each tomato (so all portions of stem are not visible) then slice bottom of tomato just enough so it can stand without tipping. Place on baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray.

Top each tomato in the following order with a sprinkle of sea salt, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a slice of mozzarella and one basil leaf.

Drizzle each tomato with olive oil.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

NOTE: I like my basil leaves roasted — if you prefer yours non-crunchy bake the tomatoes without the basil leaves and place basil on top of the cheese immediately following baking.

BONUS: These reheat quite nicely in the microwave for lunch the next day.

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Canned Soup Mom

tomatoes

May

2013

A Crowd Pleasing BBQ Favourite

by: Maija Moments

Bacon-Wrapped Planked Whisky Chicken Recipe

It's no secret that I have absolutely no idea how to BBQ. Every summer I make some minor comment about being interested in learning but it never actually happens. Thankfully, the men in my life know their way around a grill and are more than happy for me to show up with bags full of groceries and a hankering for things like Bacon-Wrapped Planked Whisky Chicken. My Dad is usually a bit more game for my creative cooking ideas and "helpful suggestions" so together we make a great team — I'm the idea girl and he's the "whatever you say Dear" grill master.

I like this Bacon-Wrapped Planked Whisky Chicken recipe because it's a great alternative to burgers when feeding a crowd. Serve it with my Beer Rosemary Cheese Bread, Loaded Baked Potato Salad and Baked Cheesy Tomatoes and you're all ready for the party!

Simply salt and pepper your chicken.

Wrap each piece in bacon.

Until each chicken thigh is wrapped in bacon.

Place bacon-wrapped chicken onto planks and close BBQ lid.

Add salt and pepper to your BBQ sauce.

Pour in the whisky (clearly my Dad only drinks the best).

Brush the chicken with the whisky BBQ sauce (don't be shy — slather away!).

BBQ a bit more an enjoy!

Ingredients:

2-3 cedar planks, pre-soaked according to package directions

24 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

24 slices bacon

1 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup whisky

Sea salt (or other coarse salt) and pepper to season

Directions:

Season each chicken thigh with salt and pepper.

Wrap each chicken thigh in one slice of bacon.

Place chicken on pre-soaked cedar planks in pre-heated BBQ at medium heat. Close lid and cook for 20-30 minutes checking often as planks will sometimes catch fire.

Meanwhile, add salt, pepper and whisky to BBQ sauce and stir until combined.

Liberally brush chicken thighs with sauce, close BBQ lid and continue to cook for 15 minutes more.

Remove from grill and enjoy!

NOTE ABOUT THE BACON: Using the grill-only method above your bacon will be cooked but will not be crispy. If you prefer crispy bacon you have a few options including — pre-cooking the bacon in a frying pan until a bit crispy but still pliable OR following grilling your chicken, place chicken on baking sheets lined with tinfoil and broil for 6-8 minutes turning once at the half-way mark.

PS: Want to try some of the other things my Dad and I have cooked together? Check out my Whisky Scallops (Surprise - MORE whisky!) or my Smoked Salmon Wasabi Rolls.

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May

2013

Celebrate The Men In Your Life Without Them Having To Man The Grill

by: Maija Moments

Completely Grill-Free Father's Day Menu

Make this Father's Day a grill-free day and celebrate the men in your life without them having to man the barbecue.

Father's Day is a time to celebrate the important men in our lives but if your family is anything like mine it's these special men that are masters of the grill. That's why when planning Father's Day get-togethers I opt for grill-free, crowd pleasing favourites so the men I love the most can sit back and enjoy the day.

On the menu this Father's Day are a few Canned Soup Mom favourites — every single one of these recipes can be made ahead leaving lots of time for the hostess to put her own feet up and enjoy the day.

I love this Beer Pulled Pork recipe because it's made in the slow cooker and is easily adapted for a crowd (large or small) simply by buying a larger pork roast and increasing the bbq sauce and beer accordingly. Serve with big crusty buns from the bakery, slices of cheese, and lettuce for yummy make your own sandwiches. If you'd like to fancy-it-up a bit, instead of lettuce, try topping your pulled pork sandwiches with your favourite creamy coleslaw.

The perfect side dish is of course my could-you-please-bring-that-yummy-salad-to-the-potluck Loaded Baked Potato Salad.

As for dessert, it's a big toss-up at our house and I may make two or three just so I don't have to choose only one.

The leading favourite is of course my Oreo Brownie Cake Bars served with vanilla ice cream. If you have a chocolate lover in your life, this cake should be on your must-make-list.