Juicy Burgers Cooking Tips

Summer is a great time to host BBQ and what better way than perfecting the perfect burger. We have a recipe up for a great burger but the toppings are also important too. Try out the recipe and one new secret we found over the summer is adding 1 can of tomato paste to your burger recipe. We found this makes the burger juicy and mouth-watering. So try out our burger recipe and let us know what you think. Make sure to BBQ them low and slow!
Another great tip is grabbing toppings that are different such as avocados, roasted red peppers, cold slaw and pickles, roasted onions, garlic and hot peppers, try goat cheese, watercress, balsamic reduction and peppers or our favourite parmesan cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers . It is important to keep it fresh, so instead of buying burgers this weekend, plan to make your own!
It is simple, less expensive and are in charge of what goes into your meat. Leave us a comment and let us know how your juicy burgers turn out!

Cooking Tips for Summer Jam Recipes

Now as we are in the middle of summer it is a great time to use the fruits and vegetables available to your advantage. Markets are such a great way to go if you are able to do so, and also the grocery stores are filled with fresh local produce. As fruit  is in season it is less expensive now than say in the fall or winter months and therefore a perfect time to take advantage of jarring. When I say jarring I am talking about making home made jam. Using fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and even adding a hint of apple is a great way to take advantage of great local fruit and jar it for the  rest of the year. Using the ripest quality of fruit will really enhance any jam you decide to make. Jam is easy to make, using minimal ingredients and it is so much healthier making it by scratch than buying  in a grocery store. There are recipes everywhere online on how to prepare jam it is simple and easy to make.

Another hint that we have is if you have extra fruit that your not using in your jam recipe grab some freezer bags and freeze the  fruit. This will also last you through the months where fruit is much more expensive and why not freeze it when it is ripe and in season. We do this all the time with so many fruits and it will also save you money along the way.

Try out this simple recipe:

3 pints of strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup raspberries

1 tablespoon of orange liquor

3 1/2 cups of sugar

Rinse fruit well before using and than cut strawberries in half’s or quarters. Please all fruit in a large pot and toss with sugar and liqueur. Bring to a bowl while stirring occasionally. A great tip to make sure your jam reaches the desired temperature is use a thermometer to make sure it is at 220 degrees. This takes around 35 to 40 minutes. After mixture is at the desired temperature turn off jam and let cool at room temperature over night.

Summer is almost over

The summer has flown by for us and all summer we have begun to start an online cooking course which will run in a 16 week program. We have been taping our dvds, and have outlined our step by step cooking course.
We think this course will be amazing and perfect for people just starting out in the kitchen with simple meals.
With the economy the way it is, we feel that the best way to save money is by eating in. It is not only healthier but will save you money each month. Our course will outline the 5 main ingredients you should have in your home at all times. With these key ingredients you can whip up any meat dish, seafood, pasta and vegetables.
We are really exciting to take our love for cooking to the next level and hope you will support us on our cooking course. As we are still in the works of finishing it up we will post more info when it is up and ready.
We would love to hear your comments or thoughts on what you would think and also if you or anyone you know would be interested in taking this 16 week course. We guarantee that you will be confident in the kitchen by the end of this course, be able to whip up simple delicious meals, and have the confidence you need to cook for a crowd!

Thanks,

Kristie Peever & Sydney Walsh

Guacamole Recipe

Margarita Recipe

Pasta, Chicken & Oatmeal Cookies Video

Homemade Burgers and Orzo Salad

Homemade Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 packages of extra lean ground beef or meat of your choice
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• salt, pepper
• 6 dashes of tabasco
• 10 dashes of worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 2 tablespoons of steak or grilling spice

To assemble mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until well incorporated. With your hands take a handful of the burger mixture and create burger patties. You can make them as large or small as you want but try to keep them about 1 to 2 inches thick. When finished place on a baking try and take out to a BBQ when it is at medium to medium high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or to your liking. Enjoy

Orzo Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 bag or orzo
• 2 zucchini diced
• 2 red peppers diced
• 2 yellow peppers diced
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 cup Greek feta
• 1/4 fresh basil chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large lemon

Cook orzo to specific cooking directions on the back of the box. While the orzo is cooking take a large serving bowl and begin to chop and add all of your vegetables to the bowl. Chop the basil and add the feta cheese along with salt and pepper to serving dish. While vegetables are combining prepare your vinaigrette. Add the three cloves of garlic finely diced, 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 large juice of a lemon. When orzo is finished add to the serving dish of vegetables and add the vinaigrette and mix together.
Serve hot or let chill in the fridge and serve as desired. Enjoy

Pasta, Chicken & Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Baked Chicken with Sundried Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• skinless chicken breasts
• butter
• garlic
• sundried tomatoes
• chicken broth
• lemon
• cornstarch

Instructions:

In a cooking dish lightly season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place into an oven at 350 degrees until cooked about 25 minutes. In the meantime over a sauce pan on medium low heat add 2 tablespoons of bueer, and 2 cloves of garlic chopped. Let simmer and next add 1 small can of chopped sundried tomatoes. Next add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and to thicken sauce 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Let sauce come together and thicken about 2 minutes.
Once chicken is cooked plate and add sundried tomato sauce on the top. Enjoy.

Cherry Tomato and Brie Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 container of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 cup of brie cheese cubed
• olive oil to coat

Add 1 container of penne to boiling water and cook according to directions on the back of the box.
In the meantime take a large serving bowl to make the fresh tomato sauce.
First chop up garlic very fine and add to serving bowl along with olive oil. Coat serving bowl with olive oil about 3 to 4 tablespoons. Next add cheery tomatoes to mixture along with salt and pepper to taste. Add cubed brie cheese and chopped basil.
Let mixture sit and the flavour will combine while the pasta is cooking. When pasta is ready lightly strain pasta allowing pasta water to mix with the sauce. This thickens the sauce and add more if necessary. Serve and enjoy.

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 whole wheat flour
• 3/4 all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Mix wet ingridents together and dry ingredients together. Slowly add dry ingridents to wet ingridents and add to a greased pan at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown. Enjoy.

Potato Gnocchi Recipe

Potato Gnocchi Recipe

• Medium size potatoes 1 potato per person
• white flour
• spoon or gnocchi maker

Instructions:

To begin figure out your serving size and put one medium sized potato per single serving into boiling water. Let potatoes cook on medium heat for about 25 minutes or until they are soft. Strain potatoes and add to sink to let cool. When potatoes are cooled carefully peel the skin off of the potatoes and add to a large bowl for mixing. The next step you need to measure 1 cup of white flour per potato. You might think when mixing that this is too much flour but it all comes together. Continue mixing with hands, than add to counter surface to continue mixing than being to roll out with a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to about a 1/2 inch thick and cut stripes in the dough to begin forming the gnocchi.
When cutting the stripes simply cut the gnocchi how large or small you want it than take a fork or an gnocchi tool and begin to shape the gnocchi.
*It doesn’t need to be perfect so don’t worry if they don’t look great they will all taste amazing and this step does take practice.
Transfer the gnocchi to a large area to let sit for about an hour before serving to harden up.
Boil water and add 1 tablespoon of oil in water so gnocchi does not stick. Cook for about 10 minutes or until gnocchi floats to the top.
Serve immediately with red pasta sauce, butter and herbs or pesto.
Enjoy.

Sangria Recipe – Salsa Recipe

Homemade Sangria Recipe

• 2 oranges
• 2 limes
• 1 lemon
• 3-4 peaches
• 1 container of fresh strawberries
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup club soda
• 3 dashes of triple sec or any orange liquor
• 1/2 cup sprite

Instructions:

Lightly chop up all of the fruit and add to a pitcher, than add one bottle of red wine, any kind that you prefer. Next add 2 cups of orange juice and 1 cup of club soda. Three dashes of triple sec or any orange liquor of your choice and 1/2 cup of sprite to add some sweetness. Can serve immediately or let chill for about an hour to let all of the flavors combine.

Salsa Recipe

• 3 to 4 jalapeno peppers
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 5 plum tomatoes
• 1/4 white onion
• handful of fresh cilantro

Add peppers, garlic and tomatoes to a bbq on medium high heat. Let brown, make sure to turn and rotate the ingredients so all of the sides get browned. Brown for about 10 minutes.
Next let ingredients cool and add to a blender with the white onion, cilantro and salt and pepper. Lightly pulse ingredients together until mixed. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy.