Nana's BBQ Sauce

My nana, whom I miss dearly, had some tasty recipes in her repertoire.  I was lucky enough to get some of her cookbooks and recipe collections when she passed away and I hold them near and dear.  She loved to cook for her family but she also enjoyed being cooked for.  I used to love watching her eat.  She was so dainty - always a lady.
I don't like a smoky BBQ sauce so this is right up my alley.  Sweet, a little tangy and sticky.
This recipe is very simple and takes only 5 minutes to make.  Keeps well in the fridge for a few days or you can freeze it.  It's awesome on chicken and it's great on ribs.  Just remember because of the sugar content, to only smear it on the chicken or within the last 15 minutes of cooking so it doesn't burn.
Here is the recipe, word for word. Thanks Nana! Cheers to you!

Nana's BBQ Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
3 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2-1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp pepper
dash of Tabasco

Melt butter and add onion, cook until tender.  Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.  store in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage.

Cucumber Salad

With this super humid weather we've been having, I needed something fast, crisp and cold to serve along side hamburgers we had the other night.  Light, refreshing and super simple.  It almost seems silly to blog about something so easy but it's one of those side dishes I often forget about because it is so easy.  My husband and I love this salad and surprisingly, so did my wee ones.  Wasn't sure if they'd like the vinegar but they did and they gobbled it.
It's another hot sunny day in beautiful Muskoka and we're heading to the lake to spend the day on the dock.  I imagine we'll BBQ later and I may just have to make this again.
The addition of finely sliced red or sweet onions is always nice but my kids aren't fans of raw onion so I left it out.  I also like the salad to sit for an hour or two and toss the cucumbers to make sure the dressing is coating everything.  You will wind up with a lot more liquid then when you started.  Drain it or leave it.  I prefer to leave it in case anyone wants a little extra drizzled on theirs.  The addition of the water dilutes the vinegar for those that don't like to much tang.

Cucumber Salad

Serves 4

1 English Cucumber, slice as thin as possible
4 tbsp vinegar (I used white wine vinegar but white is fine)
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp dried dill or tbsp fresh, chopped
1 tbsp water (optional)

Mix together the vinegar, sugar, salt and water if using until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour over the cucumbers and add the dill.  Let sit at least an hour stirring once or twice to coat the cucumbers.  Drain or serve with the juices.

Layered Goat Cheese Spread

Whenever I take this absolutely delicious spread to a friends house, I have at least 3 people ask me for the recipe.  I make this spread often.  It is bursting with mega flavour and texture.
About 10 years ago, a close family friend Patti, made this at my mom and dads to nibble on while we had cocktails.  My mom and I were intrigued by the ingredients and all of the fresh herbs.  One bite and we were  totally hooked.
I am attending a girls night, dubbed Stiletto Thursday tonight and the temperature with humidex is 41 degrees.  I have offered to bring some apps, all of which will be cold.  This is perfect for that.  Serve it with crackers, crostini or endive spears.
The leftovers, if there are any, can be tossed into pasta or stuffed into chicken.  If you're feeling frisky and not worried about your breath, finely chop a small clove of garlic and mix it in with the goat cheese.  Today I added some lemon rind, but that is totally up to you.  I'm not one to follow a recipe too closely but this one I do not stray from.  It's perfect.  The addition of anything else will make it too complicated and leaving any one ingredient out will leave it begging for you to add it back in.  Don't mess with a good thing.
p.s. spread everything out evenly so you get all the ingredients in one lip smacking bite!

 

Layered Goat Cheese Spread


5 oz Soft Goat Cheese
1 tsp Lemon Rind, finely grated (optional)
4-5 Sundried Tomatoes in oil, slivered
2 tbsp each Fresh Basil and Parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
Good Olive oil (optional)

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over med heat until just golden.  Keep an eye on them as they tend to burn quickly.  Set aside to cool.  Spread the goat cheese in a shallow dish, put a layer of sundried tomatoes on and sprinkle with the lemon rind if using.  Mix the chopped herbs together and layer over the tomatoes.  Finally, sprinkle on the pine nuts and drizzle with a little good quality extra virgin olive oil.  It can be served right away or popped in the fridge for a few hours covered.

Asparagus Goat Cheese Crostini

Simple as it is, this is full of flavor.  I serve these as an app but I've been be known to sit down with a few of these and a glass of wine and call it a meal.  Steam your asparagus, roast your asparagus or grill it.  Whatever floats your boat.  Same with the crostini.  No need to fire up the oven for this one when you can do it all on the grill.  If you don't know how to make crostini, refer to the Ricotta Tomato Crostini recipe in the description.
I quite often buy baguette's and freeze them so I can make crostini at a moments notice.  Great for unexpected guests or a fast light meal.
p.s. did I mention I love crostini!

Asparagus Goat Cheese Crostini


Serves 4 (as an appetizer)

8 Crostini
8-10 spears of Asparagus (snapped where it naturally snaps)
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup Goat Cheese
Tbsp lemon rind
Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Toss the asparagus with a little olive oil, chopped garlic and S&P.  Grill the asparagus for 5-7 minutes until just tender.  Cut in half and set aside.  Blend together the goat cheese, lemon rind and parsley.  Spread about a tbsp of goat cheese on each crostini and top with a couple asparagus halves.  Serve at room temp.  Voila. It's that simple.

The Best Pork Tenderloin

When I say this is the best, I mean it.  This is my "go to" recipe for summer entertaining.  I always have these ingredients on hand for a super simple main.  Every time I make this, somebody asks for the recipe.  It's sweet, savory, tender and it's best when done on the BBQ.  This is another dish my husband moans through.  I've learned that's a compliment and I'm okay with it.
If you're making more than 1 tenderloin, use a 1/3 cup of each of the 3 main ingredients.  Always save some for basting and try to marinate this for no less than 2 hours.  Overnight and it's even better.  I don't always throw fresh herbs in but while I was BBQing, my herb garden was staring at me and I grabbed a handful of rosemary and parsley and tossed it into the basting bowl.  It's also extremely important to let the pork rest.  It's keeps it oh so juicy and unbelievably tender.
I haven't tried this on chicken but I'm sure it would make the chicken sing.

The Best Pork Tenderloin

Serves 2-3

1 Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 Honey
1/4 Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove of garlic, chopped
Fresh Black Pepper
Fresh Herbs (optional)

Combine mustard, honey, soy sauce, balsamic and garlic.  Pour half of it over the pork and save the other half for basting.  Give the pork a good grinding of pepper and let marinate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
Pre-heat one side of the grill to med-high.  Once heated place pork on the grill over the heat turning every 2-3 minutes while basting.  After 10 minutes, move to the other side of the grill and continue basting and turning over indirect heat for another 10 min (close the lid in between basting) until just a hint of pink remains inside.  Remove from the grill and tent with foil for at least 10 minutes.  Slice and serve.

Ricotta Tomato Crostini

As hard as I tried yesterday to post a new recipe, I failed.  I made these crostini for a light dinner and then decided to go out with some girlfriends for a much needed beverage....or two.  I saw a recipe similar to this one a few years ago on TV. I think it was a Bobby Flay recipe.  Of course, I tweaked it.  I just can't seem to leave a recipe alone.  I have made this and used a large fresh french bread and served it as a meal with a chilly glass of white wine, either as a lunch or light supper.  I have also served it this way with smaller crostini as an appetizer.  Either way, it's so yummy.  I use Proscuitto but if you don't like the texture of it, crisp it up a bit and pan.   If you don't like Proscuitto all together, crumble some crispy Pancetta overtop.  If you don't eat meat, leave it out all together and shave some fresh parm on top, which I have done and it's just as yummy. The other reason I like this recipe is because you can prepare all of the components ahead of time and assemble them right before you serve them.
If you don't know how to make crostini, just take a baguette, slice it on angle about 1/2 inch thick.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss into a 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes.  Alternatively, you can grill your crostini or whatever bread you're using.  To take it up a notch, rub the toasts with a clove of garlic while it's still warm.

Ricotta Tomato Crostini

Serves 4 (as an appetizer)

8 Crostini
1/2 cup Ricotta
small handful of Parsley, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
4-6 slices of Proscuitto, halved
handful of fresh Basil
Olive oil for drizzling (optional)

Stir together the Ricotta, parsley (if you're using it) and the salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside or keep cool in the fridge.  Preheat your grill, oven or saute pan.  Drizzle the tomatoes with the oil, throw in the garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Grill them, slow roast them or saute them until they get soft and start to burst.  Set aside to cool or use them right away warm.  Top the crostini with ricotta, then tomato mixture,  some torn Basil and finally the Proscuitto. Drizzle with a little Olive Oil if you so desire.  Serve.

Tomato Salad Dressing

I have been smokin' busy the last few days with my daughter's 5th birthday falling on the Canada Day long weekend.  I hosted a rather large party with 30 adults and 11 kids and served Pulled Pork as I do every year.  It was delish.  Although the party is over, as is the weekend, I haven't been home much to get anything done.  My fridge is empty and the laundry is piling up.  Needless to say, I haven't had time to post.  So in lieu of a recipe with a photo, I'm going to post a super simple tomato salad tip.  Easiest dressing ever.
I'm not going to give you measurements, just the basics.  Take a salad bowl and throw in a finely chopped clove of garlic (you need to like garlic to like this dressing).  Toss in a chopped tomato or a handful of halved cherry tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then drizzle with olive oil - a tbsp usually serves 4.  Let it sit at room temp (as we all know you should never stick tomatoes in the fridge) for at least a half hour or up to an hour.   The salt draws out some of the juices from the tomatoes as they sit which then mingles with the olive oil and creates a dressing. Toss on some salad greens and you've got yourself a really yummy, clean tasting salad.  If you want to take it further, throw in some green onions, cucumbers, basil or bocconcini.  So totally simple and so seriously yummy.
I am going to do my best to post a recipe tomorrow.  I'm thinking something on crostini...yum.

Sweet Garlic Dressing on Baby Greens

This is one of my very favorite salads.  Another one of those "I need to get that recipe from you" recipes.  You can change up the ingredients but this is the one I adore.  Try Feta in place of the Goat Cheese.  Walnuts instead of Almonds.  Red onion instead of green onions.  The dressing will make extra...use what you want on the salad and stick the rest in the fridge for up to 3 days.  Simple, bright and bursting with flavor and texture.
p.s. Happy Canada Day Weekend!!

Sweet Garlic Dressing on Baby Greens

Serves 2

2 Tbsp Dressing (recipe below)
2 1/2 cups of baby greens
1/4 English cucumber sliced
1 green onion sliced
2 tbsp dried Cranberries
2 tbsp toasted almonds
1 oz soft Goat Cheese

Assemble, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Sweet Garlic Dressing

1/4 Olive Oil
1/4 Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tsp Honey
1 clove garlic, chopped

Put all ingredients into a jar, shake and serve.  Refrigerate for up to 3 days.