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easy meal ideas

Need a Flavour Fix? #itsinthebagCH Twitter Party!

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Take the doubt out of dinner with NEW Club House Bag’n Season – the trick to transforming ordinary chicken into flavourful home-cooked entrées. Seriously folks, this one’s a no-brainer: simply place the meat and ingredients in the roasting bag provided, pour in the seasoning and put it in the oven. Et voila! Tender roasted chicken that’s bursting with flavour – your whole family will love it!


Each cooking-bag and seasoning-mix duo contains zero trans fat and no artificial colours or flavours, for mouth-watering roasted chicken every time. The unique seasoning mixes (Mediterranean Chicken, Mixed Herb Chicken and Paprika) come with an oven bag that perfectly locks in all the juices and flavours. And since there’s no mess and no fuss, you’ll have more time to spend on the things you love – and less time fussing with dirty dishes. Sounds like a Win-Win to me!

(Speaking of winning, enter the Club House Bag O’ Cash Contest for a chance to win $2,000!)

Intrigued? Join us for the Club House #itsinthebagCH Twitter Party on Wednesday, November 6th at 8:00pm. We’ll chat about your favourite ways to create flavourful home-cooked entrées and introduce you to the best thing to happen to chicken in a long time – Club House Bag’n Season. As always, there’ll be amazing prizes up for grabs, including $75 Club House Prize Packs (that’s A LOT of spices and seasonings!) and a Grand Prize of “Dinner on Us” – a $75 Club House Prize Pack PLUS a $50 grocery card!


RSVP below for a chance to win. Looking forward to a delicious Twitter Party!…

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We Can’t Stop: Dempsters #WrapitUp Twitter Party!

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NEWSFLASH! I am helplessly addicted to Dempster’s Tortillas. Simply put, they make EVERYTHING taste delicious, and they’re not just for Mexican night! Leftover curried chicken – wrap it up. Miscellaneous cold cuts – wrap it up. Mom’s meatloaf – wrap it up. Chickpea salad… trust me, you can wrap it up. The options for breakfast, lunch and dinner are endless, and often, with a little inspiration and a few staple ingredients, I can create a quick, simple meal that my family will love.

Bonus: The NEW Dempster’s Tortillas have a Fresh Taste Guarantee, so you’ll always sink your teeth into the softest, freshest tasting wrap. Available in 6 varieties, you can visit WrapItUp.Dempsters.ca to find easy to make, delicious recipes. Note to self: try the Rustic Italian Quesadillas below.

Of course, the best way to celebrate delicious food is with a Twitter Party! 

Join @Dempsters for the #WrapitUp Twitter Party on Tuesday, September 24th at 9:00pm ET. We’ll chat about ways to – you guessed it! – wrap it up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus, we’ll have some AH-MA-ZING prizes up for grabs (over $1600 worth!), including Perfect Tortilla Party Packs and Visa Gift Cards. It’ll be a party you won’t want to miss – just be sure you have your favourite wrap on hand, as you’re sure to get a little hungry :)

For your chance to win, RSVP below. Looking forward to partying with you!…

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Weeknight Dinner Dilemma: Just Wrap it Up

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WHAT did I do before I discovered Dempster’s Tortillas?

Oh, right. I *may* have…

– sorted through takeout menus for a dial-a-dinner
– rummaged through the freezer for an edible ice product
– climbed a kitchen chair to peruse the top shelf of the pantry
– jumped in my car hell-bent for the nearest drive-thru
– all of the above

The thing is, weeknight dinners are inevitable. There’s just an unwritten rule that you have to feed your kids every night. (Edit: I just discovered it’s not an unwritten rule – it’s the law. Huh.) Also inevitable? Those nights when you know you should eat leftovers, but dammit, you just don’t want to. And the second your will starts to waver, you begin your path to the dark side… which often ends with, “Would you like fries with that?”

That’s why I’m helplessly addicted to Dempster’s Tortillas. Simply put, they make EVERYTHING taste delicious. Leftover curried chicken – wrap it up. Miscellaneous cold cuts – wrap it up. Mom’s meatloaf – wrap it up. Chickpea salad… trust me, you can wrap it up. The options for weeknight dinners are endless! And often, with a little inspiration and a few staple ingredients, I can create a quick, simple dinner that my family will love.

Breaking News! A little bird told me that the NEW Dempster’s Tortillas have a Fresh Taste Guarantee! (Okay, it wasn’t a little bird. You can clearly see it marked on the package above.) Nevertheless, to celebrate their awesomely delicious products, Dempster’s is holding a “Wrap & Win” sweepstakes, where you can play for your chance to win $5,000 – plus $1,000 in instant win prizes!

Of course, the purpose of this post is to solve your weeknight dinner dilemma. And I’m here to say, if you have the following products on hand, forever a dinner-making jedi you will be:

Clockwise, from top left: 1. Romaine lettuce, shredded; 2. Your Favourite Dempster’s Tortillas; 3. Jalapeno Harvarti Cheese; 4. Your Favourite Spicy Hummus; 5. Maple Leaf Prime Naturally Oven Roasted Chicken Breast Strips….

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Break Up With Ground Beef: Asian Lettuce Cups

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You know how sometimes, you develop “a taste” for something? For the last few months, I’ve been substituting ground beef with ground chicken or turkey, and I have to say… I’m hooked. Ground chicken tacos. Ground turkey chili. Chicken meatballs and turkey meatloaf. Mmm… so, so good.

Beyond really enjoying the taste and texture, I love that it’s lower in saturated fat, calories and cholesterol, and way easier on the waistline than ground beef. Plus, because of the naturally mild flavour, it absorbs spices and flavourings easily, so your dishes taste brighter and bolder with proper seasoning.

My love affair with ground chicken reached a whole new level this past May, when we dined at the Yak & Yeti Restaurant inside the Animal Kingdom of Walt Disney World. Situated at the base of Mt. Everest in the small town of Anandapur, Yak & Yeti offers Pan-Asian cuisine, including delicacies such as Prawn crisps, Seared Miso Salmon and Dim Sum Basket – or old standbys like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork.

If you’ve been to Disney World, you know that quick service restaurants can get old – quickly. There are only so many chicken fingers you can ingest! Hence, we made it a point on this visit to indulge in as many family restaurants as possible. Sitting down, taking a break, and enjoying a delicious, healthy meal as a family only complements your Disney experience, and I strongly suggest you budget for at least one dining adventure per trip. You won’t be disappointed!

At the Yak & Yeti, the Asian Lettuce Cups were highly recommended. Perfect! Being on my ground chicken kick, I was only too happy to enjoy what was described as “Minced chicken breast, chopped veggies, maple tamarind sauce, and crisp lettuce cups.” And OMG – were they ever delicious. With Indo-Chinese flavours and just the right amount of kick, the dish was meant to be shared as an appetizer, but I quickly converted it to my main course and swatted away curious hands. Mine, all mine! (Image courtesy of wdwinfo.com)

Upon returning home, I quickly scoured the Internet for a recipe; however, while searching “Yak & Yeti Lettuce Cups Recipe” yielded 923 results, not one offered a concrete ingredient list or method for how I could duplicate these wonders at home. So, I got creative, and created a mash-up of several recipes for Asian Lettuce Cups until I was certain all of the elements were covered. And this is what I came up with:…

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Make It Tonight: Easy Salmon Cakes

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Sometimes, you just don’t give a damn.

Take last night; I wasn’t up to cooking dinner – nor was I craving takeout. And even though we had just completed a full run of grocery shopping, there was “nothing to eat” (of course). To top it all off, I had a million things to do, and absolutely no motivation to begin. Yup, it was one of those nights.

Thankfully, inspiration struck as I opened the pantry and spotted a tin of Sockeye Salmon. If this isn’t a staple in your home, you are denying yourself a quick, 10-minute meal on Sunday evenings when you just don’t care. Because in less time than it takes to root around for the takeout menus, you can create a hot, flavourful meal your whole family will love. (Alas, my two little guys were full to the brim from eating barbecued corn on the cob – and who could blame them? – hence, it was only a table for two last night.)

So, I grabbed a few items from the pantry and fridge, and 10 minutes later – voila! Easy Salmon Cakes, à la Lena.

1 large can Sockeye Salmon, drained and broken into small chunks
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp seafood seasoning, or to taste
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
oil, for pan frying

In a large bowl, mix salmon, mayonnaise, green onion, egg, Italian breadcrumbs, seafood seasoning and lemon juice. If mixture is too wet, continue to add Italian breadcrumbs slowly. Form two patties; slightly flatten tops and roll in Panko breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in large pan on medium heat. Fry salmon cakes until just browned, about 8-10 minutes, turning once.

We cheated and made a risotto from a box mix (I recommend PC Splendido) as a side – hey, remember, this was an I-don’t-give-a-damn night. Surprisingly, it was quite delicious, and a great accompaniment to the Salmon Cakes. My recipe serves 2, but can easily be doubled for a family of four.

Now THAT’S easy peasy! Make it tonight!

So Easy.. So Juicy… So, Do You Want to Win $2,000?

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Years ago, a recipe for a Seven Layer Mexican Dip fell into my hot little hands.

Sweet! One of the most delicious dips known to mankind, and now I could make it all on my own. I scanned the recipe, excited for my next informal shindig, where I was certain it would be a crowd pleaser. As I looked through the directions, I noticed an asterisk at the very end:

*Be sure to use Maggi Chili Sauce. It’s the best tasting sauce out there, great for this recipe.

Hmm. Since I was not familiar with Maggi products, I decided to go on and give it a try. And I concurred; it really was the best chili sauce I had ever had. Not too spicy, and with just the right twang, the appetizer went on to be a hit (of course I knew it would) and I became a fan of Maggi Taste of Asia Chili Sauce for life.

Since then, I’ve enjoyed several Maggi products, including their Vegetable Soup Mix, Premium Oyster Sauce and Season Up! Spices.

And now… Maggi introduces their NEW So Juicy!

So Juicy is a whole new way of cooking that creates delicious, juicy chicken every time – no mess and no stress! It includes the special “Flavour Lock” cooking bag that seals in the flavour and lets chicken simmer in its own juice.

That’s all! Minimal preparation and cleanup, and maximum flavour. I’ll admit that I’m normally hesitant to put plastic in the oven, but something tells me that Maggi has this down to a science. Has anyone tried Maggi So Juicy? I’d love to hear your feedback. So Juicy is available in Mixed Herbs, Garlic and Rotisserie seasonings.

Well, now that we’ve made it so easy…. with So Juicy… so, how would you like to win $2,000?…

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Countdown to BBQ Season: Rosemary Grilled Chicken

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With grilling season just around the corner, I’ve been dying to resurrect this recipe for Rosemary Grilled Chicken. The kabob recipe comes from a Williams Sonoma Grilling book, so yeah, you know it’s kind of awesome. Chunks of marinated, grilled chicken are so tender and juicy, they literally melt in your mouth. I love the chicken served over rice or stuffed in a pita with grilled veggies (just double the marinade and grill up some zucchini, peppers, sweet onions and button mushrooms).

I must have made this super-easy recipe over 10 times last summer, but I’ve been hesitant to try it on my grill pan, reasoning that the savoury, charred goodness should be limited to an outdoor grill. T-minus 2 months to BBQ season!

If you don’t have fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary will work in a pinch – but hey, live a little! Make the trip to the supermarket if you have to – nothing beats fresh rosemary. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ranch dressing
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar
4-5 skinless, boneless Maple Leaf Prime chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear. Serves 6.

Simplify Easter Brunch: Savoury Egg Strata

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A make-ahead recipe that will wow your family come Easter morning? Yes please.

Courtesy of the Egg Farmers of Ontario, this egg strata is perfect for Easter brunch. You can make it a day ahead, which simplifies preparation and gives you more time to spend with the family…or hunt for Easter Eggs.

And, it’s terribly easy to customize depending on your nutritional preferences: substitute whole wheat bread for white, use reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and/or use low sodium shaved ham. Enjoy!

Serving: 8 Servings
Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-1¼ hours

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf (about 520 g) sliced white bread (about 16 slices, discard ends)
½ lb (250 g) thinly sliced or shaved ham
2 cups (500 mL) shredded Cheddar cheese
6 eggs
¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped onion
¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped green pepper
½ tsp (2 mL) dry mustard
½ tsp (2 mL) black pepper
½ tsp (2 mL) Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco
3 cups (750 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter or margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS

Trim crusts from bread; reserve crusts. Cover bottom of greased 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) baking dish with slices of bread, trimming to fit if necessary. Cover with ham, then cheese. Top with another layer of bread.

Whisk eggs. Add onion, green pepper, dry mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco; whisk to combine. Whisk in milk. Pour mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Meanwhile, pulse reserved crusts in food processor until coarsely chopped. Set aside 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) of the bread crumbs. (Remainder can be frozen for another use.)

The next day, stir melted butter into bread crumbs until moistened. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over top of casserole.

Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°F) oven until puffed, set and golden brown, about 1 to 1-1/4 hours.

No, I’m Not Sick; I Just Ate Curry.

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Two nights ago, shortly after dinner, I had a lovely chat with a friend. A few moments into the conversation, she asked me, “Are you sick?”

“No,” I responded, confused. “Do I sound sick?”
“You sorta do…” she replied.

Huh. I thought to myself for a second, and then inspiration struck.

“Oh! Actually, I had a really spicy curry for dinner. You know, the kind where your nose starts running so badly, you just wipe your face with your sleeve, and you’re trying to talk but your tongue is on fire? That’s probably why I sound so nasally – I had an acute curry attack.”

We laughed and continued to chat, while I rummaged through the freezer for a popsicle.

I didn’t think much about it until I got on the phone with another friend, who also asked, “Are you sick?”

“No…,” I responded. For a brief moment I was confused, and then –

“Oh my God, I had a really spicy curry for dinner,” I explained,  “and I spent about 10 minutes having the contents of my nasal cavities running all over my face, so I think this is the after-effect.”

Who knew? I officially have an I-just-ate-curry voice.

We continued to discuss Indian food in general, and since she lives in Eastern Canada, how it’s so hard to find the delicious, authentic stuff that hasn’t been dumbed-down for Canadian palettes. Thankfully, here in Toronto, it’s quite easy to encounter amazing ethnic food of the highest quality – there’s an Asian market on every corner, and Halal Meat Shops are more common in Mississauga than 7-11’s.

(I kid you not: a 7-11 on a nearby, busy intersection just closed down and became an Indian grocery store. Business is booming!)

Now I know that not everyone has access to the appropriate ingredients for an authentic Vegetarian Korma, so I’m pleased to share this recipe that incorporates ingredients you can find everywhere. Some may say it’s one of those recipes dumbed-down for Canadian palettes – but I’m sorry; I just don’t have two hours on a weekday night to grind my own spices and mix my own masala. And, made as is, it’s actually quite tasty.

Darling husband cooked this exotic dish for dinner on Tuesday night, and even though our house still smells like Gerard Street, I can’t wait to devour the leftovers! An oh-so-simple recipe that will cure your curry craving in t-minus 30 minutes flat – plus, it’s a wonderful way to introduce vegetarian options to your weekly menu.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 medium-sized potatoes, cubed
4 small carrots, cubed
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Parboil cubed potatoes for about 10 minutes or until just fork-tender. Drain; set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes to allow flavours to mingle.

Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, coconut milk and yogurt into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4.

Turkey & All the Trimmings… Any Night of the Week!

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Consider this a Public Service Announcement (PSA):

Yes, you CAN enjoy a delicious turkey dinner all year ’round. No, you DON’T have to purchase a 15lb bird. Yes, you can make it TONIGHT.

Introducing… Butterball Turkey Roasts! Enjoy the convenience of a turkey that goes from freezer to oven – and even includes stuffing – which means that you’re spending more time with your family, and less time in the kitchen. They’re perfect for every turkey occasion!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I am excited to share some of Butterball’s turkey options with my readers. Say you’re a small family and would rather not go through the time and expense of preparing a whole turkey. Or maybe you’re on the go, and are looking for a quicker, more convenient alternative. Or, perhaps you just want to enjoy a tasty turkey dinner all year ’round, but the thought of preparing and roasting a whole turkey is daunting. Ta-da! Time for a Butterball Turkey Roast.

Butterball Roast ‘n Slice Boneless Stuffed Turkey: The biggest Butterball Roast option, this pre-stuffed turkey serves 8-12 and has had all the bones removed except for the drumsticks. Easy to roast and easy to slice!

Boneless, Stuffed Turkey Breast Roast: Think of this as the BEST turkey roll ever. Tender, juicy breast meat stuffed with delicious homestyle stuffing -serve it warm or cold! It’s delicious the next day right out of the fridge… trust me.

Turkey Breast with Bone: For traditionalists on a modern time crunch, simply carve off the bone for a wholesome family roast which feeds 3-4. Perfectly seasoned and perfect for weeknights!

Stuffed Turkey Breast with Bone: Read above, and now picture it with the awesomeness of Butterball Homestyle stuffing – made with croutons, margarine, onions, celery, parsley and spices for a delicious homemade taste. And how many times do you enjoy stuffing on a week night?…

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