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Pork Burgers with Peanut Sauce

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Pork satay with a peanut sauce work together so well, that’s why we’ve created these Pork Burgers with Peanut Sauce! Serve in a bun or in a lettuce cup with a light drizzle of sauce and try not to lick your fingers and even the plate!

Fpork burgers with peanut sauce

Pork Burgers with Peanut Sauce

We do love our burgers here and that’s why we are always trying new combinations. Some work, some don’t but that’s life as recipe tester and developer.

For this burger we combine Asian inspired flavours providing an awesome yet subtle flavour burst that pairs nicely with the sauce. My husband likes them with the sauce, but he also loves the flavour of the burger as is!

Pork Burgers with Peanut Sauce

Fun Fact

Did you know I grew up eating pork breakfast sausages with peanut butter?! For breakfast of course! I thought everyone did this until I moved away from home and got strange looks.

These days my family have adapted my crazy ways and also eat their sausages with peanut butter. See where the inspiration for these burgers comes from?

pork burger with peanut sauce

What to serve with this burger?

We keep flavour simple since the patties have so much flavour as does the peanut sauce. Here’s a few ways we’ve enjoyed them.

  • Quick pickle of radishes and carrots for this burger.
  • Lettuce, anything goes.
  • Spicy coleslaw on top just works!
  • Additional cilantro if you like it. If not use parsley.
  • Sliced bell pepper rings.
  • Spicy peppers.
  • Chili oil drizzled on.
  • Mayo mixed with hot sauce like sriracha or more sambal.

To Cilantro or not Cilantro, that is the question

Most of us know some people detect soap when they eat cilantro and avoid it at all costs. If this is you replace cilantro with Thai basil or flat leaf parsley.

pork burgers peanut sauce

Popular burger recipes you will want to try!

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Baked Potato Skins with Pancetta

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Years ago a good friend of mine used to order these all the time whenever we would go out for some good eats. I loved them to and would always sneak one or two from her plate, never ordering my own batch as there were other things enticing me.

Making your own cheesy, crunchy, melt in your mouth baked potato skins is as easy as it sounds. They really do taste as good (if not better) as when you order it in a restaurant or pub. Another perfect appetizer to make if you are having friends over to watch a game as you can prep them in advance and have them ready to pop into the oven.

You can vary the cheese for a different flavour, but we tend to stick with old cheddar for this one. I do not mix any of the leftover potato back in since we are not making stuffed potatoes and these taste really good as is. You can fry up the leftover potato and make a delicious hash or hasbrowns.

Watermelon Refresher

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A refreshing watermelon beverage that started out as baby food. I used to make my own baby food and expanded on the recipe. It’s not smoothie thick, so to thicken it up add banana, yogurt and/or ice. Guest what – pour it as is into popsicle molds and you have popsicles – my kids love them! You can also mix it with yogurt, dollop some on ice cream or even pour it on oatmeal.

Add more strawberries for more of a berry taste or more watermelon will make it taste more like melon. It’s a great way to use up watermelon & get some more fruit into your family. I usually have to double the recipe to make enough to last!

To give it an adult kick add in an ounce or two of tequila. I have experimented with orange/mandarin vodka and turned it into a delicious Martini. It’s the perfect base to many cocktail creations!

Cucumber Salad

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I grew up eating cucumbers and tomatoes (grown in the garden) by the truck loads and so different variations of cucumber salads were fairly common in our house. I continue this trend of eating lots of tomatoes and cucumbers in my house. It’s amazing how many new ways you can discover to eat these delicious bites.

This is a very refreshing and crisp salad that goes great with just about anything. You could make this if you are on the Wild Rose D-tox Program, but you need to omit the vinegar in the dressing.

Coconut Rice

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A favourite food memory of mine includes flavourful Thai food served with fluffy white Coconut Rice. Serve with your favourite grilled veggies or protein, stir fries, soups, curries and so much more.

coconut rice

Coconut Rice

If you love eating rice, you will adore this variation infused lightly with coconut milk. It’s not overpowering but offers a subtle hint of coconut flavour while keeping the rice light and fluffy.

Thai Coconut Rice

I’ve watched this style of rice being made many times in restaurants and it’s taken me a while to perfect this recipe. But I did it and it’s one of my favourite quick, easy go to recipes now. The family loves it and occasionally has been known to request it!

rice

Since we’ve been on a crusade to perfect this recipe, here’s a few tips and tricks we’ve learned along the way.

PRO TIPS:

  • We prefer Jasmine rice but you can use basmati or long grain rice.
  • I learned a long time ago to soak your rice before cooking. This one is a quick soak however and rinse to remove the starch.
  • Use full fat coconut milk. Fat equals flavour. Always.
  • Some restaurants will add sugar, but I don’t. It doesn’t need it and it’s not missed.
  • To make this rice work you use less liquid. Typically 1 cup of rice to 1.5 cups liquid.
  • Toasted chopped nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or itchiban noodles on top offer a tasty crunch.

thai coconut rice

What to eat with this rice?

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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After a few requests for this recipe I am finally posting it! I always have to double the recipe because my family loves these cookies. The other fun thing to do with these cookies (for kids big and small), is find two of similar size, put a big scoop of ice cream on one, top it with the second cookie and voila you have an ice cream cookie sandwich!

Taking it one step further is to roll the ice cream portion of the cookie in sprinkles, chocolate chips or anything you have that is yummy and will stick to ice cream! This recipe comes from a cookbook by the name of “Wanda’s Pie in the Sky”, by Wanda Beaver (no kidding)!

 

Sticky No Bake Cereal Bars

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A no bake cereal bar that is all things sticky, tasty, and the perfect treat to take with you on the road, or hiking, camping, even picnics. Check with your school’s policy about peanut butter before you send them to school however. This recipe came about shortly after my son was born and my desire to create treats vs buying them all the time. Plus I like to know my kids are putting healthy-er things into their bodies.

The first time I made this recipe it called for corn syrup and that’s how it went. Sticky nonetheless. This time I wanted to remove the corn syrup from the mix. Instead I tried cinnamon honey, with a splash of maple syrup and a second splash of regular squeeze bottle honey. While I’m not quite sure the honey keeps them together as well as the corn syrup did (it’s been about 6 years since I last made them), the feeling of knowing we are using natural, healthier choices, made everything ok. Or maybe we need to use less honey, definitely not more I reckon.

Recipe testing can sometimes take several goes before success. I’m sure a few more goes at this one will get it to perfection or close enough. In the meantime it comes together nicely, stays together for the most part after firming up in the refrigerator and tastes delicious.

 

Sticky No Bake Cereal Bars
Sticky No Bake Cereal Bars

 

Substitute any nut butter for the peanut butter and get the kids involved making them. Mine love helping to make these squares. I even let them pick one item out of the pantry to make their own version of these no bake cereal bars (like other dried fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, pepitas). Relatively healthy and I know what all the ingredients are that go into these bars.

They are sticky, gooey and might even fall apart as you eat them, but that’s part of the fun. Wet wipes in the truck go a long way if you are taking them to go.

Pico de Gallo

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Pico de Gallo, also known as salsa fresca and salsa cruda, is a fresh salsa made using raw ingredients. It’s the perfect afternoon snack paired with chips, or as toppings on baked potatoes, grilled meats, roast cabbage, tacos, chili and more.

Pico de Gallo

Fresh Salsa Cooking Lesson

I visited Cancun on a solo trip when I turned 30 and learned to make Pico de Gallo and guacamole. This fresh salsa offers a combination of flavours with the perfect tang from lime juice. The salt helps the tomatoes release some of their flavourful juices as it sits resulting in an incredibly tasty salsa.

Pico de Gallo

How to make Pico de Gallo

As per the locals I chatted with in the restaurants, a basic pico de gallo is made using tomatoes, white onion, some sort of chili pepper, fresh cilantro, lime and salt.

Make this 5 ingredient salsa using the best ingredients you can find and omit cilantro if you are not a fan of this herb.

When to make Pico de Gallo

Depending on where you live in the world, you can make this salsa any time of the year.

For us, it’s our go to summer salsa since tomatoes are in season, flavourful and juicy. Plus it tastes darn good on a hot patio with a gold beer or glass of pinot grigio!

This salsa pairs nicely with all kinds of dishes like fish, grilled vegetables or roasted cabbage and I’ve even been known to put it on top of my brown rice and potatoes for a delicious spin on a simple meal.

pico De gallo

Ready to get started making your own fresh salsa?! Here’s a few tips to consider. And of course if you like more spice, add more of the spicy elements!

PRO TIPS

  • If using regular tomatoes, try to scrape some of the seeds and pulp out
  • Roma tomatoes have less seeds but use extra if you are using these tomatoes to make your pico
  • Roll your limes before you juice them, it loosens up the juices
  • Keep the seeds in the jalapenos if you like it spicy
  • White onion is best for this salsa
  • Keep tomatoes in a bowl on your counter, not in your refrigerator as this can change the texture and taste

Other Recipes you might be interested in:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Coriander Curry Chicken

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We BBQ all year long but now that spring has sprung and you can smell BBQ every time you open your door… we are excited to be grilling without snow!

If you like Thai food and/or are up for trying something new….here is a very tasty but yet mild chicken recipe. Add in some coconut milk to the marinade if you enjoy coconut. I typically serve this with Basmati or a coconut Jasmine rice.

Triple Chocolate Cookies

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In continueing with the chocolate theme…Hailey and I are still working our way through those chocolate recipes! (and with no complaints from the family!). These turned out really good and are well worth it if you are a chocolate fan!

Triple Chocolate Cookies
 
1 cup – butter, softened
1 cup – white sugar
1/2 cup – brown sugar, packed
2 – eggs
1 tsp – vanilla
2 1/4 cups – flour
1/2 cup – cocoa powder
1 tsp – baking soda
1/4 tsp – salt
6 oz – bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz – milk chocolate, chopped
 
In large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time; beat in vanilla. In seperate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture. Stir in bittersweet and milk chocolates.
 
Drop by heaping 1 tbsp, about 2 inches apart onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, for about 12 minutes or until firm to the touch and no longer glossy. Let cool on pans on racks for 2 minutes and then transfer to racks to continue cooling.
 
If you love nuts, you can add walnuts into this recipe (1 cup).
Here is what they should look like!

Simple Chicken Parmesan

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A classic Italian-North American dish, this simple Chicken Parmesan is first sauteed in a pan and finished in the oven. Serve with a robust tomato sauce and your favourite pasta noodle.

chicken parmesan

Simple Chicken Parmesan

Chicken parmesan is another one of those dishes I make so regularly, I never thought to document the process as it comes naturally. Since this blog has always been about my kids + family and documenting recipes for them, I’m finally documenting the process!

Prep is key to making sure this dish comes together quickly. Have each component ready to go. Your tomato sauce warming on the stove, the dishes ready for breading and a sauce pan heating on the oven to gently cook the breaded chicken. Preheat your oven, prepare your baking dish and grate your cheese. Assembly will be easy at this point.

chicken parmesan

The Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce is key. This is an easy recipe so you can keep it simple by using jarred sauce. Or make my Basic Tomato Sauce and freeze any leftovers!

chicken parmesan breaded

The Pasta

We enjoy using any of the following noodles: rigatoni, fusili, penne, or ziti. You could certainly use a long noodle in this dish, cause really anything goes!

chicken parmesan

If you are ready to start cooking, check out some of our pro tips first!

PRO TIPS:

  • Lay the chicken flat and slice in half lengthwise. It’s a more delicate and lighter bite than the whole breast.
  • Buy bread crumbs and add seasonings.
  • Pound your chicken evenly to ensure even cooking. If you do not have a meat hammer, use a rolling pin.
  • Change breadcrumbs and use crushed saltines, ritz crackers, even corn flakes.
  • If you don’t want to dirty two baking dishes, a sheet pan covered with tin foil works great.

Some of our favourite chicken recipes you should try!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Irish Soda Bread

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Irish Soda Bread is a delicious bread made with baking soda instead of traditional yeast and the perfect accompaniment to a hearty stew.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

Traditional Irish Soda Bread or soda bread is dense yet moist. It’s history in Ireland began more out of necessity than tradition. Created back in the 1830s when baking soda, otherwise known as bicarbonate soda was introduced to the United Kingdom.

A simple bread to make using only a few ingredients it became popular cooked in iron pots or on griddles offering the dense texture the bread is known for.

No longer a classic recipe

These days you will find a myriad of variation of the bread out there as everyone has their way of making it.

We like to add in both raisins and dried cranberries and we use buttermilk in our bread.

Irish Soda Bread

St. Patrick’s Day

If you are contemplating a stew or some luscious dish that requires a bread dipper, then this is your recipe. It won’t fall apart while dipping and it’s the perfect bread to mop up all the juices and bottom of the dish bits.

A few hearty dishes to enjoy with your bread!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Wild Rice, Orzo and Mushroom Casserole

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Cooked wild rice and orzo are mixed with sauteed mushrooms creating the simplest, yet most satisfying dish. Wild Rice, Orzo and Mushroom Casserole become the perfect side to any main, potluck item, or main dish all by itself.

Wild Rice Orzo and Mushroom Casserole

Wild Rice Orzo and Mushroom Casserole

This type of rice is earthy and nutty making it the perfect partner to mushrooms. Orzo is cooked in broth infusing more flavour into the rice shaped noodle and seasoned to perfection before being mixed with the wild rice and mushrooms.

wild rice, orzo, mushroom

About Wild Rice

My first foray into the world of wild rice was when my mom went on a health kick, started seeing a nutritionist and introduced this rice into our diets in the early 1990’s. I’ve referenced her diet journey a few times in this blog.

Wild Rice is grown, I guess all over North America. My husband grew up eating it in Manitoba as it’s grown in the Northern part. The wild rice I have always eaten is Canadian and the bag I have is from (and grown in) The Pas, Manitoba.

This rice can be used in stuffings, as a side dish, in burgers or meatballs, and even in soups. It offers up a nutty texture with a bit of bite, is earthy, chewy and simply delicious.

wild rice

Storage

Admittedly I only cook it about two times a year so I store my rice in the freezer pulling out a cup here or there when needed.

You can keep it in a sealed bag or container in the pantry for up to year or so. Rice like most items do eventually expire.

wild rice, orzo, mushroom

Rice Preparation and Cooking

Several varieties of white rice need to be rinsed or soaked before cooking. This rice doesn’t need to be soaked, only a quick rinse before cooking. The instructions on the bag advise cook for 50-60 minutes however we cook ours for 45-50 minutes and it turns out perfect every time.

wild rice, orzo, mushrooms

Simple flavours in this dish will make it a table pleaser. My son loves it and goes in for seconds and thirds although full disclosure, he picks out the mushrooms!

The key to making the dish is to cook the wild rice first, set aside to cool. Cook your orzo and start your mushrooms. Salt the water for both the rice and orzo and season each portion before mixing and after as needed.

Here are a few of our favourite side dishes!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Savour the earthy and nutty flavours of wild rice, orzo, and mushrooms. Make this dish vegan by omitting the butter and replace with olive oil.

French Toast Casserole

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An easy French Toast Casserole made without any hassle the night before! Simply bake the next morning and serve!

french toast casserole

French Toast Casserole

Inspired by a visit by our dear friend Kim, we made this French Toast Casserole the night before she arrived and served it the next morning with caramelized bananas. A well received brunch, it definitely has gone into the rotation!

french toast casserole

The Method

A couple key points to remember with any overnight casserole. The bread needs to soak up the liquid as that’s what adds a ton of flavour! Ensure your break is a couple days old as it will soak up more that way and ensure your casserole is not soggy!

This is a delicious brunch to make on Christmas Eve. All you have to do is pop this French Toast Casserole into the oven the next morning and enjoy your Christmas morning while it bakes!

french toast casserole

Caramelized Bananas

I make these so often I sometimes forget to write it down!

Peel and slice 2 – 3 bananas. Add 2-3 tbsp of butter to a sauce pan, 2-3 tbsp of brown sugar and cook for a minute or two. Then mix in your sliced bananas, a tsp of vanilla, and a sprinkle of salt. Let cook about 5 minutes and serve. Also delicious on ice cream, crepes, pancakes, waffles, and french toast!

PRO TIPS

  • Use croissants, challah bread, or broiche instead of white bread cubes
  • Add chocolate chips or chunks, butterscotch chips or any kind of chopped chocolate just before baking.
  • Another option is to serve with fresh berries, whipping cream, even icing sugar sprinkled on top!

french toast casserole

Fun Breakfast Recipes to try:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

 

Green Rice

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Green Rice is a spin on a well known Mexican dish called Arroz Verde. Freshness from the cilantro, scallions and jalapenos offer brightness, complexity and a flavour burst. Make this easy and tasty dish as a side dish, or serve with tacos, enchiladas or burritos.

green rice

Green Rice

I had never heard of arroz verde, a Mexican rice dish until my oldest started attending a dayhome. The dayhome provider would feed the kids rice for lunch a couple times a week and my kid really enjoyed it. This recipe is loosely based on the lunches she would serve. This is not authentic, however features a few of the same ingredients mixed in versus being blended before mixing.

Arroz Verde

An authentic Mexican arroz verde features rice that has been fried (toasted) before cooking and an assortment of ingredients that have been pureed and mixed with the cooked rice. Like a mole, the recipe can vary from family to family, but the outcome is the same, fluffy flavourful rice.

green rice

TIPS & TRICKS

  • Avoid extra heat by removing seeds and membranes in jalapeno peppers.
  • Replace cilantro with parsley.
  • Toasting rice before cooking adds extra flavour.
  • Rinsing your rice first removes extra starch and helps separate the grains.
  • If you decided to toast the rice, you don’t need to rinse it first.
  • Fantastic with Grilled Garlic Chicken or Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon.

green rice

This is an excellent choice to serve on St. Patrick’s Day. If you are looking to prepare a meal that reflects the day, here’s a few more ideas.

St. Patrick’s Day recipe ideas:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownies

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In honour of Valentine’s Day we made two delicious recipes we’ve tried and tried again. They are just that good. The kids and I made the brownies last week and decided to serve it with vanilla ice cream and a homemade chocolate sauce. We highly recommend you do the same.

BBQ Salisbury Steak

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As a busy mom who barely has time to sleep, some days I just want a quick meal and look for inspiration to help me get there. Sometimes it’s take out, sometimes it’s a frozen meal others its simple sandwiches. You do what you have to.

This BBQ Salisbury Steak is a super easy meal with a hint of BBQ flavour. You can add either your favourite purchased sauce or home made BBQ Sauce. We did not grow up eating Salisbury Steak or Meatloaf for that matter, so I find the two meals almost identical only in different shapes and with different seasonings. Had to sell this to the kids as a bunless burger, but hey you do what you have to!

Cranberry Orange Pistachio Bark

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Cranberry Pistachio Bark

This Cranberry Orange Pistachio Bark is insanely delicious. I make it late Fall with the intent on keeping it in the freezer and getting a head start on my Christmas goodies. Best laid intentions right?!

The truth is it’s very rare that it even makes it until Christmas (whoops) meaning a second batch is usually required. One of my mom’s friends used to make a bark like this at Christmas only she used dark chocolate. I find the white chocolate looks prettier.

Wrap it up in a lovely box with ribbon, and you have a delicious edible Christmas gift. Some candied orange peel would be equally delicious.

Slow Cooker Mulled Cider

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Slow Cooker Mulled Cider is an annual tradition enjoyed in the fall and winter, made easy in your crockpot.

slow cooker apple cider

Slow Cooker Mulled Cider

Nothing quite beats homemade mulled apple cider. Our family enjoys the aroma of the cider cooking, we include ingredients you can feel good about, and know it’s as unique as the ingredients you add to build the flavours of this hot beverage.

We love to change it up by making into an adult drink. Spike it with grand marnier, whiskey, brandy or rum and enjoy.

apple cider

Flavour Enhancers

Use as little or as much as you like here.

Oranges: Citrus enhances the flavour offering a mild hint of orange. Serve with a wedge or slice of orange peel.
Apples: Sweet apple slices are added and then strained before serving.
Cinnamon Sticks, Star Anise and Cloves: Infuse the cider with a rich, spicy and warm aromas.
Sugar: Brown sugar or Coconut sugar add colour and sweetness. Add less or more depending on your taste.
Ginger: Powdered or fresh will do. We prefer fresh but use powdered when out of fresh.

spices

PRO TIPS

  • No slow cooker, no problem. Make this in a heavy bottom pot on your stove. Add ingredients and bring to a simmer. Let it go for 1- 2 hours. Strain and serve with cranberries, star anise, fresh orange or apple slices or star anise.
  • Make on the stove as suggested above and pack in a warmed thermos to bring along skating, cross country skiing, sledding or any outdoor winter activities you are involved in.
  • Strain before serving. Enjoy with your favourite cookies.

mulled cider

Bits and bites to enjoy with your cider

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!

Slow Cooker Stuffing

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Fire up your crockpot and make this Slow Cooker Stuffing while your holiday turkey and vegetables cook in the oven!

slow cooker stuffing

Holiday meals just got a whole lot easier when we started cooking our stuffing in the slow cooker. The kitchen is already a crowded space with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and an assortment of vegetables being prepared.

Prepare in advance

We try to prepare as many dishes as we can in advance of a big holiday meal. You can make this slow cooker stuffing the day before and then slowly reheat the next day as your turkey is resting.

slow cooker stuffing

The Right Bread for the Job

I’m often asked what kind of bread do you use for stuffing. The answer is anything goes. You can even BUY croutons to use in stuffing! I’ve known non traditionalists to use jalapeno cheese bread in their stuffing – yum right?!

I like to use sourdough, bagels, a baguette French bread and sometimes even a whole wheat blend. It’s really important the bread is a couple days old as fresh bread does not cut into cubes easily.

How to prepare the bread

You can cut bread into slices and then into cubes. Or you can tear the bread into chunks which looks more rustic. Just make sure they are not too big.

slow cooker stuffing

How to dry bread cubes

You dry out bread cubes similar to how you make home made croutons. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spread them out on a large baking sheet. You want them to be laid out evenly and flat, not bunched up. Bake until crunchy about 15 minutes, tossing every five minutes or so. Let cool until ready to use.

PRO TIPS:

  • Prepare your bread the day before so the cubes are ready to go.
  • Made this vegetarian by omitting the sausage and adding squash or apple plus nuts.
  • Sometimes I add a handful of dried cranberries.
  • Whenever possible use fresh herbs including carrot tops.

slow cooker stuffing

Holiday recipes to enjoy with your stuffing:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

Simple Scalloped Potatoes

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While we don’t eat a lot of processed foods….it is pretty common to find a jar of cheez whiz somewhere in our household since both hubs & grew up eating it.  My mom always used to mix it in with macaroni & it became a comfort food and the only version of a macaroni & cheese I knew at the time.   In our house it’s used more when we grill hot dogs or smokies or even make up a Queso Dip.

These days I am all about easy and this recipe turned out fabulous…was super tasty and simple to make.   The addition of cheese on top and bacon really gives it an extra flavour burst.

Korean Grilled Flank Steak

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Combining our favourite Korean flavours and marinating this flank steak for several hours makes it tender, juicy and delicious. Add this Korean Grilled Flank Steak to your weekend menu!

korean flank steak

Korean Flank Steak

If you like the flavours of beef bulgogi, you will love the flavours in this marinade. We combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal and a few other ingredients to make the flavour pop. The longer you can marinade the steak, the more flavour you will get.

The more you know

Flank steak sometimes gets a bad wrap since it is a cut of beef taken from the abdominal muscles of the cow making it tougher than other cuts of beef.

It’s also lean so if overcooked it can be tough. That’s why this cut of steak will always need three things: a good marinade, correct amount of cooking time and to be thinly sliced when serving.

Korean Grilled Flank Steak

Flavours of Asia

While the marinade we use here may not be a true Korean marinade since Asian pear is a typical ingredient we have not included, we’ve taken flavours of a basic bulgogi and added a little of our favourite condiment, sambel oelek to the mix. Soy sauce contains salt so no extra salt is needed in this marinade.

Pro Tips

  • The longer you can marinade the steak, the better off it will be. Aim for a minimum of 4-5 hours or overnight.
  • No sambel oelek in your refrigerator, no problem. Try a dash of tabasco or hot sauce.
  • Make sure your grill is hot when you start.

Korean Grilled Flank Steak

Where’s the beef

Do you remember the Wendy’s commercial “Where’s the Beef” commercial from the 1980’s?! If you haven’t seen it (cute) google it!

We sure do love our Canadian Beef and even though we don’t eat as much as we used to, here’s a few of our favourite beef recipes!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker

 

Mini Meatloaves

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Flavourful and moist, Mini Meatloaves are baked in muffin tins, stuffed with cheese, then topped with cheese! They become the perfect easy meal when served with a side salad.

mini meatloaves

Mini Meatloaves

Hard to believe I have been making these for longer than my kids have been around! Sometimes I wonder where they time has gone.

We didn’t grow up eating meatloaf, but as I’ve mentioned before I had many food adventures while living in Vancouver and I was single so I had to learn to cook smaller portions for just myself. These are and were the perfect bites for one!

Like pizza, you can enjoy them hot or cold, topped with more sauce, fresh herbs, even more cheese! They are even delicious in lunches and squished into a burger bun!

mini meatloaves

Ground Beef

For burgers it’s always best to use an 80/20 blend ensuring you get some fat in the mix to help keep them moist and flavourful. With these little bites you don’t want oodles of fat coming out of them so we like to use lean ground beef.

They will get a little extra fat from the cheese and flavourings ensuring a moist bite.

mini meatloaves

Super Easy to Make

  1. Gently combine beef, stuffing, water and seasoning. Divide meat into 12 portions.
  2. Place into greased or sprayed muffin tins.
  3. Press in cheese cubes, cover meat and top with sauce.
  4. Bake 20-25 minutes.
  5. Top with cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

mini meatloaves

Ways to serve these Mini Meatloaves

We tend to eat these meatloaves with a side salad of some sort. Although we have dabbled in the unusual!

Delicious with any variation of cooked potatoes.

Try them on fully rice or with buttered egg noodles.

Cut into slices them and line a pita adding your favourite veggies and of course more sauce! Or cut, wrap and roll. We do love our wraps here!

Sandwich them between burger buns or slice and layer onto a hearty piece of toasted bread. Avocado optional.

mini meatloaves

PRO TIPS

  • Swap out ground beef for pork, chicken, turkey, even ground lamb.
  • Try a different sauce like pizza, Teriyaki, hot sauce, barbecue, even an apricot jam spread on top is delish.
  • Replace stuffing mix with 2 cups croutons and a pinch of rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, basil or Italian seasonings.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans

 

 

Grilled Angel Food Cake

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Dish up this family favourite summer dessert at your next outdoor gathering. Grilled Angel Food Cake is light, fluffy and served with whipping cream and fresh berries for the ultimate treat!

grilled angel food cake

Grilled Angel Food Cake

These days you can buy pretty much anything at the grocery store if you look hard enough. Gone are the days where you need to make an angel food cake from scratch or buy a boxed mix since you can now buy the whole darn cake made and ready to be eaten!

Of course no judging here on which you decide to do since they all work fabulously in this recipe. You could even switch it up and use pound cake.

grilled angel food cake

Flavour in the brown

Grilling Angel Food Cake allows the sugar in the cake to caramelize giving this dessert a delicious flavour boost and caramelized flavour. We love to entertain with this dessert as it’s as how stopper. No on really believes you can grill angel food cake until they’ve tried it.

Ingredients

Dessert doesn’t have to be complicated! For this recipe you need:

  • cooked angel food cake
  • whipped cream
  • your choice of toppings

Toppings

It’s fun to set up a grilled angel food cake bar. We like to put out several toppings….tonight it was chocolate sauce, blueberry sauce, strawberry sauce, vanilla ice cream, fresh cut up strawberries and peaches and fresh whipping cream. Sprinkles, chopped nuts, dulce de leche, it all works! Then everyone helps themselves to whatever toppings they wish.

angel food cake

Looking for some new fun grilled recipes to try? Check these out!

If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram, hashtag #bakersbeans and please leave a comment below!