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Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou

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Roasted potatoes just go with everything, and I defer to them more often than not because hubs loves them. My son on the other hand wouldn’t eat them for I’d say the first 5 years of his life. While he’s finally accepted potatoes, he still doesn’t like them mashed.

In the summer I put them in foil, and on the BBQ they go with a myriad of flavours depending on my mood, and what I feel like for seasoning. Mix together fresh herbs, garlic, butter, your favourite spices, or olive oil with the potatoes all wrapped up in foil. During the colder months I like to have my oven on to  help warm up the house. So it’s into a roasting pan they go with a little olive oil, and spices. Same rules apply, add the flavour enhancers you have available.

I find these potatoes pair with so many things (well not pasta of course) but grilled or roasted meats, slow cooker dishes, even some seafood dishes. I always make extra potatoes so there are leftovers for either breakfast or dinner hashbrowns the next night. Topping them with a fried egg is extra tasty.

If you are wondering what a Pistou is, it’s a Provencal cold sauce made from garlic, basil and olive oil. Similar to a pesto without the nuts. It’s easy to make and you can modify it to suit your tastes. A great topper for roasted veggies, grilled meat or even egg dishes.

 

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Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou
Author: 
Recipe type: sides, vegetables, dinner
 
Ingredients
  • 6 cups baby potatoes
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 cup parsley pistou
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Break up garlic bulb, remove garlic from shells and place in a bowl. Add potatoes, thyme, 2 tbsp of olive oil, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cut lemon in half, give a squeeze and add to bowl. Toss all ingredients onto parchment lined baking pan or sheet. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour until brown. Flip once or twice during cooking to ensure even browning.
  2. To make the Parsley Pistou: Make this non-traditional pistou by mixing one cup of chopped flat leaf parsley, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add a little more oil if needed.
  3. Assemble: Pour cooked potatoes and garlic onto platter. Top with parsley pistou and serve.

 

Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou
Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou

Brussels Sprouts with Candied Walnuts

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Fresh produce in the winter time was limited where we grew up. During the holidays my mom would buy frozen brussels sprouts to cook up with our turkey. Her cooking method of choice was to boil and serve as is. I found them lacking in flavour and tough to swallow so I avoided whenever possible. Brussels sprouts entered my life again in the mid 90’s while living in Vancouver. I was able to experience them sauteed, crispy and full of flavour, and I was hooked. Husband also grew up eating them boiled but with a little encouragement, my simple tastes man has learned to love them sauteed as much as I do.

Lately the trend is to cook your brussels sprouts with bacon or pork of some sort. The added fat gives the sprouts a burst of flavour, but I was looking for something new when I created this recipe. I was also looking to make it gluten free for a magazine. I love to saute my brussels sprouts in sesame oil and decided to add some nuts. Toasted some walnuts in a pan, added a splash of maple syrup at the end, and ended up with candied walnuts that were insanely delicious. The dish started to come together. We are lucky to live where we do where relatively fresh produce is more readily available in the winter time. This year I noticed brussels sprouts in the stores all year long and I definitely made it a point to eat them regularly.

This recipe was one of three I made for the magazine. We also created Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Lentils and Lemon Roasted Potatoes with a Parsley Pistou. Any of these dishes pair well with a big Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas Dinner.

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Brussels Sprouts with Candied Walnuts
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner, side, lunch, gluten free
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb (2 cups) Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ cup unbleached walnuts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • water
  • Salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. In a small pot add orange juice and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, and remove from heat. Set aside for about 15 minutes to plump. Strain and set liquid aside.
  2. Heat a large frying pan and add walnuts. Stir regularly and cook for a couple minutes ensuring not to burn. Turn off heat and add maple syrup – it will sizzle. Stir nuts around to fully coat and pour onto parchment lined sheet and let cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled break apart.
  3. In a large pan, heat olive oil and sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts, pinch of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup of water and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour onto serving plate. Season with salt & pepper as needed, garnish with cranberries and walnuts. Finish with a drizzle of the leftover orange juice.

 

Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars

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Right now in my world there is nothing better than recipe testing with Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread. I’m beyond excited and fully wearing my fat pants. Why you ask? Well since the product arrived, truth be known, I’ve been diligently taste testing it every day, with a spoon, to ensure it hasn’t gone bad. I do what I have to for the people.

I’ve always adored Reese Peanut Butter Cups. In fact I secretly remove a few from my kids Halloween candy bags every year making up some excuse like whoops the cats got in and licked them if they discover some missing. As a mom you do what you gotta do. I’ll let you in on a little secret to – Reese Peanut Butter Cups taste amazing squished into a S’more.

When the call came out for Canadian Bloggers to support the product in Canada, I couldn’t resist throwing my name in the hat. What better way to challenge yourself by creating something extraordinary. I was fortunate to get picked along with several other fabulous food bloggers across Canada. We be having a Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread Party. Seriously though what an idea to go all twitter crazy sharing our recipes.

With several ideas floating around my brain, there was one idea that stood out. A dessert served mainly around the holidays and one recipe I know like the back of my hand since I helped my mom make it growing up a very long time ago. The good old Canadian Nanaimo Bar [The Good Old Hockey Game song just came to mind by Stompin Tom). See I made this treat last month (July) for our International German Student who after 11 months was leaving us to go home. I wanted to send her off with one final Canadian treat. It was then I discovered since Nanaimo Bars are not baked, they really can be made any time of the year and are the perfect summer bite. So I made them with the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread changing up some of my quantities from the Nanaimo Bar Recipe I have posted. It worked!

My kids are going crazy for this dessert today as I’ve let the guinea pigs have a taste. So I had to photograph the squares quickly and get the post up. The biggest challenge has been trying not to eat the whole jar. #DoYouSpoon

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars

This post is sponsored by Hershey’s Canada and I’ve been compensated monetarily and with product to create a new recipe.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Reese Peanut Butter Chocolate Nanaimo Bars
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert, holiday, treat
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
  • Base:
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 2 cups graham wafer crumbs crushed
  • Middle
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1½ cup Reeses Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread
  • 2¼ cup icing sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk
  • Top:
  • 8 ounces (1 box) semi sweet chocolate squares
  • 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
  1. Assemble Base:
  2. In a double boiler (over medium high heat) add ¾ cup butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla & egg, whisking until well combined. Stir until mixture reaches a custard like consistency (thickens slightly).
  3. Mix in graham wafer crumbs and coconut. Stir until combined and press into ungreased 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan.
  4. Assemble middle:
  5. In a large microwave safe bowl add 4 tbsp butter and Reeses Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread. Microwave on medium - low in 30 second increments until completely melted. Add icing sugar one cup at a time and alternate mixing with 1 tbsp of milk until all icing sugar is used. Your mixture consistency should be creamy & delicious. Spread evenly over your base and refrigerate until firmed up.
  6. Assemble top:
  7. In a microwaveable bowl add butter and semi sweet chocolate. Melt chocolate/butter on low in 30-40 second increments stirring in between. Continue until chocolate almost melted. Remove and stir until remaining chocolate is completely smooth. Pour chocolate over squares and give a little shake to evenly distribute. Refrigerate to harden top layer of chocolate before cutting and serving.

 

Festive Mars Bars Squares

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I am apparently a Mars Bars Squares Virgin. Who knew these delicious treats existed. I learned about them last summer on our way out of town on a camping trip. It always seems to take us soooo long to pack up no matter how many lists, and how efficient I am at getting things ready in advance. We can’t win. So by the time we get out of town we are exhausted by over excited kids and packing up…hence ready for a drink. But we are driving and have to wait for a beverage. So on this particular outing, we opted for coffee instead.

I checked out the GPS and there was surprisingly one on the way to our camping destination. So we stopped at at little place called Latte Da for our cuppa joe and were thrilled to find sweet treats available to. The folks in this little cafe were very friendly and when we walked in, they just so happen to be bringing out this huge platter of, well Mars Bars Squares. Intrigued, we bought a couple and devoured them before we left the cafe. Spectacular. A delicious tasting bite. I asked how they were made and Laurie, the  owner, graciously shared her recipe with me.

I went on to make these a couple times over the summer and then while thinking about my Christmas Holiday Baking Round up, the thought came to me to make them again…but with a little candy cane twist.

 

Festive Mars Bars Squares
Festive Mars Bars Squares

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Candy Cane Mars Bars Squares
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert, treat, snack,
 
Ingredients
  • 4-5 regular sized mars bars (I used 4 little mars bars to replace one big)
  • ⅓ cup butter + ¼ cup for top
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips for top
  • 3.5 cups rice krispy cereal holiday edition
  • ¼ cup crushed red & green smarties
  • ¼ cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
  1. Melt mars bars and ⅓ cup butter in large pot over low heat. This will take a few minutes of stirring and watching as you don't want the mixture to burn.
  2. Once melted pour in your cereal. Mix well until all combined.
  3. Pour into a 9 x 9 square baking dish.
  4. In a microwaveable bowl add remaining butter and milk chocolate chips. Melt on low stirring every 10 seconds until melted.
  5. Pour melted chocolate over top of rice krispy mixture.
  6. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and smarties. Let chocolate harden in refrigerator before serving.

 

Gingerbread Dip

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In preparing for our annual Ladies Wine Night & Cookie Exchange I was well, unprepared. There I said it. Sick, bake sales and other life stuff slowed me down.

Our cookie exchange night is something I started 4 years ago. It’s a fun night for us moms/ladies to have a fun evening without kids. We typically all bring a bottle of wine, some bites to share and in this case a dozen cookies per attendee. Since I hadn’t given the night much thought, I started thinking about a cheese ball a friend use to make back in the 90’s. Simply made with cream cheese, butter and cheese. Tasty but not so healthy. As I was thinking about the cheese ball I was eating one of my Orange Gingerbread Cookies. See where I am going with this? Somehow an AHA moment happened. And the 2 ideas collided.

I used the spice list from my gingerbread cookie and started measuring and adding to taste, carefully writing down quantities. Didn’t want it to sweet. Didn’t want it to molasses-e. In the end it turned out delicious despite my suspicions it might not. I always like more feedback when I create a recipe, so I needed me some taste testers. The only ones available were Luisa, our German student and the ladies who were coming over that night. They are always pretty keen to taste my food. Thankfully. In the end, everyone who likes gingerbread liked it. One discovery that came after the fact…if you let it sit a day or two in the fridge, the flavour somehow improves.

This dip in all fairness is a little rich. Not something you could eat tons of but definitely an enjoyable addition to a table filled with goodies. I tried it with veggies and no go. Apples didn’t really cut it for me either. Plain crackers/crisps or macaroons/shortbread did work and tasted really good. This recipe is a keeper.

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Gingerbread Dip
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer, dips,
 
Ingredients
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ginger
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg (fresh ground)
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Cream together cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and a pinch of salt.
  2. Pour into your serving bowl and sprinkle with a little more fresh grated nutmeg. Add some sprinkles if you really want to be festive.
  3. Serve with plain artisan crackers, flatbread crackers or shortbread cookies.