Steamed Mussels

Blueberry Slushie

Yield: 2

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Blueberry Slushie

• 2 cups of apple cider
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp of maple syrup

Directions:

Blueberry Slushie

1. Place ingredients into a glass jar and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternately, put in a blender and puree.

Crispy Whole Grain Dippers

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Crispy Whole Grain Dippers

• 4 slices of whole wheat bread
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Crispy Whole Grain Dippers

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut bread into thick slices of any shape. Drizzle with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

Field Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Vinaigrette:

• 1 tbsp of cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp of honey
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Salad:

• 4 cups of baby greens
• 2 cups of sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, onion or bean sprouts)

Directions:

For the Vinaigrette:

1. Whisk ingredients until emulsified.

For the Salad:

1. Place greens and sprouts into a salad bowl and toss with vinaigrette.

Oka Stuffed Potatoes

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Oka Stuffed Potatoes

• 6 x baker potatoes
• 2 cups of Oka cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Oka Stuffed Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Cut the tops off of the potatoes lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving one quarter of an inch on the inside of the skin. Place in a bowl and add cheese, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Mash together and stuff back into potato shell.
4. Place back on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted, and potatoes are heated through.

Steamed Mussels in Riesling Broth

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Steamed Mussels in Riesling Broth

• 2 cups of Riesling or 2 cups other white wine
• 1 tbsp of mustard
• 2 x onions, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• 5 lb. of mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

Directions:

Steamed Mussels in Riesling Broth

1. Put wine, mustard, onions and garlic into a large pot. Add mussels last. Place over high heat and cover with a tight fitting lid. Steam until mussels have opened, about five minutes
2. Separate mussels from shells, discard shells, and strain broth into a clean pot. Discard any un-opened mussels. Reheat broth and add mussel meat back in. When they have heated through, add 2 cups of baby spinach and stir until wilted.
3. Serve in wide bowls with crispy whole grain dippers.

---

Prime Rib Dinner

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Yield: 3

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

• 6 slices of whole wheat bread
• 3 slices of top notch ham
• 3 x thick slices of cambazola cheese
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 3 tbsp of Dijon mustard

Directions:

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich

1. Spread mustard on 3 slices of bread. Place 1 piece of ham and 1 piece of cheese on the other 3 slices. Top with the remaining slices. Spread each side with butter.
2. Heat pan over a medium heat and toast sandwiches for 2 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese has melted.

Homemade Horseradish

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Homemade Horseradish

• A piece of fresh horseradish root
• Cider vinegar
• White sugar

Directions:

Homemade Horseradish

1. To harness the aromatic pungency of the root, simply peel it and toss it into a food processor. Process the works until its finely chopped then add enough cider vinegar to form a loose paste. Add a few balancing spoonfuls of sugar and season with salt. Then put on your seat belt and have a taste. Don’t worry though. Like all the best things in life prepared horseradish will mellow with age!

Prime Rib Dinner

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Prime Rib Dinner

• 2 stalks of celery, cut in half
• 2 x carrots, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise
• 1 x onion, cut in half
• 5 lb. prime rib of beef, bone in
• Coarse salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Prime Rib Dinner

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Rub roast liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Lay celery, carrots and onion on bottom of a roasting pan large enough to hold the roast. Place the roast on top of the vegetable rack. Place in the hot oven and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Without opening the oven turn the heat down to 300 degrees and continue roasting for 15-20 minutes per pound until a meat thermometer registers 120 degrees in the thickest part of the meat, at least an hour more.
5. Remove from the oven and pan then place on a cooling rack. Cover with several layers of aluminum foil. The meat will rest and relax and as it does its temperature will rise a bit more to a perfect medium rare.
6. After at least 20 minutes you may begin carving. Plenty of time to make gravy with the drippings! If the meat is still on the bone simply slice along the bone removing the meat before then slicing it into individual servings.

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

• 6 x baker potatoes
• 6 slices of crispy bacon
• 4 x green onions, sliced thinly
• 1 cup of blue cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

1. Bake potatoes at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool.
2. Slice the top, lengthwise, off of each potato and scoop out the flesh. Add crumbled cheese, crumbled bacon, green onion, salt and pepper. Mash well and then stuff back into potato shells.
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and potatoes are heated through.

---

Rotini with Clam Sauce

Parmesan Cream with Balsamic Honey Syrup

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Parmesan Cream:

• 1 cup of 35% whipping cream
• 10 oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

For the Balsamic Syrup:

• 2 cups of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of honey

Directions:

For the Parmesan Cream:

1. Heat cream with vanilla and rosemary. Turn heat down, cover and let infuse for about 10 minutes. Pluck out the rosemary and stir in the cheese until it is thoroughly mixed. Pour into a bowl. Put in fridge to set.

For the Balsamic Syrup:

1. Pour into a saucepan and reduce by two thirds, until it reaches a thick syrup-like consistency. Refrigerate until cool. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

Grilled Caesar Salad

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup grana padano cheese
• Zest and juice of 3 lemons
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 8 x anchovy filets
• Salt and pepper

For the Salad:

• 8 x thin slices of pancetta
• 1 heads of romaine lettuce cut in half
• 1 x red onion, cut in half
• 1 x baguette, cut in half lengthwise
• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup of Caesar salad dressing
• 1 inch piece of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

For the Dressing:

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.

For the Salad:

1. Turn a gas barbeque or grill to high and close lid to preheat.
2. Fry pancetta in a large skillet until it shrinks and turns golden, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on some paper towel and set aside.
3. Brush romaine, onion and bread with oil.
4. Place bread on hot grill and grill until crispy with golden grill marks. Cut into cubes and set aside.
5. Place romaine on the grill, season with salt and pepper and grill until it’s outer leaves are wilted and it’s tender all the way through. Slice into bite-sized pieces
6. Place red onion onto the grill, season with salt and pepper and grill until the rings start to loosen and char, about 5 minutes per side. Chop into small pieces.
7. In a large salad bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Toss well
8. Using a vegetable peeler, peel curls off of the piece of cheese. Use to garnish the salad.

Horseradish Gravy

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Horseradish Gravy

• 2 cups red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp horseradish

Directions:

Horseradish Gravy

1. Make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch with the water and stirring until smooth.
2. Pour pan juices out of the roast beef pan and into a clean jar. If there is a layer of fat on top, pour it off. Pour meat juice back into pan and turn heat up to high. Add red wine and reduce by half while stirring to dislodge any caramelized flavour bits in the pan. Add beef stock, let simmer and then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir until thickened. Add horseradish at the end, to finish the sauce.

Rotini with Red Clam Sauce

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Rotini:

• 600 g of tri-colored rotini
• Salt

For the Red Clam Sauce:

• 8 slices of bacon
• 2 x onions, finely chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (142 g) of chopped clams
• 2 x bay leaves
• 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves

Directions:

For the Rotini:

1. Put a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and when the water has returned to a boil, pour in the pasta. Cook for about 15 minutes, until pasta is tender and just chewy in the centre (el dente). Drain and toss with Red Clam Sauce.

For the Red Clam Sauce:

1. Brown bacon and onions in a medium sized saucepan. When the bacon has rendered it’s fat, and the onions are beginning to brown, add garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, clams and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in basil leaves and adjust seasoning just before serving.

---

Lobster Penne

Chocolate Truffles

Yield: 12

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

• 8 oz of good bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup of 35% whipping cream

For the Chocolate Coating:

• 8 oz of good bittersweet chocolate
• 2 cups of rice krispies

Directions:

For the Filling:

1. Chop chocolate into small, even pieces.
2. Heat cream in a small saucepan to just below a simmer. Pour over chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds and then begin to stir until smooth and glossy. Set in a refrigerator, overnight.

For the Chocolate Coating:

1. Roll truffle filling into balls, using a melon baller or teaspoon.
2. Pour rice krispies into a shallow pan.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip truffles into the chocolate using a fork and drain some of the excess chocolate, letting it drip through the tines of the fork, and then roll in rice krispies. Set on a rack or baking sheet and put into the refrigerator to set.

Lobster a la Rachel

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Lobster a la Rachel

• 2 x large lobsters
• 1 cup of 35% cream
• 1 x 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 750 ml bottle of white wine
• 2 x onions, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of prepared horseradish
• 2 x bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 box of penne pasta

Directions:

Lobster a la Rachel

1. Put a large pot over high heat and add about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and add the lobsters. Cover and let steam for about 8 minutes per pound. When they are done, remove the meat from the tail, knuckles and claws and reserve.
2. Smash the shells with the back of a knife or with a hammer (wrapping the shells in a kitchen towel reduces splatter). Put them into a large saucepot and add the cream, tomatoes, wine, onions, garlic and bay leaves.
3. Simmer for 1.5 hours, until the liquid has reduced by half and is reddish brown in colour.
4. Strain the sauce into a clean pot and add the horseradish. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon and Dill

Yield: 6

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don?t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon and Dill

• 1 lb. of new potatoes, quartered
• 2 heaping tbsp of sour cream
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp of capers
• 10 slices of smoked salmon
• 3 x green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon and Dill

1. Steam potatoes in a stovetop steamer until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix sour cream, lemon zest and juice and capers together. Add steamed potatoes, smoked salmon, green onions and dill. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.

---

Chicken Dippers

Apple Butter

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Apple Butter

• 10 x crisp apples, such as Spartans, Macs or Granny Smiths, cored and cut into quarters
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of apple juice
• 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, allspice and cardamom
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Apple Butter

1. Place all ingredients into a large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until apples break down and become very soft. Continue to reduce until 80% of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is very thick and dark brown.
2. Puree with an immersion blender, a standard blender or in a food processor.

Apple Yogurt Dip

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Apple Yogurt Dip

• 1 cup of apple butter, or apple sauce
• 1 cup of plain yogurt or 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Apple Yogurt Dip

1. Whisk together and serve with chicken dippers.

Chicken Dippers

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Chicken Dippers

• 1 cup of flour
• 2 x eggs
• 1 cup of oatmeal
• 4 x boneless and skinless chicken breasts, sliced into1/2 inch wide pieces
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Chicken Dippers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Set up a breading station by putting the flour, in a baking dish. Whisk eggs and pour into another baking dish and sprinkle oatmeal into a 3rd baking dish.
3. Dip the chicken pieces into the flour first, shaking off any excess. Then into the egg mixture, again shaking off the excess and finally into the oatmeal.
4. Lay on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.

Homemade Play Dough

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Homemade Play Dough

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of salt
• 1 heaping tbsp cream of tartar
• 2 cups water
• 1 heaping tbsp of vegetable oil
• Food colouring

Directions:

Homemade Play Dough

1. Place all ingredients into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until they begin to come together and become very hard to stir. Divide into 4 pieces and colour each piece differently with food colouring. Knead colour into dough until thoroughly mixed and brightly coloured. Store in airtight containers.

Kids Vinaigrette

Yield: 12

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Kids Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• Food Colouring

Directions:

Kids Vinaigrette

1. Whisk ingredients together with a whisk until smooth. Split into smaller bottles and colour each with a different food colouring.

Oatmeal Muffins

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Ingredients:

Oatmeal Muffins

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 x eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated carrots (about 3)

Directions:

Oatmeal Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Mix eggs, oil, yogurt and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Stir in carrots and then dry ingredients.
4. Spoon into 6 large or 12 regular sized muffin cups. Bake for 30 minutes.

---