Ollie's Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce is a very personal thing. I don't use a recipe and I don't measure my ingredients. I go by feel (it "feels" right!), look and taste. But I'll try to share my method of making spaghetti sauce with you. This sauce is a sweetish yet tangy sauce that my family loves. The sweetness comes from the sugar I add, the tang from the sausage meat. You can make it even tangier by adding a spicy sausage meat if you like.


I use ground turkey instead of beef (2 packages) and sweet Italian sausage (3 links) taken out of the casing, as my meat base. Fry the turkey and sausage on medium heat until no pink is showing, break into small pieces, drain and put in the slow cooker.


For my "extras" I dice or chop onions (2 small), 1 large stalk of celery, a package of fresh sliced mushrooms, 1 large bell pepper or combination of peppers - red, yellow or orange. I don't use green pepper as the longer green pepper simmers, the more bitter it becomes! I also add one chunked zuchinni but you can't add that until a couple of hours before the sauce is ready or it goes watery and mushy.

After your meat is browned and removed from the fat and liquid, you are going to saute the onions, celery and peppers. Don't saute the mushrooms!


Now take about 4 cloves of garlic and chop finely. You can mince it or put it through a garlic press if you prefer, but I like the sweetish flavour of the garlic when it is in tiny pieces (not minced).

I also use fresh thyme from my herb garden - at least 2 fairly large branches. I didn't grow bay leaves this year so can't take those fresh from the garden and have to use store-bought. You need 2 medium size bay leaves.


Okay you have sauted the onions, peppers and celery. Drain them and add to the crock pot of browned meat. Toss in the diced garlic, the thyme (stip it off the branches first!) and the bay leaves. Now add 1 small can of diced tomatoes. I like the ones with olive oil and garlic, also the ones with Italian seasoning. It's a personal choice. Sometimes I use a small can of chunky Italian sauce as well.

Then pour white wine into the can of sauce, about 1/3 full, swish it around to get out all the bits left in the can and pour it into the meat.

Last, add salt and pepper to taste, 1 heaping tsp of Fine Herbes (it's available in the cooking section of most grocery stores) and 1 tbps of Demarara Sugar. That's a brown sugar, you can't use white, it doesn't give the same sweetish flavour. If you can't find Demarara, you can use Sugar in the Raw, your last choice is ordinary brown sugar.

If your sauce seems too thick, add more wine. Not enough tomato? Add another small can, or 1/2 a can! This is where you have to "feel" or sense what is right.


Turn your slow cooker on to low heat and let it cook for 7 or more hours. About 2 hours before the sauce is done, add the chopped zuchinni.

Make spaghetti pasta as directed on the package, pour sauce over it (remove bay leaves first!) and add freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve with garlic bread and a Caesar Salad. Yummy!!!

Raspberry Pavolva

There are as many recipes for, and methods of cooking Pavlova as there are blades of grass! Each differs slightly.

I am making individual Pavlova for 16 people this Christmas - with the big dinner on December 28th. The photo here is my trial run, which I made yesterday. Here is how i make my Pavlova:

Ingredients for Meringue:

2 large eggs
1/2 cup fine castor sugar or granulated sugar
pinch of tartar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for topping:

2 cups of whipping cream
1/4 cup white sugar
4 - 6 oz raspberries

Preheat oven to 200' F. Meantime combine 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar in a metal mixing bowl. To separate eggs, use your fingers as separators! Just break the egg in half, and pour it into the palm of your hand. Let the white slide through your fingers into a bowl or measuring cup and make sure the yolk stays in your palm. Of course I assume your hands are clean....

If the eggs are not at room temperature (and mine never are, I'm not organized enough to have them out and warming up!), then place or hold the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water and whisk or use a hand mixer to beat for about 3 minutes. Be sure whites are warm to the touch before you stop whisking

Now use your mixmaster and start beating the egg mixture on low, increasing to high until you see stiff glossy peaks. This takes about 10 minutes, sometimes longer. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined

Now comes the part where every cook has their own favourite way of forming the Meringue into one large pavlova or individual servings. If I am making individual pavlovas, I use large size muffin pans and spray them generously with olive oil spray. 2 large eggs makes 4 individual pavlovas in muffin pans. Then you spoon the Meringue into each muffin area. Scoop out middle and make sure there are sides. The Meringue should be about 1/2 inch thick.

Place muffin pans in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, watching carefully to be sure Meringue doesn't get too brown. If it does, turn oven down to 175'. If it is fine, keep oven at 200' and continue cooking another 2 hours. When time is up, turn off oven and leave Meringue in pans in oven overnight or 12 hours.

When you take the pans out of the oven you can turn them over and firmly smack the bottom so the Meringue falls out. Don't worry if some crack or even have a few small pieces fall off, as you can repair this with the whip cream

Next - whip the cream with 1/4 sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream into the Meringue shells and then spoon raspberries over the top. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.

Brussel Sprouts Bacon Casserole

This is a Brussel Sprouts Bacon Casserole that takes about 40 minutes to make.

I love Brussel sprouts but I like to try different ways of cooking them. This recipe makes a huge amount so you might want to halve or even quarter it.

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
fine herbes, 1/2 tsp
14 oz of chicken broth (I used half white wine and half chicken broth)
salt and pepper to taste

Cut stem ends off Brussels sprouts, discard discoloured outside leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise to make thin strips.

In large skillet cook bacon on medium heat until it is brown. Add onions, salt, pepper and fine herbes and saute until onions are tender but not brown or crisp. Add Brussel sprouts and chicken broth. Cover the pan and simmer until tender, about 10 - 15 minutes.

Serves 8

Gloria's Island Chicken

My sister-in-law Gloria, who was born in Morroco, gave me this recipe many years ago. I love it and the only change I made was to use white wine in place of the water it calls for.

I am putting this recipe online as a tribute to Gloria who passed away very suddenly in May 2008. I miss her and whenever I make this dish I think of her and the first time she served it.

Ingredients

5 onions
1 whole roasting chicken
3 Tbsp hot water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp coriander
salt & pepper

1 1/2 oz raisins
1/2 cup water (I use white wine instead)

Cut the onions into 4 chunks. Brown them in a bit of olive oil. Add 3 Tbsp hot water. Now brown the chicken separately in the olive oil. Add the onions, honey, vinegar, coriander, salt and pepper to the chicken.

Place everything in an oven-proof pan, do not cover, and put in a warm oven for 12 minutes. Add 1/2 cut hot water (or white wine) and the raisins. Cover and cook for 1 3/4 hour at 375'

Note: I used chicken breasts for the photos you see here. 4-6 breasts replaces the roasting chicken but reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes.

Serve warm with rice and a salad or green vegetable. This dish has a lovely subtle flavour.

Tyler's Best Banana Muffins

The original banana muffin recipe came from a former boss, a school principal. I've changed it over the years to suit my family. Every Saturday I used to make 2 dozen of these muffins to see us through the week. My son Tyler always helped. Finally at age 10 (in Grade 6) he tackled the recipe entirely on his own (except for putting in and taking out of the oven).

The first time he made them on his own, he couldn't read my writing and thought it called for 3 to 4 cups of sugar. When he doubled the recipe he put in 8 cups of sugar. In reality I'd written 3/4 of a cup.... We had quite a mess in the oven as the muffins turned to candy and overflowed. So I call these Tyler's Best Banana Muffins. After the first disastrous experience, he baked delicious muffins for the family every Saturday.

Here is the recipe for 2 dozen muffins

Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl put 3 large ripe bananas, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 cup of melted butter, and 1/3 cup applesauce. Mix these with a large fork. Do NOT use an electric beater!! Keep the bananas a little chunky, you don't want mush.

Dry Ingredients

In a smaller bowl put 3 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp baking powder. Mix well with a spoon or spatula.

Pour dry into wet and mix with a large spoon or spatula until there are no white bits. Do not use an electic beater, you must mix this by hand.

Grease muffin pans for 24 muffins, or use the paper muffin inserts. I use a spray canola oil to grease my pans

Bake in a pre-heated 350' oven for 20 minutes. Watch these carefully after the first 15 minutes as they can dry out or turn brown very quickly. Make sure the oven rack is mid-way up the oven

Note: Sometimes I replace a bit of the flour mixture with 1 tbsp soya milk powder and as much spelt flour as suits my fancy that day.

Ollie's Broccoli Bean Salad

This is an easy to make Broccoli-Bean-Tomato Salad. Make it spicy or mild, it's your choice


Ingredient list

2 fresh tomatoes or 12 cherry tomatoes or a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes (you only need 1 cup from this)
2 cloves of garlic
1 14 oz can of white beans
salt and pepper
cumin
hot pepper flakes
goat's milk parmesan cheese

Here's what you do:

Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil in a deep fry pan or wok. On medium heat stir in 2-4 minced cloves of garlic. Let it heat for about one minute then add 1 large head of broccoli, rinsed and coarsely chopped. Add a little salt and pepper and if you like spicy, add some hot pepper flakes. You can also add a bit of cumin (about 1/2 tsp) Stir fry for 5 minutes or until broccoli is slightly wilted.

Remove the broccoli to a casserole or serving dish.

Now you can either use fresh tomatoes or you can cheat and used canned diced tomatoes. If you are using fresh, put about 1 tbsp. olive oil in the wok and add 2 chopped tomatoes or the dozen cherry tomatoes. Stir fry for about 7 minutes. Then add one 14 oz. can of white beans which have been rinsed and drained. Stir fry for about 3 minutes then remove from heat and pour over the broccoli.

If you are using canned diced tomatoes, use a slotted spoon to remove about 1 cup of tomatoes from the can. Put them in the fry pan and heat with one 14 oz. can of white beans which have been rinsed and drained. Stir fry for about 3 minutes then remove from heat and pour over the broccoli.

Sprinkle goat's milk parmesan cheese on top. Serve hot.

Roast Chicken with Vegetables

I love this dish. It's so easy and yummy! Plus there are leftovers which is always a bonus.

To make this supper for your family, you will need the following:


1 roasting chicken, whatever size you like. We use our own farm-fresh meat chickens, but you can also purchase a roast chicken from the grocery store

carrots cut into medium size chunks
Potatoes cut into medium size chunks
2 onions, quartered

Fine herbes, salt, pepper
White wine

Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Pour 1 cup of white wine over. Wash and prepare the carrots and potatoes, then place them around the chicken. Put in the onions, then sprinkle with generous amount of fine herbes, salt and pepper to taste.

Cover then cook in a 350' oven using the formula of 25 minutes per pound. For the last 30 minutes of cooking you need to remove the lid.

You can see what the chicken should look like when cooked but not dry! The skin should be nicely browned, the legs falling apart slightly.

You can add any other vegetables you like, my family prefers the simplicity of carrots and potatoes.

I save the chicken carcass and the liquid to make chicken soup. You can make a gravy out of the liquid if you prefer.