Author: trishamartin07

Strawberry French Silk Pie

Strawberry French Silk Pie

Fresh strawberries are here! Unfortunately, fresh Ontario produce is not as easy to access as it once was in my life. I grew up extremely spoiled in this aspect. Whatever was freshly grown in Ontario, I had ready and easy access to the day it 

Banana Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sometimes I crave some good banana muffins. I always crave coffee so why not put those two together. The coffee in these is not a strong flavour, but it adds a nice little extra. The muffins are moist and have a wonderful texture. Also, who 

Italian Sausage Tomato Tart

Italian Sausage Tomato Tart

I got to host again! After months of not making food for more than my little family of three, it felt special to be making food for others again. I was motivated and dug a little harder to get a tasty idea for Sunday breakfast. My husband gifted me a tart pan for Mother’s Day, so I was also itching to use it and that impacted my choice.

This tart has excellent flavour. The tomato, basil, and garlic in the tart give it a bruschetta flavour, but the Italian sausage and egg add heartiness and help it to be a complete meal. I made it for breakfast, but it could easily be for any meal of the day. I have not used puff pastry much, so working with that was new to me. Every summer I have my own herb pot and so I love to use fresh herbs any chance I can get. I was happy to use my fresh basil here.

So without further babbling, here are the instructions to put this tasty tart together.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

You need to put the puff pastry into the tart pan. I tried to roll my pastry into a circle but I found it hard to roll. It was sticky and rather stretchy so next time I would just keep it in the rectangle it comes in and fit that into the tart pan. That would have been much easier.

There needs to be some kind of weight in the tart to keep the puff pastry from puffing up and misshaping, so there are a few options you can use for that. First line the pan with tin foil and then you can use dried beans or peas, a pie weight, or even rice. I used rice because that is all I had on hand. Later in the day I used the same rice for rice pilaf, so it was not wasted!

Bake the pastry for 8 – 10 minutes or until slightly golden.

While that is baking, fry the sausage and onions together in a frying pan. Drain excess grease if necessary.

Chop the tomatoes and basil and put in a bowl with garlic, cheese, pepper, and salt. Add the sausage to the mixture when it is complete.

In a different bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, and milk. Pour this mixture into the sausage mixture and combine.

Pour all of this into the baked pastry shell. Bake for 15 minutes at the high heat and then reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 F and bake for another 10-12 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

After you remove it from the oven let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it.

YUM YUM!

Italian Sausage Tomato Tart

Recipe by trishamartin07Course: BreakfastCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

420

kcal

This is an extremely savory tart that will wow your guests and bonus is it looks pretty too!

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg of refrigerated puff pastry dough

  • 1 lb Italian sausage links, casings discarded

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 1 extra large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes

  • 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh basil

  • 1 clove of garlic, minced

  • 2 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese

  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

  • 3 Tbsp milk

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/2 cup whipping cream

  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Press puff pastry dough into a tart pan. Place a piece of foil onto the puff pastry. Fill with dried beans, peas, or rice. Bake the pastry for 8-10 minutes until golden.
  • Fry the sausage and onions in a frying pan until sausage is cooked through and onions are translucent. Drain if needed.
  • Mix the tomatoes, garlic, basil, pepper, salt, cheese, and sausage together.
  • In a different bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and cream together. Add it to the sausage mixture and combine.
  • Pour it into the baked shell and bake for 15 minutes at the high heat. Reduce the oven to 350 F. Bake the tart for 10 – 12 more minutes. Remove from oven. Let set for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Seasoned Chicken and Rice Bake

Seasoned Chicken and Rice Bake

The flavour from the garlic and butter on the rice and seasoned chicken makes this recipe a definite winner. The prep time is fast and easy as well! Chicken thighs, drumsticks, and legs are common dishes at our house due to it being a more 

Baked Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Baked Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Fish is a delightful way to eat healthily and enjoy a delicious meal. While I enjoy many different kinds of seafood, generally it is not the first thing I crave or desire to have, with the exception of shrimp. I love shrimp! However, I have 

Yummy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Yummy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I have enjoyed sweet potato fries since I was young and often opted for them over regular fries where I could. One of my favourite ways to make them at home is with a more spicy seasoning like taco seasoning, however I recently came across this recipe and it has become a second favourite of mine.

Enjoy!

Yummy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe by trishamartin07Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

225

kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes

  • 2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil

  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch

  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Cut the sweet potatoes into long strips, about 1/4 inch wide.
  • In a large bowl, cover the chopped sweet potatoes with cold water and soak for 60 minutes or more.
  • Preheat oven to 425 F.
  • Drain the fries and dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Dry the bowl.
  • Put the fries back into the bowl and coat with the oil.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle over the fries.
  • Spread the fries on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Sprinkle fries with salt and let rest for a couple minutes.
Southwest Topped Chicken Breasts

Southwest Topped Chicken Breasts

Our household is a fan of things that include black beans, corn, and chicken, whether that is a salsa, salad, or main dish. This is a favourite of mine because it is somewhat a dump and go dish that can be put together very quickly. 

Baby Approved Tuna Noodle Casserole

Baby Approved Tuna Noodle Casserole

Something about this cold, wet, (for some of you, snowy) spring has made me stay in comfort food mode. This Tuna casserole has been one of my favourite comfort foods since I have been married. It was the first time I made it since my 

Better Than Takeout Firecracker Chicken

Better Than Takeout Firecracker Chicken

This Firecracker Chicken is a delicious sweet and spicy dish that could easily pass for takeout. If you aren’t big on spicy, you could use this method of preparing takeout chicken but use an orange, honey garlic, or whatever sauce you choose!

To begin, I cut the chicken breasts into about 1 inch pieces. Next I sprinkled them with salt and pepper. I measured the corn starch and sprinkled it over the chicken, then tossed the chicken so it was well coated.

Next I beat two eggs. I got out my frying pan, put the oil in it, and heated it over high heat. Next I dipped the pieces of chicken in the egg mixture and tossed them into the hot frying pan. I fried them just until they were nicely browned on both sides, barely more then a minute, but that will depend on how hot your pan is. After the chicken is nicely browned, spread into a 9 by 13 inch pan. You may need to do the frying in a few batches. If your pan dries up, add more oil.

Once all the chicken is fried and in the pan, mix the sauce and pour it over the chicken. Stir the chicken so the sauce is nicely spread throughout. Bake in the oven at 350 F for 35 minutes, stirring once in the middle of the cooking time.

Enjoy this with a bed of rice and some steamed vegetables or your choice of sides.

Better Than Takeout Firecracker Chicken

Recipe by trishamartin07Course: MainCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Medium
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

35

minutes
Calories

395

kcal

Sweet and Spicy chicken that gives you the takeout flavours out of your own home!

Ingredients

  • 2 large chicken breasts

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

  • 2 eggs, beaten

  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1/4 cup Sriracha sauce

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13″ pan.
  • Chop the chicken breasts into 1″ pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
  • Dip the chicken pieces into the beaten egg.
  • In a large frying pan, heat the oil over high heat. Place the chicken in single layers and fry both sides just until brown. You may need to work in batches. Add more oil if needed.
  • Place the chicken in a single layer in the 9″x13″ pan.
  • Mix hot sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 35 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Notes

  • Gluten free if you use a gluten free soy sauce!
Mother’s Day Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Mother’s Day Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Guest Blog Author: Colin Martin Hey guys! You can prep the protein for dinner anytime, but there’s a few days on the calendar when it’s definitely on you. Mother’s Day is one of them. Grilled pork tenderloin has become a favourite of mine. Done right,