Featured Recipes

Wow, it got really fall like far too quick for this guy. It’s not that I don’t like fall, I just don’t like what comes after fall. Having had a garden for the first time, my Kale has grown beautifully and I just couldn’t resist making this superb Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus.

Most people think of Hummus and other dips as more of a seasonal item. More for warmer weather like Spring and Summer. I’m half Italian and half Macedonian and I’ll tell you right now that this Hummus as well as any other, are tried and true dishes that are well eaten and enjoyed year round. I believe that if you want it, eat it. No matter what season it is and that goes for all food.This Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus is a perfect way to start your children’s palette off on the right track. There are so many different variations of this one dish, it’s so versatile and forgiving that just about any vegetable can be added to the base for an incredible and wonderous snacking experience. Throughout my years within the restaurant industry, I have had the delight of eating incredible amounts of Hummus, have bought copious amounts of Hummus, made lots of Hummus. Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus was a definite must try for me as my daughter Ava is lactose intolerant and I love getting a green like Kale into her diet. Gotta love the calcium content for those growing bones.Kale and Sun-Dried Hummus, or any hummus for that matter is a fantastic addition to the kids lunches. You can do a veggie medley to dip, crackers, or use it on a spread for a wrap or sandwich. I love having this dip around as it really helps to fill the kids on those rainy and dreary fall weekend days when they want to stay inside and get the boredom munchies. Recycling the veggies in the fridge is always a good thing too! I made this dip for one of those lazy weekend days last week and served it up with some amazing baked pita bites that I’m pretty sure Jeanine grabbed at Costco the last time she was there. Man oh man, what a great combination. My kids went through a full bag of the pita bites and they licked the bowl of Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus completely clean. Now that’s some good eating.

Hummus Prep List:

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas cooked and peeled
• 2 cups kale leaves stemmed
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 – 5tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp tahini
• 3/4 cup sundried tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• Very powerful Blender ( I use the Breville Boss)

Instructions:

1. Combine chick peas, tahini, garlic, kale and half your olive oil and pulse for a few times.
2. Turn your blender up to smoothie or as high as it will go and slowly add the rest of your olive oil.
3. When your Hummus is coming to form, add your sundried tomatoes a bit at a time (don’t worry about the extra oil, it’ll be well used).
4. Depending on how you thick or how runny you like your Hummus depends on how much olive oil you use I like mine firm so I stick to 3 tbsp.
5. Once your Hummus is at your desired consistency, transfer it into a serving dish and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Let sit overnight or serve immediately, it’s all up to you.
7. Serve with crackers or veggies or both.

Kale and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus has become a new found favourite snack that they gladly eat at any time throughout the day. I try to stress to my kids that eating different foods and experiencing all the wonderful flavours from across the world only helps them further develop their senses and their sense of taste adventure.

What are some of your favourite Hummus Combinations?

 

I love Stuffed Pork Chops, especially when they are French Cut and thick. When I was a younger man, I lived in Calgary for a number of years and had the pleasure of working with an amazing guy and a great boss. Not only did he teach me a ton about the stucco industry, but his love of great food (especially pork chops) was also deep and intense. It’s been well over a decade since I’ve had the pleasure of cooking up some killer Stuffed Pork Chops with him and this recipe is all about my friend Gord (everything but the blue cheese and Black Cherries).Stuffed Pork Chops are nothing new. Everyone has cooked one, or at least they have most certainly eaten one. But I don’t think you’ve ever eaten one like this. Gord and I used to have killer after work, spur of the moment BBq’s. Needless to say it’s been years since we have even talked. After reconnecting again, he mentioned he’s seen some of my creations and he let me in on his incredible Bacon and Onion Peppercorn Relish of his and that he frequently bbq’s these. How could I resist? So this Stuffed Pork Chop has been stuffed with this incredible Relish and I tweaked it out a little bit by adding some Blue Cheese and Black Cherries (Cranberries were a very close second).

Stuffed Pig must haves:

• 2 1 1/2 – 2″ French cut Pork Chops
• 1 lb bacon (keep a couple trips aside)
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup black cherries fresh or frozen
• 3 tbsp peppercorn ( I used a 3 peppercorn blend)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup 7 up (trust me)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices blue cheese

I’m so glad I saved the other chop! I just ate and already again, writing this and having the pictures beckoning me to scarf down the other chop makes me almost want to surrender to the chop. Next time I think I’ll save the Stuffed Pork Chops pictures until the end. Enough about things making me hungry though, it’s time for a little Stuffed Pork Chop love.

Creating in Progress:

1. Chop up your bacon.
2. Cook bacon over medium heat with a tbsp of peppercorns until about half done
3. Chop your onions and add to the bacon and peppercorns, give a good stir and let cook for a few minutes.
4. Add another tbsp of peppercorns and give a good stir.
5. When the bacon starts to get crisp and the onions are becoming translucent, add your 7 up and cherries (if fresh, as is, if frozen, from frozen).
6. Let the Cherries and 7 up reduce and cook for a couple more minutes and add your last peppercorns (taste as you go).
7. When you have reached your desired kick from the peppercorn and the relish has now cooked down, off the heat and let it cool.
8. While the relish is cooling, give your Pork Chops a bath under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
9. With a filet knife (or very sharp to say the least), slit the pork chop from the meat side toward the bone leaving about half an inch around the perimeter.
10. Crumble up your blue cheese and place it in your pork pocket trying to stuff the bottom and up the side a little.
11. Now that your relish has cooled, spoon some into the pocket on top of the blue cheese and give it a little mix.
12. Using your knife, poke a hole through the chop about a half inch from the fat and feed a half strip 0f bacon through.
13. Gently tie up the edges of the chops with the strips of bacon you saved (3 per chop was good for me).
14. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and off to the grill you may go!
15. Cook on medium-high bbq 5 mins per side, turning 90 degrees at about the 3-minute mark.
16. Turn the heat down to medium-low and place chops on the top rack to cook for another 10 mins.
17. Use a thermometer to get your optimal temperature ( you say no, I say I cook my pork to medium).
18. Take off grill and let rest for a minimum of ten minutes.So this recipe today is for Gord! You taught me a lot throughout our friendship in Calgary, your palette is exceptional and hey, you gained some game with the Stuffed Pork Chops after this recipe!  Back in the day it was a whole lotta steak (hence the cow country)! I will be cooking this Stuffed Pork Chop long into the Fall and Winter months coming up. Thanks Gord, for the fantastic friendship and this most delicious Stuffed Pork Chop.

What’s in your Stuffed Pork Chops?

Do you suffer from picky eating kid syndrome? I know I sure feel like that at times here. Trying to get that proper balance of wholesome foods into our kids’ bellies is becoming harder and harder these days. These incredible Air Fryer Zucchini Tots are a perfect way to fill your kids to the brim with a killer nutritional snack that they will soon be begging you to make more of. My kids crushed these Air Fryer Zucchini Tots in about two minutes and yes, they asked for more. Score one for the Air Fryer Zucchini Tots.

With School right around the corner and zucchini that is in overabundance from all of the farmers in the area, I want to ensure that my kids continue getting the nutrition that I want them to get and man did these Air Fryer Zucchini Tots fit that bill to a T. With the days seemingly growing shorter and shorter, our lives never stopping for a break, nobody wants to sit down at the dinner table with their kids only to have them start to complain that they don’t want to eat their veggie. Just what we need right guys? I say not a chance young picky eaters. Air Fryer Zucchini Tots are one of the few new ways to keep my kids filled up with a fantastically, healthy snack.

My wife created an incredible air fried tater tot quite a while ago and the kids literally went mad to get their hands on them so I naturally couldn’t resist trying out this recipe with the kiddos too. Needless to say, they held the same reaction for these Air Fryer Zucchini Tots and made this dad one proud Papa (I’m not sure when this name came about for me but my boys relentlessly call me Papa). The Process of making these wonderfully delectable Air Fryer Zucchini Tots is exactly the same as you’d prepare a regular Tater Tot and if you’ve never made a Tater Tot, you need to really check the recipe out here.

I found that the only difference between using a potato or using zucchini for these amazing Air Fryer Zucchini Tots is the water content in the zucchini itself. Not a big deal my friends, just simply dry them more. I found that doing a two-step method of first using paper towel and finishing with a good cheesecloth wring out worked perfectly for me. Nice and Crispy outer with an amazingly smooth and an almost silky texture beneath is all I could have dreamed of and thank God I achieved it.

Construct a Tot:

Seriously now my friends, I’m totally linking you back to my wife’s recipe. All you are required to do is swap out potato for zucchini and use fresh garlic instead of powder as well as upping the amount of Parmesan to 1/3 cup. The cooking time is the same as cooking the original Tater Tots so all is well and you are off to a land of incredible Zucchini Tot paradise.

I didn’t think that my kids would have scarfed down these delectable Air Fryer Zucchini Tots like savages, but alas, they did and I am so glad that they all wanted more. This is a certain staple recipe now on our own menu and soon to be on yours as well. What is your favourite Air Fryer, Kid Approved Recipe?