Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

3 lb(s) baby Yukon Gold potatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (divided)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Slice the bottom off each potato and cut crosswise at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom. (You can place the potato on a large spoon so the edges of the spoon prevent you from slicing completely through the potato.)
3. Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary and toss well, working the salt mixture in between the slices. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan cut side up.
4. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, until they are tender and golden and crisp on top.

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs

¾ cups Parmesan, freshly grated

¾ inch center-cut pork loin chops, (each about 10 to 12 oz)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 Tbsp olive oil

1 wedges lemon, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150ºF, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

Michael's Pizza Soup

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil

2 onions, chopped

6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-oz/796 mL) can crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano

3 cups (750 mL) or so your favourite pizza toppings (such as sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, cooked bacon)

4 oz (115 g) spicy pepperoni, thinly sliced into rounds and halved

4 cups (1 L) rich chicken broth or plain old water

lots of freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your broiler.
2. Splash the olive oil into your soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, as the onions soften, 2 or 3 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, then stir in the oregano, your pizza toppings and the pepperoni.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a vigorous boil for a moment, then immediately reduce the heat to a slow, steady simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavours brighten and the textures soften, 10 minutes or so.

Loaded Nacho Grilled Cheese

INGREDIENTS

2 slices French bread

1 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp salsa

Tex Mex cheese

2 - 3 Tbsp cooked ground beef

1 stalk green onion, chopped

4 - 5 cilantro leaves

1 slice tomato, diced

¼ avocado, diced

1 - 2 black olives, chopped

1 Tbsp black beans

1 - 2 slices jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 - 2 handfuls nacho-flavoured Doritos, crumbled

1 egg, scrambled

butter

DIRECTIONS

1. If you don’t have any ground beef, cook that to your liking first (I just used salt, pepper and garlic). Now let’s start with the sandwich: crush all the Doritos and spread them on a plate, dip one side of each bread slice in the egg and then into the Doritos. Once you've done this, begin assembling the sandwich with sour cream on one slice and salsa on the other. Next place a layer of cheese on the bottom slice, then stack on the rest of ingredients and finish with another layer of cheese and your top slice.

2. In a pan on medium heat, add some butter. Once that has melted, place your sandwich in, cooking each side until browned and the cheese is melting. You may want to cover your pan with a lid while it’s cooking to help the cheese melt, since there is so much stuff in the sandwich.
3. Once everything is ooey gooey, slice it in half and enjoy all your favourite nacho toppings in one glorious sandwich. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own salsa and guacamole for dipping!

Hearty Hummus and Vegetable Soup with Pancetta

INGREDIENTS

Basic Hummus

1 591 mL can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced*

salt, to taste

lemon juice, to taste

Soup

2 cups Basic Hummus

2 ½ cups no-salt-added chicken broth, plus more for vegetables

2 cups carrots, chopped into small pieces

½ cup potatoes, chopped into small pieces

½ cup pancetta, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

green onion, chopped, to garnish

Parmesan cheese, grated, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Basic Hummus

1. Combine chickpeas, garlic, and olive oil in a blender, food processor, or a bowl if you’re using a hand blender.
2. Purée the ingredients until everything becomes a smooth and velvety texture, with all the lumps gone. If the mix is too thick, thin it out with a bit of water.
3. Add salt and lemon juice to taste. Continue blending until everything is well incorporated. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
4. *If the taste of raw garlic is too strong you can use just one clove, or opt for roasted garlic, which yields a milder, sweeter taste.

Soup

1. Bring a splash of chicken broth to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and let cook until they begin to soften. Add more broth if the pan starts to dry up.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the hummus and stir until well incorporated. Reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally.
3. Using the same pan used to cook the vegetables, add a bit of oil and fry up the pancetta until it starts to brown. Add it to the soup pot, along with the cooked vegetables. Stir and bring to a simmer.
4. Pour the soup into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped green onion and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Green Bean Casserole

INGREDIENTS

3 lb(s) green beans

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 loaf crusty Italian bread

3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

3 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 Tbsp chopped rosemary leaves

4 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan

5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 lb(s) mixed mushrooms (such as button, cremini, shiitake), sliced

2 shallots, sliced

1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp, they will be cooked more in the oven. Drain them and set aside. Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the green beans with 1 tablespoon butter and set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 375ºF.
3. Tear the bread into 2-inch pieces, put them into a bowl, and add 1 tablespoon chives, 1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir well to coat and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake just until the bread just starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, add the remaining thyme and chives, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the green beans and stir well. Put the green bean mixture into the prepared baking dish, top with the croutons, and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan. Bake until everything is hot and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Bulgogi & Kimcheese Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

2 cup soy sauce

1 ½ cup white sugar

4 Tbsp sesame oil

4 Tbsp sesame seed

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp red pepper flakes

8 clove garlic, sliced

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 stalks green onion, finely chopped

1 ½ lb(s) rib-eye steak, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 loaf fresh bread, sliced

4 - 6 slices Mozzarella cheese

butter

DIRECTIONS

1. To make a marinade, stir together soy sauce and sugar in a small pot over low heat until sugar fully dissolves; remove pot from heat and add sesame oil, sesame seeds, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, onions, and green onions.
2. Refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
3. Once marinade has cooled, add sliced rib-eye steak to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Remove meat from the marinade.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat; add rib-eye steak to the pan and cook for 1 minute per side, or until rib-eye is cooked through.
6. Remove meat from the pan and set aside.

7. Preheat oven to broil.
8. Butter two slices of bread per sandwich.
9. Top one slice per sandwich with cheese, kimchi, and cooked rib-eye steak (bulgogi). Add the second slice of bread to close the sandwich.
10. Place sandwiches on an ungreased baking sheet and broil for 4-5 minutes per side, or until bread is toasted.
11. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.