Author: Melissa

Cranberry Glazed Meatballs

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Hello everyone! I am happy to announce that #AppyHolidays is back on the blog! This is the third year I am doing this blog series where I post a holiday recipe once a week for the month of December. So this year, there will be FIVE holiday appetizer recipes for you to make and enjoy with your friends and family. However this year is special as I am partnering with a wonderful not-for-profit organization called We Heart Local BC. We share similar philosophies of cooking with local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible. Head over to their website to check out some awesome blog posts about local farmers in British Columbia as well as lots of tasty recipes. Retro Recipes with a Modern Twist For my #AppyHolidays series this year, I took my inspiration from the retro holiday appetizers that my parents and grandparents used to make when I was a kid. In this case, I experienced these retro appetizer recipes growing up in the early/mid 1990s, but these recipes most likely originated between the 1960s …

Gochujang Chicken Thighs

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Now that it is dark outside super early, I am finding that I want quick and easy weeknight dinner recipes even more. But as the cold weather moves in, I want something more than meat and potatoes or soup. I want to enjoy something spicy, aromatic and lively during these dull times, and this recipe for Gochujang Chicken Thighs does the trick! What is Gochujang? Gochujang is a spicy, savoury and slightly sweet chili paste from Korea. It has s complex flavour, but works well in a wide range of Korean dishes, especially savoury ones. This paste is extremely thick as it is made from glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and dried red chilies and comes in a paste form. Gochujang can also vary in terms of spice levels, ranging from mild to hot. Since I love spicy foods, I always go for the ‘hot’ spice level for my recipes! Not sure if you’ve had gochujang before? Well, if you’ve ever had any Korean food (Korean Fried Chicken, Kimchi Jiggae, and even kimchi itself), it is …

Squid Ink Arancini

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Happy Halloween, everyone! I know I am a day early, but I had to post this haunting recipe so that you can make it to celebrate to spookiest day of the year! This year, I came up with terrifying (yet delicious) Squid Ink Arancini– and they’re perfect for serving at any Halloween party you may be hosting or attending! A Spooky Twist on an Italian Classic Arancini are simply deep fried rice balls. They are made of risotto (often leftovers from a previous meal) and are typically deep fried and served with marinara or another similar tomato sauce. They are a classic Italian appetizer recipe as they are a small 2-3 bites in size, but they can sometimes be large enough to be served as a main dish as well. Of course, since rice is a blank canvas, there are so many flavours that you can add to the risotto itself! Mushroom, squash, or even my Spring Veggie Risotto are all delicious and classic risotto flavours. However, in this recipe, I opted to keep it …

Classic Chicken Kiev

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Fall calls for comfort food, and this Classic Chicken Kiev is one of my favourites! Chicken Kiev is simply a chicken breast that is stuffed with a hearty herb and garlic butter before it is breaded and cooked. Most often, Chicken Kiev is deep fried, but in an effort to make this recipe a bit healthier, I like to bake them in the oven. Read on down below to learn my tips and tricks to getting the perfect Classic Chicken Kiev, and check out my YouTube video to see how I make it! My Tip to Avoid Leaking Butter  While this recipe is delicious, it can be a little complex to make. Most often, people have issues with the herb and garlic butter leaking out of the chicken breast while it is baking. I have tried many ways to avoid this, but the trick that works the best for me is to stuff the opening where the herb and garlic butter with the chicken breast tender. Sounds weird….but trust me! Simply remove the chicken tender …

Traditional Thanksgiving Menu 2019

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Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians! This year, I went all out and cooked a delicious Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate the holiday. I mean, do I never not go all out for holiday cooking?! Our dinner consisted of two appetizers, three side dishes, one main, and one dessert. Now I know you must be thinking that that’s a lot of food for just David and I, but this year we had some help from a few special family members that were visiting us on Vancouver Island. Plus, we ate leftovers for about 4 days afterwards! If you are curious as to what we ate, and to get some ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner (especially my American friends), read on down below OR watch my YouTube video to see how to make these recipes and get some helpful entertaining tips! Appetizers Miso-Kabocha Squash Dip Apart from being vegan and gluten-free, this appetizer was absolutely delicious! The combination of the sweet squash and salty miso are a perfect pairing–especially this time of year. I served this …

Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce

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For my final recipe in my #BackToSchool series, I made a wonderful homemade version of a childhood classic… Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce. You could say I saved the best recipe for last! Now I know we have all had frozen chicken strips before. There are varying qualities that are on the market, but I guarantee that this homemade version will blow all of them right out of the water! Not only are they made with natural, whole ingredients, they are baked and not fried. Honestly just by looking at them (and smelling and tasting them) you can’t notice a difference! I have made a lot of chicken strips in my day, and I have experimented with many marinades, breadings, and cooking methods. This recipe combines all of my knowledge from YEARS of making chicken strips, and I am willing to give up all of my secrets to you! Secret #1: Breadcrumbs My first secret is the breadcrumbs and this is actually the most critical part of the chicken strip in my opinion. I …

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

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I am back again with another recipe in my #BackToSchool series! For my fourth installment, I have a quick and easy stir fry recipe that you will love–Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry! I’m serious…you will make this over and over again! I am such a huge fan of broccoli. It’s fantastic it steamed, raw, in soup, baked…you name it! I really love it in this classic Asian stir fry since the broccoli florets really help cling onto and absorb the delicious steak marinade that I make from scratch. My Secret Ingredient to Tender Beef This marinade is what makes this recipe so good. Plus, I add a not-so-secret ingredient in it that makes the beef super tender, light, and fluffy–just like at Chinese restaurants. The secret to getting the beef (or any meat for that matter) to get that texture is….wait for it…baking soda. I know, I couldn’t believe it either until I tried it! The baking soda acts to tenderize the beef and give it that light and airy texture. For that reason, this enables …

Meal Prep Breakfast Sandwiches

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I am back again with another great recipe for my #BackToSchool series. If you are returning to school, or are just trying to get back into your work routine, then these recipes will really help you out! They are quick, simple and can be enjoyed by both adults and children. If you follow me on Instagram, you will know from my stories that I have recently begun meal prepping my food for the week. I have never done meal prep before, but I have been fairly busy lately and have found myself struggling to eat well-balanced meals throughout the week. Plus, having to clean up after every meal is a bit of a slag, so I wanted to test out this concept of meal prep. I can say that from just being two weeks into it, I am in LOVE! Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking, I just find that during the week it’s a bit too much work! The prep, the cooking and the clean up? No thanks. I’d rather be out gardening, …

Garlic Butter Salmon

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I am back again with another great recipe for my #BackToSchool series. If you are returning to school, or are just trying to get back into your work routine, then these recipes will really help you out! They are quick, simple and can be enjoyed by both adults and children. For today’s recipe, I have come up with a super simple Garlic Butter Salmon. This salmon filet is baked in a parchment paper package in the oven to keep it juicy and succulent. The addition of a homemade garlic butter makes this recipe extra delicious and adds lots of moisture to the salmon as it cooks. All Wrapped Up This Garlic Butter Salmon is very easy to make. Simply combine butter, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a bowl and mix everything until combined. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the salmon filet and wrap everything up in a nice parchment paper package. Once the salmon is all wrapped up, just bake it in the oven for 20 minutes or so! You barely have …

Penne alla Rosé

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Today, I am kicking off my #BackToSchool series on my blog! This time of the year can be super busy, and after a long day, the last thing you want to do is make dinner. Lucky for you, I have come up with a week’s worth of recipes to get you back into your school (or work) routine. These meals are all very quick, healthy, and taste delicious! For my first recipe, I have made a delicious Penne alla Rosé. Now this sounds fancy, but this is essentially just pasta with a creamy tomato sauce. A few simple additions make this pasta incredibly delicious, and the best part is that this whole recipe can be made in just 15 minutes! I know…I can’t believe it either! How to Pull Off this Recipe in 15 Minutes… This Penne alla Rosé recipe requires a bit of multi-tasking, but I can hardly call it that since you don’t have to do too much work when boiling pasta. Once your pasta is in the pot and boiling, you can …