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Date Night, Dinner ideas, Pasta, Quick and easy recipes, Seafood

Smoked Salmon Gnocchi

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This Smoked Salmon Gnocchi is made with real salmon and smoked salmon cream cheese and hits all the creamy notes.

My Smoked Salmon Gnocchi is made with fresh basil, parsley, lemon juice and whole milk. I prefer to use milk instead of cream because the cream cheese is creamy enough.

SALMON GNOCCHI

Think VALENTINES or DATE night with this one!

Since Valentines is just around the corner, I could not help myself but share this recipe with you all. The first time I had Salmon Gnocchi was actually on Valentines day a few years back.

I was  in the lower mainland and the restaurant my partner took me to was serving it as there special for the evening.

Along with white wine and the most amazing dessert! It was a memorable dinner for me and it was definitely worth the cost.

However, I have found a way to make it at home for a fraction of the cost. Now we can enjoy it whenever and not just on those special occasions!

SMOKED SALMON GNOCCHI 

You can choose to make it without the salmon fillets if desired, however I find they are a nice addition and make this more of a meal. I also love the addition of the “Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese” in this dish.

I was hesitant at first to add it, but I experimented a few times and found that 3 tbsp is the perfect amount that gives this dish the extra flavor it needs.

It really does add an extra element of flavor so be sure not to skip it. Also by adding the cream cheese you can omit the cream and replace it for a lower calorie milk option.  

Serve it in a BOWL or on a PLATE whatever tickles your FANCY!

Me having fun with the plating, don’t this look lovely!

Bon appetite! 

Other Gnocchi recipes that you’re sure to love!

Will you give this recipe a go? 

Notes: If there is skin on the salmon remove it gently once the salmon has seared. 

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe I’d love to hear about it! You can post a review, picture below or via Instagram and let me know how it turned out. ADon’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for our NEWSLETTER delivered right to your inbox!

Christmas & Thanksgiving, Dinner ideas

Easy Ground Beef Wellington recipe

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This Easy Ground Beef Wellington recipe is spiced just right and is family favorite in our house. With the additions of mushrooms and is something that can be whipped up in less than an hour since we are using some pre made puff pastry. 

Looking for another festive dish? Then your gonna want to try my Baked Holiday Ham or even my Recette Sheppard’s Pie.

Your family can enjoy this homemade recipe any time of the year.

But really makes the perfect addition to any Holiday meal.

FUN FACT: Beef Wellington get’s it’s name from a man named Arthur Wellesley who was the first Duke of Wellington. He had a victorious Battle on June 18 1815.

The Duke was given his title after defeating Napoleon Bonaparte the year before, and not long after he became Prime Minister. 

Traditional Beef Wellington was made with fillet steak inside. I have had that at a restaurant once and it was delicious.

However, I wanted to create something different. And mix the best of both worlds, beef and mushrooms. This recipe has now become popular on this blog, I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think. 

HOW TO MAKE HAMBURGER BEEF WELLINGTON

This recipe is made with lean ground beef, onions, mushrooms, eggs, panko bread crumbs, flour, red wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce and seasoned with fresh thyme and rosemary.

Be sure to use fresh thyme and rosemary in this recipe, it makes all the difference.

Also do not skip on the worcestershire and red wine vinegar it helps to merge all the flavors together. 

HOW TO MAKE PUFF PASTRY

I used a pre – made puff pastry to save time, (see below) The pre – made puff pastry I recommend is from Tenderflake. The box has 397 grams of puff pasty in it!

 

Simply remove it from the package, allow it to defrost for 1 hour and sprinkle with flour before rolling it out. 

Fill the pastry with the Beef and Mushroom mixture.

Brush with the egg wash.

And make impressions to the dough as so with a fork.

Looking for a FANTASTIC homemade puff pastry recipe?

I have one here in my in my “Turkey Pot Pie” recipe instructions.

You may be more familiar the more traditional “Beef Wellington” type recipes. Which have you using Beef tenderloin or fillet instead of hamburger.

However, this recipe is just as good and if you use brown mushrooms alongside the hamburger it becomes absolutely amazing.

You will be able to serve 3 peoples for dinner easily with this. And if your wanting to serve more, I would recommending make 2 of them. Which is not hard to do at all!

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Want more Christmas & Thanksgiving recipes?

Canadian Tourtiere Recipe

 
Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice
 

Also check out my roundup of Thanksgiving & Christmas Recipes from around the World or my 10 delicious stuffing recipes! for more inspiration!

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this, I want to see! Follow Canadian Cooking Adventures Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @canadiancookingadventures and #canadiancookingadventures. 

Stay connected and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of my latest recipes!

 

Appetizers & Sides, Christmas & Thanksgiving

Sweet and Savory Stuffing

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This Sweet and Savory Stuffing is one of my favorites, it can be made outside the bird or inside. Made with rye bread, onions, celery, dried cranberries and a ton of savory spices. You are sure to love it just as much as we do. 

This recipe can go hand in hand with making a turkey. So if your making on today, then this recipe can be made alongside very easily.

I like to add a Turkey neck on top of my stuffing, I find it gives it a little extra flavor. Then you can serve it to whoever likes that part of the bird, or you an add it to your homemade turkey stock.

Might as well untalize the whole bird right?

However depending on how you prefer to prepare your stuffing it it will turn out amazing! As you may know, I like to make my “Stuffings” which are really “Dressings” outside the bird.

This let’s the turkey cook better and I find much better.

Now you can let the bread dry out on the counter for a minimum of 24 hours prior to using it.

Otherwise you can pull it apart and place it onto a large cooking pan and bake it at 200 f for 35 minutes till it dries out.

More Christmas & Thanksgiving recipes you may like:

See below for more inspiration!
Christmas & Thanksgiving, Dinner ideas

Turkey Pot Pies with Puff Pastry

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These Turkey pot pies made with puff pastry and are my go to recipe whenever I have leftover turkey. 

These pot pies are absolutely delicious and a bit different then the average pot pie recipe you will find.

So read along if you want to learn how to make them! And trust me it is easy as pie 🙂

WHAT’S IN TURKEY POT PIES

  • DICED CARROTS
  • CORN
  • PEAS
  • GREEN BEANS
  • LEFTOVER CURRY
  • SPICES

ARE TURKEY POT PIES GOOD FOR YOU

Yes, they are packed with vegetables and lean protein (leftover turkey meat)

TURKEY POT PIES WITH PUFF PASTRY

  • You will want to start by making the pie crust. You can pre purchase the “puff pastry” which is that crust you see on the top of these pies” or you can make it from scratch yourself. I really encourage you to try making it from scratch as it tastes best. 
  • The crust recipe I have provided is also foolproof. I have tried many pastry puff recipes in the past and this one is the winner folks.
  • Then ONCE the pie crust has been made. Simply defrosted some frozen vegetables and add to the turkey mixture to make the filling.
  • These pot pies can be ready in under 45 minutes. As long as you pre-make the puff pastry one hour in advance you can have this on the table in under one hour. If you would prefer to make one big large pie, you can do that with this recipe as well.

HOW TO MAKE TURKEY POT PIES

  • The main difference with my recipe and all the others is that I like to use my leftover “Turkey Gravy” instead of heavy cream in my pies.
  • It does the same thing, keeps the pies moist yet adds that extra level of flavor.
  • You will want to start by making the pie crust recipe. Once the pie crust has been made you will roll it out on a clear kitchen counter that has been sprinkled with flour.
  • Place your bakeware over top and with a knife cut around the bakeware to create the pie crust as seen below.

  • Then you will prepare the filling and place that in the bakware before folding over the pie crust.
  • Brush the crust with butter and bake. 

Also, I like to use a frozen vegetable mix, that contains green beans, peas and carrots to fill the pies.

The more veggies the healthier right?

Plus all three go so well together and make these pies AMAZING!

So if you too are wondering what to do with all that leftover turkey, then look no further because this recipe is not only simple to make it’s absolutely delicious!

CAN TURKEY POT PIES BE FROZEN

Yes, as long as the turkey was not frozen to begin with.

Don’t want to make individual pies?

No problem, simple place the pie filling inside a large pie baking dish and make a large one with the same recipe.

Totally up to you 🙂

So instead of placing the ingredients into four smaller dishes place it into one large and cover with one crust. I hope you enjoy!

Notes: If you don’t have any leftover turkey gravy, feel free to use canned or cream in replace of.

Recipe Inspiration: Easy puff pastry recipe

See below for more inspiration!

Also check out my roundup of Thanksgiving & Christmas Recipes from around the World or my 10 delicious stuffing recipes! for more inspiration!

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this, I want to see! Follow Canadian Cooking Adventures Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @canadiancookingadventures and #canadiancookingadventures. 

Stay connected and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of my latest recipes!

 

 

Barbeque, Dinner ideas, Quick and easy recipes, Skip the takeout

Jalapeno Cheese Burgers

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These Jalapeno Cheese Burgers are made with fresh Jalapeno Cheese, Organic Hamburger, panko bread  crumb an egg and then seasoned to perfection. 

Be sure to top each burger with some sauteed onions and fresh mustard to give it that extra kick.

You can’t go wrong with these burgers, really they are super tasty and not like any type of burger that you can order in the restaurants. Well that I have seen anyway…

I like to cook the burgers in my cast iron skillet, however you can use an indoor or outdoor grill for this recipe as well.

I find the cast iron skillet sears the meat perfectly creating a strong burger that doesn’t fall apart as easily as they could on a grill.

The trick to making these burgers is to shred the cheese right into the meat.

Then add just the right amount of panko bread crumbs and seasonings to taste.

If you want more heat then you can also chop up an actually Jalapeno pepper and add that to the meat as well.

Personally I find the cheese gives just the right amount of that flavor and so I’m fine with it.

Optional *add 1 tsp of chopped jalapenos to the meat, for extra heat.

*Top with the condiments that you like, such as Lettuce, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Ketchup, Relish, Pickles, Raw Onions etc.

Looking for a side dish? Check out my recipes for this simple Potato Salad it’s delicious!

Want to make a bunch of extra hamburgers to freeze for another time? Simply lay out your shaped burgers on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper and freeze. After frozen solid, stack into an extra-large freezer bag and freeze till your ready to use.


I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe i’d love to hear about it! Thank you very much for reading and until next time see ya in the kitchen. Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for our NEWSLETTER delivered right to your inbox!

 

 

Chicken, Dinner ideas, Quick and easy recipes, Skip the takeout

Spicy Chicken Pad Thai Recipe

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What makes Chicken Pad Thai different than other popular Thai dishes is the crushed peanuts and tamarind along with a few more important spices. 

This dish can be pulled together in under 30 minutes so follow along.

This recipe is inspired by my partner’s favorite Thai dish = Pad Thai!

Pad Thai is also one of Thailand’s most famous stir frys and whenever we go to any new Thai restaurant, it’s the first thing my Man will order.

I can hear it now, what do you two want to order. PAD THAI!!

I like Pad Thai too, it’s just I find most restaurants make it way to sweet and I much prefer recipes with a little bit of heat.

So I decided to create the same dish but with the addition of a little more heat to make it more suitable to my taste.

If you prefer a more sweet Pad Thai simply omit the red chilies. 

And well my partner in crime… he is just super happy I now make it for him at home.

If you prefer the more sweet Pad Thai recipes, then you can simly up the sugar in this recipe by 2 tbsp.

Which will make a dish quite similar to those restaurant style pad thai dishes.

After all it’s your Pad Thai and I want you to make it how you like it.

So what gives mine the extra heat? It’s the chili powder and the “red chili paste”. Easy enough eh?

HOW TO MAKE PAD THAI

Make sure you are using Tamarind Concentrate vs the paste.

You will know the difference because the concentrate is sold in small containers vs the paste which is actually a pulp and has to be soaked in water and strained prior to using.

 

When in doubt, just read the tamarind directions prior to purchasing.

If you love Thai food as much as me, then you will want to try my other thai dishes! All are AMAZING and really are some of the best ways to make Thai at home in a fraction of the time. 

Note:  Feel free to use shrimp in replace of the chicken or just enjoy it as is.

I’m thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe i’d love to hear about it! Thank you and until next time see ya in the kitchen. Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for our NEWSLETTER delivered right to your inbox!

 

 

Chicken, Quick and easy recipes, Skip the takeout, Soups & Stews

Singapore Laksa Soup

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Have you ever tried Laksa Soup? It is a spicy noodle soup that has been one of the most popular soups from Singapore to Thailand and throughout Malaysia for centuries.

And today has become very popular throughout europe and the west!  

What gives it its unique taste is the fresh tamarind and dried shrimp. 

If your not sure what that is follow along, it’s pretty simple to find now a days in a simple pre made package.

Once you get familiar with the basic ingredients of thai cooking, you will be shocked at how easy it is to prepare these at home.

Literally you can have this dish on the table in under 20 minutes.

Keep in mind a good coconut milk, will be half solid a half watery.

One that is all watery does not work as well for this dish, so be sure to buy a full fat one and organic if possible as I always find that to be the best. 

Whenever I say I’m making fresh homemade Laksa soup for dinner I get those frantic calls from my partner to remind me that he’s fast on his way home and will be making no pit stops along the way.

I guess he loves me so very much, no really he loves me and this soup equally very much ha!

Before I learned to make homemade laksa soup we would go out pretty often for a big bowl at our local dinner.

WHAT IS IN SINGAPORE LAKSA SOUP

Traditional Laksa soup has

  • Tamarind paste
  • Dried shrimp
  • Galangal
  • Lemongrass and some other Thai ingredients.

You can always go to your local asian store and find those ingredients and add them one by one or you can just use the premade paste which has it all in it! Saving you a ton of time and effort.

This is my favorite Singapore Laksa paste, serves 2-3 people!

HOW TO MAKE SINGAPORE LAKSA SOUP 

My soup is made with:

  • Singapore Laksa Spice Paste
  • One fresh Chicken breast
  • An egg
  • Creamy coconut milk
  • A few kaffir lime leaves
  • Vermicelli rice noodles
  • Fresh bean sprouts
  • Lime and Cilantro.

This soup is sure to satisfy even the pickiest of Laksa soup lovers out there.

Also feel free to add shrimp to this as well if desired.

Even though we use the premade “Laksa paste” in this recipe, which has all the ingredients one needs. I also like to add a few Kaffir lime leaves because I love that tangy lime taste, if you have any on hand feel free.

I always have Kaffir lime leaves in my freezer for whenever I’m making anything Thai. 

I find it really enhances this dish even more, however this is optional as the lime juice at the end does a good job to adding that similar taste. 

Also be sure to only squeeze the juice of a lime in at the end, you do not want to cook the lime. It will ruin the flavor of the soup. 

Notes: Things to keep in mind 🙂

  • Look for a good solid coconut milk, you do not want to use any low fat variety. One that is all watery does not work as well for this dish, typically organic or traditional Thai coconut milk varieties have the best products.
  • “Lemongrass”, “Galangal” and “Kaffir lime leaves” can be found in most Asian stores. But the paste that I use has all those ingredients in it.
  • Add in the lime last, you do not want to cook the lime because it will ruin the flavor.
  • Do not eat the “Kaffir lime leaves” there just for flavoring, if you’re going to use these for added flavor. Make sure to bruise each leaf before adding to the pot.
  • Want more heat, simply serve some red chili paste on the side like I do. I try to stay away from fresh thai chilies for this soup, because those babies are super hot and can burn the eyes and hands if not handle properly.

 


 

I’m thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe i’d love to hear about it! Thank you and until next time see ya in the kitchen. Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for our NEWSLETTER delivered right to your inbox!

 

Dinner ideas

Moist Meatloaf

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Are you looking for a moist and flavorful meatloaf recipe? Then look no further, this recipe is full of flavor and does not come out dry.

I like to use lean hamburger meat for this recipe, however you can use regular if you want. What makes it really moist is the whole milk which gives this meatloaf the right amount of moisture.

Mix in the right seasonings and use the best BBQ sauce and you will have the most deliciously moist meatloaf tonight!

For the breadcrumbs, I like to save the ends of my bread loaves for this. So I will place them in a large zip lock bag, and allow them to dry out on the countertop. Once dried I will then crush them with a rolling pin and use those crumbs for any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs.

Since I eat different types of bread, by crumbs will have a combination of whole wheat, rye and sourdough breads which make for an extra flavorful meatloaf.

Everybody has their favorite BBQ sauce, we love to use “Cattle Boyz” Original BBQ sauce for this meatloaf. A Calgary brand of BBQ sauce that goes so well with almost any type of beef.

 

 

Serve alongside your favorite side dishes, such as mash potatoes and a vegetable of choice.

Pretty easy eh?

 

 


 

 

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