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Curries, Dinner ideas, Soups & Stews

African Red Stew

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This dish is also known as Red Tomato Stew or Nigerian Red Soup and it consists of a cooked then broiled protein of your choice which is then stewed fresh fried tomatoes, onions, garlic and red bell peppers. You can also add an array of meats such as beef, chicken or fish. My recipe here uses goat meat.

I have more African recipes on this site, since it is one of my favorite cuisine these days 🙂 Go check some of my other favorites out > Nigerian Chicken Jollof Rice or Ghana Jollof Rice or Chicken Red Stew which all would serves well alongside this dish. See below for more African recipes that your sure to love!

If your wanting a recipe that includes 3 types of meats your going to want to try this Mixed Meat Nigerian Stew as seen below.

Some people will also add tripe as well to this dish. Personally my favorite way to make it is with boneless goat meat as you see here.

You will notice that I placed this recipe under the “hard” to cook category. The reason for that is because it takes some time and a few steps to make. But besides that it truly is worth the effort.

This stew is so special that it is served as the main dish during the holidays in Nigeria. Yup you heard that right, so instead of our North American Turkey they serve this.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH AFRICAN RED STEW

You can serve with Rice or Pounded Yam. Pounded Yam typically is prepared with a mortar and large pot and is made from scratch, however do to advances in the food industry you can now buy it in a “powdered form” and make the same thing. Find that recipe here > How to make Pounded Yam

Red Goat Stew has been a favorite recipe of mine since I was a little girl. Yup my mom cooked African food for me along with many other cultural dishes and so this is where I developed my love for spicy foods.

Now some people like this stew to be super spicy, I prefer it mild – spicy and so that is what I’m sharing with you today. The intense “Red” color that you see in this recipe is from the blended mixture.

Some people like there red stew to be somewhat running, I prefer my more thick as you can see above. I find it makes it really easy this way to pick up with the pounded yam and tastes better in my opinion.

However if you prefer it more liquidly, as some people do like to make it. Simply add 1/2 cup of extra stock to the cooking process at the end.

Wanting to make Pounded Yam with this? Check out my 5 minute recipe for that here: how-to-make-pounded-yam/

 

I love eating with my hands, if you have not tried it before your in for a tasty experience. 

Notes: The type of curry powder you use here is important, you don’t want a masala type curry which is to mild. Ideally a Jamaican curry will work best here.

Inspired by: Nigerian Lazy Chef

Looking for more Delicious African Recipes

 

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 every Month!

 

 

Date Night, Dinner ideas, New Year's, Pasta, Quick and easy recipes, Toddler recipes, Vegetarian

Mushroom Pasta without Cream

This Mushroom Pasta without Cream is a healthy option to making pasta that uses either milk or stock instead of heavy cream. Also it can be made vegan by using a vegan parmesan cheese if desired. Fettucine 

You can also make this dish non vegan simply buy using regular parmesan cheese. 

Made with tender sauteed portobello mushrooms along with fresh vegan parmesan cheese and parsley.

Your sure to find this dish absolutely delicious! 

I’m so excited to share this delicious recipe with you guys today.

I made it a point to pick up some vegan parmesan cheese from whole foods yesterday, along with some these amazing Portobello Mushrooms.

Because I really wanted to make another vegan dish for my vegan readers out there. So I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think?

Now I will be honest, I prefer real parmesan cheese.

However for this dish I wanted to try the vegan variety, the kind I picked up is right below… and hats off to all you vegan eaters out there.

I could commit to eating this type of cheese substitute more often myself. It was pretty good and much better than I expected!

Also, I had my partner try this dish with the vegan cheese and he has given it a passing approval. 

And he has even asked me to make it since then again for him so he could test it again! Ha and I know what that means. He loved it! 

And for a meat eater that says a lot about how good this dish actually is.

Because there is no meat in here whatsoever. But don’t be fooled it’s filling and those mushrooms are super healthy for you.

Packed full of B-complex vitamins and riboflavin which are amazing minerals for maintaining healthy red blood cells. I hope you give this recipe a try because it is absolutely delicious! 

You can always double up the recipes and make it into a few meal preps to enjoy throughout the week.

Just simply use my recipe adjuster above if you plan to make more than two dishes and it will calculate the ingredient ratio automatically for you. 

In order to make this dish low fat and vegan, I will simmer this dish in a quality vegetable stock and then simply will season with salt and white pepper to taste.

However you could always add some cream to the stock as well, which will make it non vegan but very creamy. 

Pretty simple one pot dish that is sure to impress!

Don’t have Portabella Mushrooms on hand?

Go ahead and use regular instead and prepare them the same way. Almost any type of mushroom will go well with this dish. Bone Appetit!

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!

 

Date Night, Dinner ideas, Pasta, Toddler recipes, Vegetarian

Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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This Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe is as simple as it gets yet fancy enough to serve at a dinner party.

Easy baked macaroni and cheese is a classic recipe, that may just have you doing the happy dance.

This recipe has been passed down in my family for generations, it’s simple and the best. So whenever that craving hits for some real Macaroni and Cheese, this recipe is sure to please.

Don’t you ever just have a craving for some “Good Old Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese”?But not that  stuff you get from the box, more like the kind before the box stuff was ever invented. Well then you are in the right place 🙂

The ultimate comfort food ready to enjoy!

BEST CHEESE FOR MAC AND CHEESE

Gruyere, Velveeta, Brie, Gouda, Parmesan, Havarti and Monterey Jack. 

HOW MACARONI AND CHEESE IS MADE

I like to make my mac and cheese extra special by adding panko breadcrumbs on top along with fresh Parmigiano Reggiano, THIS is the stuff dreams are made of.

To make a very cheesy pasta ~ Boil one Box of Macaroni which is 375 grams typically  =8.82 ounces. To make a lighter less cheesy version, yet still very good pasta ~ Boil 450 grams of Macaroni.

We hope you enjoy it as well! Creamy with the right amount of crunch!

Also want to make two batches? Just double the recipe and use two baking pans. This freezes easily for another day, just let it cool and then seal it in a ziplock bag.

Transfer to a lightly oiled baking dish the day of baking and top with your breadcrumbs and bake.

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, if you made this recipe i’d love to hear about it! Don’t want to miss a recipe? Sign up for our NEWSLETTER delivered right to your inbox every Month!

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

Sausage Gnocchi Soup

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This Sausage Gnocchi Soup recipe is similar to the Italian Gardens recipe for Zuppa Toscana! 

This Sausage Gnocchi Soup recipe is one of those soups that you will want to make a big old pot of and enjoy over a few days.

Want more recipes that call for Sausages? Try my Sausage and potatoes

Zuppa Toscana is one of the Olive Garden’s most popular soups. This recipe is very similar other than instead of using spinach I used kale as that was what I had on hand. And trust me it is just as good if not better!

I really like to use “medium Italian sausage” for this recipe. However if your wanting a more spicy soup feel free to add a spicer sausage.

So if your craving a soup to warm you up, but also want a hearty meal. Then this Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup will hit the spot!

I have always loved Italian type soups and have been testing out a few of these popular gnocchi soups for some time now.

I found that the key to making it more like a soup rather that just a pasta dish is to use “Mini Gnocchi“ for the soup, rather than regular sized gnocchi. 

If you are wondering what those look like, see this spoonful below.

My soup utilizes Kale and makes for one healthy hearty meal! You can always use spinach instead if desired!

I decided to finally share my favorite version of it with you today! Mine is pretty similar to allot of those Italian Tortellini soup recipes you will find out there.

However mine has a few differences such as mine will use kale instead of spinach and celery instead of the carrots.

Not to sure why almost all Italian tortellini soups call for carrots these days, but to me that is so wrong.

Oh and mine also has a fair amount of parmesan cheese and absolutely “no cream”. The tomatoes and cheese will make it creamy enough!

I like to use sour cream vs heavy cream as it helps to make this soup super creamy without all the extra fat. That sour cream is mixed with chicken stock or vegetable whichever you prefer to use. 

If you are planning to enjoy this soup over a couple of days, then you will want to add one more cup of stock in the soup. Since the Gnocchi tends to soak it up overnight.  Believe it or not but this soup tastes even better on the second day.

If you loved this soup? you will also love the following recipes below.

Notes: Also keep in mind, as with all my recipes. If you want to make more or less of this soup, simple adjust the serving size in the ingredients section above and the servings will automatically adjust for you. This soup can store in the fridge for up to 3 days and or freeze for up to 3 months.

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 every Month!

© CanadianCookingAdventures.  All images and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Please do not use any images without prior permission.  Please do not republish this recipe.  If you want to reference this recipe, link directly back to this post. Thank you, Jacqueline 

Seafood, Soups & Stews

Thick New England Clam Chowder Recipe

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This may be the best Thick New England Clam Chowder recipe you have ever tried.

This is my go to recipe for New England Clam Chowder soup.

It is out of this world delicious!

WHERE DID NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER ORIGINATE 

It is said to have originate in NYC and was introduced by the French, Nova Scotian, or British settlers.

And this here is truly an authentic clam chowder recipe. 

I know because this is my favorite soup in the whole wide World.

I will eat this all day everyday if I could.

An when I say my version it’s quick to make, I mean it. 

WHAT IS NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

It is a milk or cream based clam chowder vs a tomato like another famous chowder called the Manhattan we have all known to love as well.

It is also thicker and made with butter, potatoes, pork in this case bacon, onions and clams.

WHAT DOES NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER TASTE LIKE

Creamy, thick, sweet and salty. 

HOW IS NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER MADE

It is really easy rather, you are simply adding everything to one pot to cook.

Dicing and chopping will take the majority of the time then let the pot do the rest.

Want to save some time with this soup?

Simply use frozen yet clams, there will be no shucking here.

You can have a huge pot of this soup ready to serve in 30 minutes time. 

This soup takes me right back to my childhood, where I used to eat this soup religiously.

I hope you give it a try!

However my family never made it from scratch so I had to settle for the canned stuff.

You know the soup that has way more potatoes than clams? 

Oh the things we remember eh!

My parents used to buy those cans for me by caseload because, they knew I would go through a case in less than 2 weeks.

Well looking back I sure was missing out, now I know how to make real clam chowder.

Long gone are the days of eating thick clumpy chowder from a can and having to add extra cream to it to make it creamy.

Clam chowder soup should be creamy and smooth and filled with clams and there juices. 

Not thick and clumpy and filled with mainly potatoes.

And please don’t add carrots to it, why do some people do that anyway? it’s so so wrong.

Yes there are some people who still prefer a thicker chowder and that is fine, feel free to omit the vegetable stock of that is you.

But please don’t add canned clams, using fresh or frozen is best.

The trick to making the best clam chowder is using fresh or frozen clams and cooking them for just a few minutes at the end to prevent them from becoming rubbery.

HOW TO MAKE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER SOUP

  • So what are those secret ingredients?
  • Simply Old Bay Seasoning and some Red Wine Vinegar that we will splash in at the end.
  • The Red Wine Vinegar will give it that extra oomph and help tie this soup all together.
  • And clam juice (See below the kind I used for this recipe)

CAN NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER BE FROZEN

Most defiantly! 

I hope you give it a try and if you do I would love to know what you think, just let me know in the comments below.  

Keep in mind if you wanting a lower fat clam chowder, you can always use all milk and omit the cream.

I would not recommend that personally but if your on a diet of some kind then by all means, it’s your chowder.

Don’t mistake this clam chowder with any other and definitely not it’s counterpart named the Manhattan clam chowder.

Which is good but made with a tomato stock rather than cream. I now make this soup in big batches so that I can enjoy it over a few days 🙂

What soup is your go to in the colder months?

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, I appreciate every single one of you! If you made this recipe i’d love to hear how it turned out!  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!

Dinner ideas, Quick and easy recipes, Skip the takeout

Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe

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This Easy Cashew Chicken Recipe is my go to recipe for whenever I’m craving a good Cashew Chicken dinner.

Looking for another similar Chinese recipe? Try my Kung Pao Chicken with Brussel Sprouts.

It tastes just like those in the restaurants, however it can be really tweaked to your personal liking.

So if you like more cashews add those, more broccoli vs carrots add those and so on. 

I have experimented with a few Cashew Chicken recipes over the years and promise you your going to love this one.

I’m the type of lady that has to try every Cashew Chicken dish whenever we go out to eat. I do this to compare really. And this recipe really rises above the rest!

So go ahead and Skip the takeout tonight and learn to make this iconic dish in the comfort of your own home. Impress yourself, I know you can do it!

Cashew Chicken is one of my favorite Thai dishes, I will order it everytime I go to a Thai restaurant. Some prepare it so well and others not. Sometimes you will find it to sweet and others will not have enough cashews or will just crush them making it hard to notice. 

So when I find a restaurant that does it well, I definitely will leave them a good review on tripadvisor. 

I love making this dish at home though, and that is because I can really tweak it to my liking. 

My dish is made with fresh chicken breasts, crispy broccoli, sliced carrots, fresh garlic and ginger and sauteed in an amazing asian sauce that you’re sure to love. 

All the ingredients found in this dish can be located at pretty much any large grocery. 

Once you learn to make this simple Cashew Chicken at home, you will be making it more often Guaranteed!

WHERE WAS CASHEW CHICKEN INVENTED

This is somewhat of a complicated question, today it is known to come from Thailand and is a very popular street food expectaill in Bangkok. However, most Thai people will say it was brought over by the chinese. 

IS CASHEW CHICKEN GLUTEN FREE

No, Cashew Chicken is not Gluten free. Because of the Oyster sauce and other asian ingredients listed.

IS CASHEW CHICKEN HEALTHY

Yes, just look at all those vegetables and lean chicken meat in this dish. Also it is a great meal option for those on a Keto Diet. Because it is made with Skinless Chicken breasts and an array of vegetables. 

The hardest part about making homemade Cashew Chicken is “chopping those vegetables”. Once you have that part done, the rest comes together in a snap.

This whole meal can be pulled together in less than 30 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE CASHEW CHICKEN STIR FRY

You can use a wok or skillet, I used a wok because that is what I had available. 

  • First you will want to start by rinsing and slicing the chicken then again into medium bite size pieces.
  • Then add the chicken to the bowl and marinade with cornstarch, salt and shaoxing wine.
  • For a minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge. 
  • Meanwhile, wash and prepare the vegetables. By dicing the broccoli florets along with the carrots. 
  • Then bring a wok/pan of water to a bowl, turn down the heat and add the broccoli florets in flipping over and over for 30 seconds.
  • Remove with a strainer and set aside.
  • Do the same with the carrots.
  • Once the vegetables have been simmered, keep the water in the wok/pan.
  • Then add in the chicken, be careful not to stir too much as you don’t want to marinade to all come off.
  • Simmer in the water for roughly 5 minutes till the chicken has poached
  • Remove the chicken, strain and set up top of the vegetables. 
  • Dump the water, then and the sauce to the same wok/pan.
  • Add back in the chicken and saute for 2 minutes before adding back in the vegetables. 
  • Saute all together adding in the cornstarch/water mixture and saute till thick for another 2 minutes
  • Serve and enjoy!

HOW TO MAKE CASHEW CHICKEN SAUCE

Some people use Hoisin sauce in there sauce, I prefer Oyster which makes it less sweet.

  • Oyster Sauce – feel free to use Hoisin
  • Soy sauce
  • Cornstarch
  • Sesame oil
  • Shaoxing wine
  • Chicken stock or Vegetable
  • Sugar
  • White pepper

IS CASHEW CHICKEN SWEET

Cashew chicken should not be only sweet, however there are some places that make it sweet. Traditional Cashew Chicken should have a balance of flavors. Which make it sweet, spicy and savory!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CASHEW CHICKEN

Basmati rice goes really well alongside this dish.

If you liked this recipe? Then you will want to try my other ASIAN inspired recipes below!

Notes: This recipe can also be made with just about any meat such as chinese pork, beef or shrimp.  Plus, if you like a little more heat to your dish then feel free to add some red pepper chili flakes or some fresh chili paste. 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you make this recipe, I would love to hear about it! You can leave a 5 star review in the comments below! 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!

Appetizers & Sides, Dinner ideas, Salads, Seafood

Crab Potato Salad

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This Crab Potato Salad is made with imitation crab meat, potatoes, mayo, onions and a few secret spices. So follow along for this unique yet classic recipe that your sure to love. 

The kick off to Summer has begun. And you know what that means? 

Canada Day is right around the corner as well as BBQ’s and picnics. 

And of course getting together more with people in the great outdoors. Yippy! 

My Crab Potato salad is not only super unique! It is inexpensive and satisfying meal option for any type of gathering. 

This Crab Potato Salad is just like any other Potato Salad except it showcases our Canadian Snow Crab and is so delicious.

You can use real snow crab for this potato salad or imitation crab meat.

Both will work amazing in this recipe, so it really depends on your preference. 

This potato salad will leave your guests wanting seconds and most likely asking you for the recipe!

So if you’re looking for a unique summertime potato salad, then why not surprise everyone with this “Amazing Crab Potato Salad”.

Fresh crab works amazing in here, however you can always substitute for imitation crab which we did today and works just as good. 

This potato salad has just a hint of sweetness from the snow crab and red peppers, however it has a balance of flavors that also come from the old bay seasoning, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

I came up with this recipe a few years back and have been making every June long weekend every since for the family.

You can choose to add imitation crab meat or real crab.

Did you know that most of the Worlds snow crab comes from our Atlantic Provinces?

Yup it’s true, the best quality snow crab comes from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Newfoundland and Labrador

So it is only appropriate that it this potato salad be listed under Canadian cuisine, right? 

We hope you enjoy this potato salad as much as we do:)

LOOKING FOR OTHER SUMMER SALAD RECIPES?

I am so thrilled you are reading one of my recipes, I appreciate every single one of you! 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!

 

Quick and easy recipes, Soups & Stews, Vegetarian

Grilled Cheese Tomato Tortellini Soup

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This Grilled Cheese Tomato Tortellini Soup is super tasty and simple to make. If you like grilled cheese sandwiches then your going to love this soup!

I grew up eating grilled cheese sandwiches, I have no idea how many I have eaten in my adolescent years. But I’m guessing hundreds if not… dare i say thousands.

I mean what kid doesn’t like a grilled cheese sandwich? Now that I am grown, I like to experiment with lets say, more sophisticated recipes. You know so that my family thinks my tastes have evolved. 

This soup really satisfies my craving for a grilled cheese sandwich, which i admit comes on now and again. If you have kids, I can only imagine how much they would love this soup!

Also keep in mind, as with all my recipes. If you want to make more or less of this soup, simple adjust the serving size in the ingredients section above and the servings will automatically adjust for you. This soup can store in the fridge for up to 3 days and or freeze for up to 3 months.

Over the years I have made this soup a few different ways and found this recipe to sure hit the spot. Actually the day I discovered “Passata Sauce” is the day I started experimenting with homemade tomato soups.

So what is Passata Sauce?

Passata Sauce is the base for all Italian tomato sauces, it is uncooked tomato puree without seeds or skins. Essentially, it is tomato sauce in its rawest form. Of course you can always use fresh tomatoes by blending them into a puree in the blender as well. Totally up to you!

Then to add a bit more of a tomato base, I will use a can of tomato paste which blends out well when added to the vegetable stock.

Serve this alongside a grilled cheese sandwich and you will be in HEAVEN!

And without further adieu the secret ingredient is Philadelphia Cream Cheese!

Liked this recipe? Try my “Tomato Soup” it is delizioso as too! 

Will you give this recipe a go? You can rate this recipe by posting a review below, I would love to hear from you. Thank you very much for reading and until next time see ya in the kitchen. 

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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 every Month!

 

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