Super Sloppy Joes.

For the next dinner exchange, I am making these classic sandwiches.  As the weather gets warmer and we all get busier, I was thinking of doing an meal that is easy and yet feels a little like take-out.  
I love to dress them up with caramelized onions, or some kind of artisan buns.  In the exchange, I will include sweet potato fries and some dessert squares, too.
My kids like the name, but will usually eat the bun and meat sauce separately.
Dahlia, 3, was upset that the filling kept falling out of her bun, but with a little reassurance and a stack of napkins, she got through it!



Serves 4-5 
1 1/4 lbs ground sirloin beef (or extra lean ground beef)
2 tbsps brown sugar

2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste


6-8 crusty rolls, toasted
Garnish with lettuce, tomato, pickles, or cheese.


Cook up your meat in a skillet, breaking up clumps.
Add in sugar & seasoning.
When meat is browned, add in onions, red pepper, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Cook for about 5 minutes longer, then add in the tomato sauce & paste.
If acidic tasting, add a whole carrot, and then remove after simmering.
Simmer for 15 minutes longer.


Scoop Sloppy Joe sauce onto crusty rolls, garnish, serve with potato salad, fries, sweet potato fries, or a great salad.

Recipe from Foodnetwork.com, courtesy of Rachel Ray

The kids keeping busy while mama cooks.  The was a boat made out of all the big purchases made at Costco!

Tom Yum Hot and Sour Soup.

This is a soup which I made after being inspired from one our favourite Chinese restaurants, "Pret a Manger" in Montreal.  It has a good kick to it, so I would recommend it as an "adult only" recipe.

I had to do a little sampling, just to make sure it was perfect...unfortunately, the frozen version would not have plump mushrooms or coriander.  It always shrivels in water after time.

I had a great time looking for all the ingredients at the asian grocery store.  It is a little more difficult to find things in Montreal because you have to discern the chinese name in french and not english.

Above are lemon grass stalks and thai ginger (galangal).  Strain it out before adding the other ingredients, it is far too hard to eat.   I used the extra to make tea, just steep it and add a little honey if desired.

Boil all these things together for about 20 minutes for a rich and tasty soup base.
Strain out  so that the soup is easier to eat.

4 cups chicken stock   or  shrimp stock
2 shoots of lemon grass, cut into matchsticks.
4 kafir lime leaves
4 slices galangal (thai ginger)
4 Chili padi (Bird's Eye Chilies) (Didi
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

Add after these have been strained out after boiling,
Boil for 5 minutes after the additions.

1 1/2 limes, juiced

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp + holt chili paste (such as sambal Oelek)

2 tbsps tom yum soup paste (depending on variety)

1/4 can+ diced tomatoes with juice.
1/2-full can baby corn, cut into pieces
baby bok choi (optional)

In the last 5 minutes add: 
cooked chicken or raw shrimp
5 chopped mushrooms (any)
Garnish with coriander leaves.

To make Shrimp stock:
add shrimp heads& shells to water, then cook for 20 minutes.
Turn off heat and let sit for another 20 minutes.
Strain out any solids, use broth for your soup.

Freezer instructions: Freeze when cooled in your choice of container.
                               Reheat to a boil over stovetop or microwave, from thawed or  frozen.

Potstickers/Chinese Dumplings.

I have a lot to learn about folding dumplings, but this fold gets the job done...especially when there are a lot to fold!

Last time I made the wrappers with a few ingredients and a pasta roller, but pre-made is much more convenient if you can get to an asian grocery.

2 cups ground turkey, pork or shrimp, cooked and ground to a fine crumble 

2 tsps finely chopped ginger

1 tsp ground ginger

a handful chopped cilantro or coriander

2 green onions finely chopped

1 can chopped water chestnuts

a few leaves finely chopped napa cabbage

soya sauce to taste (about 4 splashes?)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

some sesame oil drizzled over

a pinch of white sugar and salt and pepper

Cook the meat of preference, pulse it in the food processor once or twice so that you get a fine crumble.  Add all the ingredients, mix well.

Fill your wonton wrapper with about a tsp of filling and pinch together.

Refrigerate the dumplings until ready to use, on parchement paper or they will stick to each other!

To Cook: (can cook from frozen)

Put oil in large flat frying pan, get it really hot, enough to cover the bottom about 2 Tbsps so that they will not stick.

Place the potstickers in the pan, flat sides down.

Start frying them until golden brown (1-2 minutes.)

Turn the dumpling over and pour ¼ cup of water over them.

Cover with a lid and let them steam until the water has nearly evaporated and the dumplings have begun to to fry in oil again. (5-7 minutes)

Uncover the skillet, and let them cook until all the water is evaporated and the wrapper has shrunk down tightly onto the filling. (another 2-3 minutes).

Serve with soya sauce or hoisin sauce. (you can also mix in black vinegar, dissolved sugar, minced ginger, minced green onlions, or shriracha hot "rooster" sauce.)

Here's a video for "How to Fry dumplings from frozen."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dq0xdEkqFM&feature=related