Roast chicken is so reliable and satisfying that it keeps making its way onto our tables night after night. This spiced version, served with a citrusy, herbaceous chimichurri, is an update on the classic. Make the chimichurri the day before, if you wish, and add any leftovers to potato salad, grilled meats or fish.
Creamy mushroom sauce elevates meat loaf to new heights. A double dose of mushrooms – dried in the loaf and fresh in the sauce – is a dream for mushroom lovers. We've used dried mixed mushrooms, but you can substitute whatever dried mushrooms you can find. Serve with mashed potatoes for a deliciously indulgent dinner.
Shane Siddon from Notre Dame School submitted this recipe. For the vegetable stock, you can either use a canned vegetable stock, powder reconstituted or cooking liquid left over from mild vegetables, such as potatoes or carrots. To give this mild-flavour soup a Tex-Mex touch, cook 4 tsp (20 mL) chili powder with the onion and mushrooms.
A dip is a fun way of adding variety to the week of lunches. Pack about 1/2 cup (125 mL) of this dip, wedges of pita bread, carrot and celery sticks or your child's favourite vegetable in separate containers. Add a few rice chips or potato chips and your child will think it's a party.
Leg of lamb is always welcome on an entertaining menu, and a boneless roast takes away any worries about carving. Anchovies are a classic partner to lamb; they melt onto the surface, adding a lively but not at all fishy flavour (omit if desired). Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes and a Belgian-endive-and-watercress salad.
This dip is best served warm and bubbly, so it's worth rooting around in your basement to find that long-hidden fondue set. Serve with blanched asparagus or broccoli, boiled potatoes or sliced apple. If you don't have Calvados on hand, you can make the fondue without it, but it kicks it up a notch.
Searing scallops gives them a crispy exterior and a rich buttery centre. The splurge of saffron adds extra depth to a bright, tangy sauce. You will have about 1/4 cup of the citrus oil left over. It's perfect to drizzle over an omelette, a tomato salad or roasted potatoes, or to warm up and brush on crostini.
The plates are ready, the skillet hot and the latkes — crisp potato pancakes — are sizzling up lacy and golden brown, ready to be devoured with dollops of applesauce and sour cream. Latkes, the Yiddish word for pancakes, are the most anticipated dish at the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. But latkes are so deliciously addictive that it would be a shame not to make them year-round.
For the best results, cook up your macaroni or pasta ahead of time. Drain and rinse and let cool. Drizzle enough olive oil to coat all the pasta. Cover and refrigerate for at least a couple hours or even better over night. This will help to prevent the pasta from absorbing the liquid. This dressing I also use in my potato salad.
This skillet version of a classic French oven-braised roast chicken is delicious with green beans and buttermilk mashed potatoes or a whole grain baguette. To ease the chore of peeling 40 cloves of garlic, lay them in groups of 4 on a cutting board and press down with the flat side of a chef's knife to loosen the skins.
