Best. Salad. Ever. Ever. Ever.

by Lazygirl Gourmet

Hi guys,

I’ve got an awesome salad recipe for you that is so versatile, and so incredibly delicious, that it will now be your go-to salad recipe. For serious, everyone I’ve ever made this salad for loves it and asks me for the recipe. It’s really all about the dressing – the mix-ins can be changed up with whatever you’ve got in your fridge/pantry.

I actually put this up a few years ago on allrecipes.com, and as you can see here, only 5-star reviews thankyouverymuch. I originally used romaine for this salad, but nowadays I like to use baby arugula or spinach. You can also use whatever fruit you have at home or what’s in season (I’ve used strawberries, blueberries, sliced pears, peaches, and raspberries with delicious results). The only thing I’m begging you not to substitute is the pure maple syrup. NOT Aunt Jamima, NOT pancake syrup, but real maple syrup. Please. For the love of all that is good and pure , use the real stuff, it makes such a difference. Alright, here’s the recipe:

Fruity Cheesy Maple Salad

3 cups torn romaine lettuce, arugula, or spinach
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup walnut or pecan pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1/4 cup pure maple syrup, or to taste
1/4 cup grapeseed oil, or to taste
salt, to taste

Toss the lettuce, blueberries, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, walnut pieces, feta cheese, and goat cheese in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar, syrup, and grapeseed oil over the salad one at a time; toss until evenly coated. You can also prepare the salad dressing separately and save any extra for later. Season with salt.

Serve with anything and everything. Enjoy!

-Monica

5-ingredient slow-cooker BBQ pulled chicken sliders

by Lazygirl Gourmet

Hey all!

So this past weekend, my hubby and some friends and I went to the CNE, which, for those not from Toronto, is basically our annual state fair. We don’t go for the rides though. Nor do we go for the games. No, we go for the food. You see, the CNE is known for deep fried everything, plus super inventive (And sometimes borderline bizarre) food combinations. For example, this year, we have this very odd dish of pulled pork on red velvet pancakes, drizzled with jack Daniels infused maple syrup. I’m all for weird, but that’s a bit much for even my adventurous palette.

Anyway, aside from the corn dogs, deep fried butter (yes, for real), deep fried Mars bars and Oreo cookies (hellz ya), chocolate-covered bacon (so three years ago), beaver tails (a Canadian fav – basically a flat donut-like pastry shaped like a beaver tail and topped with deliciousness) that we consumed, the hubs had this delicious pulled pork on a bun from one of the food trucks, Hank Daddy’s BBQ. He enjoyed it SO much, he had to kneel down to eat it. No really, check out the pic:

D eating pulled pork. Ain’t he cute?

Anyway, since then, I’ve been wanting to recreate the pulled pork Lazygirl style. But, my bubble was burst when I went to the butcher and they had NO pork shoulder. Or butt! So, I decided I was going to try pulled chicken instead. I’ve made pulled chicken, but wasn’t a fan of the BBQ sauce I used. By the way, I’m still on the hunt for the best BBQ sauce so if you have any reccos, please do let me know. (Tonight I used Bull’s-Eye Chicken & Rib Renegade which was good, but I feel like there’s better out there).

Of course, I decided to use my slow cooker for this one. I used fresh chicken breasts, so I only needed to cook them on low for 4 hours. I’m not currently eating bread (an attempt to lose the last of this baby weight – I suck), so I served mine over basmati rice while D’s was piled high on toasted mini slider buns. You can also add cheese, or whatever other toppings you’d like. Here’s the recipe (which, by the way, is another 5-ingredient one-Yay for easy!)

Slow-cooker BBQ pulled chicken sliders
Serves 6

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bottle of your favourite BBQ sauce
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

Line the bottom of your slow-cooker with the sliced onions. Place chicken breasts on top of the onion, and season with and salt and pepper. Sprinkle brown sugar and garlic on top of the chicken (you’ll notice I only made three breasts in the photos below because there were only two of us and it was way, way too much). Depending on the size of your bottle of BBQ sauce, you may need to use anywhere from 1/2 the bottle to the full bottle. Pour over the chicken, making sure to coat each breast. Cook on low for 3 hours. After 3 hours, pull the chicken apart with two forks and saturate with the sauce. Cook on low for another hour or so. Serve on toasted slider buns or your favourite rice. Enjoy!

Happy cooking!

-Monica

Quick and easy garlic lemon pepper Cod

by Lazygirl Gourmet

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Hi guys,

The hubby and I haven’t had fish in quite some time, so I was pretty happy when I found some fresh Cod at the grocery store today. We like our Cod nice and simple; lemon, pepper, garlic, sea salt and butter, and I’m big on broiling fish. That way, you quick-cook it, which keeps it moist and flaky and doesn’t give it a chance to dry out. Anyway, here’s my 6-ingredient recipe for simple and delicious cod for two. 

Garlic lemon pepper Cod
Serves two

2 fresh cod fillets
2 tbsp salted butter, melted
3 gloves of garlic, minced
2 slices of lemon
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Turn on your broiler. Place Cod fillets on a rack on top of a cookie sheet filled with about 1/2 inch of water. Brush the fish generously on both sides with butter and garlic, then season with lemon, pepper, and sea salt. Broil for 10-12 minutes, or until the fish is nice and flaky. Serve with some more lemon slices and, why not, some more melted butter. Because, really, you can never have enough butter. 

Enjoy!

-Monica

End of summer virgin Mojito

by Lazygirl Gourmet

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Hi all,

So sadly, summer is coming to an end. I know, I didn’t need to remind you and for that I’m sorry. Before I start with all my fall cooking and baking, I figured I’d say adieu to the summer with my favourite summer drink (the one that doesn’t involve copious amounts of liquor). In fact, this is a virgin version of one my fav drinks, the Mojito. It’s an amazingly refreshing Mojito-style drink that’s perfect for a summer lunch when you don’t wanna get all boozy. I call it the Monito (‘cuz, well, Monica + Mojito…) But you can call it whatever you’d like. In the photo, I’ve served it in a mason jar, but the recipe below is for a full-sized pitcher.

Monito Mojito

Two small limes, sliced
10-12 mint leaves
1/4 cup of sugar
Bottle of Sprite/Seven Up/Lemon Lime Soda
10 frozen strawberries or your favourite frozen fruit (instead of ice)

First, muddle the mint with the lime and sugar (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can do this in your pitcher with the end of a wooden spoon). Throw the muddled mix into the pitcher, and pour the soda into the pitcher, filling to the top. Add the frozen fruit to chill the drink without watering it down, plus adding more fruit flavour.

And please, be my guest to add some rum for a more adult-friendly partay.

Bottoms up!

-Monica

Future Lazygirl Gourmet taste-tester

by Lazygirl Gourmet

On a side note, this is my 4.5 month old, Nate. He just started solids, and he clearly has as big of an appetite as his mom since, as you can see, he’s eating his spoon. I haven’t actually tried to eat a utensil but I have been known to lick the spoon.

The end.

Mexi-casserole (Mexican lasagna)

by Lazygirl Gourmet

Thanks to ‘wannabe chefette’ for this photo

When I was pregnant with my son, I frequently craved mexican food and made this recipe a lot. I found the original version on allrecipes.com but I don’t think the poster still has a profile so I can’t give her credit. So, I’m putting it out there: if you are this lovely person who got me through some very strong pregnancy cravings, please do contact me so I can give you some cred. Moving on.

I usually call this Mexican lasagna, but since it’s really more like a casserole, let’s call it a Mexi-casserole. It’s super easy, quick, and delicious even the next day. Serve with guacamole, tortilla chips, and obviously, margaritas. You can thank me later.

Mexi-casserole
Feeds one hungry pregnant girl, or about 6-8 normal people. Don’t judge.

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups salsa
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained (I usually just use red kidney beans)
4 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.

Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Slice and enjoy!

Aribbba!

-Monica

My favourite meatball recipe – Honey-garlic glazed meatballs

by Lazygirl Gourmet

Hey lazy girls,

This is my all-time favourite meatball recipe. It’s always my go-to when I need something that can be made  in a large batch and eaten for a few days when I know I won’t have time to cook. I normally split the batch in two and freeze half. They are so delicious, and I I find like many things, they taste better the next day. They are the perfect sweetness. and are quite firm (I love a firm meatball!). This one comes from a lady named Marion Foster that I found on allrecipes.com, but I’ve changed it up slightly to increase the amount of sauce and give it a bit more flavour. Here’s the recipe:

Honey-garlic glazed meatballs
Makes about 22

2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 cup dry italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds ground beef
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1.5 cups ketchup
1 cup honey
6 tablespoons soy sauce

In a large bowl combine eggs and milk. Add the bread crumbs, onion and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place in two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in the ketchup, honey and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain meatballs; add to sauce. Carefully stir to evenly coat. Cook for 5-10 minutes.

I like to serve over rice with the extra sauce – SO GOOD! I’m going to try to make this in my slow cooker next time (My new favourite thing). I’ll post the results when I do!

Happy cooking!

-Monica

Tomato-chickpea feta salad

by Lazygirl Gourmet

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So this recipe I threw together when I checked out my kitchen and realized – yikes – nothing to make a side with. Shopping day is tomorrow and I wasn’t so in the mood to shlep to the grocery store in the pouring rain. What I did have was our tomatoes from the garden, a can of chickpeas, onions and feta cheese. Now I have to warn you, I didn’t pay attention to the amounts and eye-balled everything, but it’s a salad so no biggie. The result was delicious! I wouldn’t normally add chickpeas to this kind of salad, but it works!

Tomato-chickpea feta salad

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup chickpeas
One small onion, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup balsamic glaze (because, we’re lazy. But you can always reduce some balsamic yourself!)
Italian seasoning to taste
Dried Basil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together and serve. Easy Shmeasy and a nice change from the everyday.

Happy cooking!

-Monica

5-Ingredient parmesan-crusted Tilapia

by Lazygirl Gourmet

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This one is for the non-fishy fish lovers. I find Tilapia to be pretty mild and easy to prepare, and this recipe is so darn easy that you’ll make it again and again, especially because you can buy those large packs of frozen tilapia. This recipe comes from Rachael Ray, the queen of easy recipes. And it’s another 5-ingredient one, so that’s all good by me!

When I use frozen Tilapia, I place it in a bowl of cold water and it defrosts in about half an hour. It’s delicious and so so easy. Here’s the recipe:

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (I use dried and it works just as well)
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound total)
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees . In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the paprika and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with the lemon wedges.

Good luck and happy cooking!

-Monica

5-ingredient flour-less chocolate chip peanut butter cookies

by Lazygirl Gourmet

Hey lazy girls!

This recipe is the ultimate lazy girl recipe. Only 5 ingredients? YES PLEASE! Funny thing is, I never made these when I owned my bakery except for special requests. Why? I have no idea. I mean, in the last year we went nut-free so obviously no PB cookies during that time…but for the 9 years before that, we never put these on the menu. Maybe because they are so incredibly easy I’d feel weird charging money for them. Anyways, they are absolutely incredible. In fact, I made them one week when I hosted my mommy group, and all 11 ladies asked me for the recipe and all made them that same week. The best part? They are FLOURLESS! So they kinda sorta make me feel like I’m not totally pigging out when I finish the entire batch by myself. I use crunchy PB because I love the extra crunch, but you can use smooth. I also add some salt because I add salt to everything, but I didn’t add it to the recipe because it’s optional and I didn’t want to increase the ingredient count to 6 🙂

Flour-less chocolate chip peanut butter cookies
Makes about 24 cookies

2 Cups crunchy peanut butter
2 Cups brown sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tsp baking soda
1 Cup milk choc chips

Mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. I like to drop them from a tablespoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and not flatten them or roll them in a ball or anything. This way, they bake up nice and organic looking, as opposed to flat and boring. Just make sure to leave about 2 inches in between each because they will spread a lot. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes depending on your oven. They may still look a bit raw when you take them out, but remember that they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet after you take them out. Get ready to eat the whole batch if you have no self-control like me.

Enjoy!

Monica