Category Archives: Recipe

Thanksgiving Turkey with a new approach!

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This week it’s all about turkey! Roasted turkey fried turkey and smoked turkey! We are trying to go a little bit healthier in my house for the holiday feasts. Having said that why not just buy the turkey breast all white meat much leaner. So I came up with the perfect combo for a rub using our fresh local grown oranges and ancho chili for a little kick and three fresh herbs. Let me tell you it’s fantastic I gave myself a pat on the back with this one and so moist and juicy it melts in your mouth.

After turkey roasted for an 1 hour brush the rub on.
Ancho Chili Citrus Rub Turkey Breast rub

Perfectly roasted let it rest for 20 minutes.
Ancho Chili Citrus Rub Turkey Breast

Pull out the citrus wedges and add additional rosemary to the sliced turkey for a colorful presentation.
Ancho Chili Citrus Rub Turkey Breast rub plated
Ancho Chili Citrus Rub Turkey Breast
1(6 to 7 pound) Turkey breast
2 oranges quartered plus juice of 1 orange to equal 1 tablespoon
1 rosemary clipping
4 basil leaves
1 fresh oregano clipping
1 large ancho chili pod mild
½ cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Rinse turkey breast well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuffed cavity of breast with orange pieces, rosemary, basil leaves and oregano.
Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place turkey breast in a roasting pan on a rack. Put about ½ inch of water in the pan. Place in oven.
Place Ancho chili pod in a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes to softened the chili. Remove seeds and roughly chopped the chili.
Add to a food processor the chili, remaining olive oil, garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, and juice of 1 orange, seas salt, paprika and pepper. Pulse until forms a thick sauce.
After turkey has cooked for 1 hour remove from oven and cover with chili sauce using a brush. Return to turkey breast to oven and bake an additional 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours or according to package instructions.
Remove from oven place a loose piece of aluminum foil on top of turkey breast let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Macy’s Great American Grilling Guru competition

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As you know I enter a lot of recipe contests and some are cook-offs. I was super excited to make the semi-finals for this cooking competition where we competed in Charlotte,NC this time and our judge was celebrity Iron Chef Cat Cora and what a treat to grill my Shrimp & Apricot Pork Tenderloin with a jalapeno apricot creamy sauce and have Cat judge it and she loved it but all three dishes were fantastic it was a hard decision for her. Although I didn’t win to go on to the finals I had a great experience and tons of fun! On to the next one…
ME BEFORE SHOWDOWN WITH BIG KNIFE_CROP

Me before the showdown with the other two

Me at the cook off in action

Me at the cook off rolling my pork tenderloin

Me at the cook off with host while prepping explaining my ingredients

Me at the cook off plating my dish

Me presenting my dish to Cat Cora at the showdown

Shrimp & Apricot Stuffed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a Jalapeño Apricot Cream Sauce

Shrimp & Apricot Stuffed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a Jalapeno Apricot Cream Sauce

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Shrimp & Apricot Stuffed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a Jalapeño Apricot Cream Sauce

1 ½ pound extra lean pork center cut filet butterflied (pork tenderloin)
1 cup Garlic & Cheese Croutons finely crushed
6 dried apricots finely chopped
4 oz. cooked salad shrimp thawed and finely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter melted
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
Sauce-
1 small jalapeno deseeded and chopped fine
½ cup apricot spreadable fruit
½ cup regular cream
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Extras –
4(10 inches) long pieces cooking twine

Preheat grill on medium high heat.
Open up the butterflied pork tenderloin and lay flat on a clean cutting board.
In a medium bowl add the next 8 ingredients mix until well incorporated. Take the shrimp & apricot mixture and spread evenly in the middle of pork tenderloin leaving a 2 inch border on the long side of tenderloin and a 3 inch border on the short side of the tenderloin. Starting with the short end of the tenderloin roll tenderloin over stuffing. Wrap and tie the pork tenderloin with the cooking twine to keep tenderloin together.
In a small mixing bowl mix together the thyme and rosemary. Brush the pork tenderloin with olive oil to coat tenderloin well to prevent sticking sprinkle thyme and rosemary all over the tenderloin. Place tenderloin seemed side down first on hot grill close the lid and cook 40 minutes turning it every 10 minutes to cook tenderloin evenly on all sides. Remove from grill let rest 10 minutes.
In a small sauce pan add jalapeno, spreadable fruit, cream, salt & Pepper. Cook on medium heat on the side burner of the grill. Whisk until sauce comes to a light boil and cook a 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes a smooth sauce.
Cut twine off the pork tenderloin and slice into 10 pieces. Drizzle sauce over pork. Serve immediately.

My $5,000.00 winning recipe for Country Crock this win has qualified me to compete at The World Food Championships in the seafood category!

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Shuuuuuuuuuuuuu that is not what I will be entering when competing at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas, NV in November 2014 but give this one a try even the picky kids will love this one!!

Josee's country crock star

Tropical Lentil Salad with Shrimp and Mango

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This is a perfect side salad to accompany any Fish and Seafood or just as it is for lunch! Lentils are very versatile you can mix them with any veggies, fruits or in soups they are delicious and healthy for us. Try out my Tropical Lentils Salad with Shrimp and Mango you are going to love it and its super easy to make.
Tropical Lentils Salad with Shrimp and Mango
See the link below is Canadian Lentils facebook page where you can like my recipe! You all know I’m Canadian right guys!
ttps://www.facebook.com/CdnLentils?ref=br_tf
15.5 oz. dried whole green lentils
1 pound cooked salad shrimp
1 mango cubed
1 red pepper chopped fine
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley chopped fine
2 lemons zest and juiced
3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Cooked lentils according to package instructions drained and let cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl add the first 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl add lemon zest, juice, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper whisk dressing until well incorporated. Add dressing to lentil salad and mix well.

1-2-3 Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Happy St-Patrick’s day everyone!
Cornbeef prep

Cornbeef prep 1

Cornbeef cooking

Cornbeef plate
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Serving: 4 to 6
2 pounds corned beef
1 tablespoon pickling spices
3 bay leaves
8 small red potatoes
3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 small cabbage cut in 8 pieces
On stove top in a Dutch oven are large pot add corned beef pickling spices and bay leaves cover with water bring to a slow bowl and reduced to simmer and cook 2 hours. Add potatoes and carrots bring back to a slow boil and cook 10 minutes add cabbage and cook until vegetables are tender when inserted with a sharp knife. Drain let rest covered 10 minutes.

Three Bean Baked Beans

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Spring will be here in just a few weeks and we start grilling and having outdoor cookouts and fish fry where we need tons of side dishes to go with our feast! I looked in my pantry and notice I had all kinds of beans so I decided to play around with them and came up with not only a super easy combo but super delicious baked beans. I had mine as a side with my fried fish it was superb! Try this recipe out for your next cookout you are going to love them!!
Three Beans Baked Beans
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup Spanish onion diced small
1 green bell pepper diced small
15 oz. can Goya Pinto beans in sauce prepared
With olive oil, cilantro and tomato
15 .5 oz can black beans drained
15.5 oz can navy beans drained
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
In a non-stick frying pan add olive oil, onions and green pepper sauté on medium heat just until the vegetables are tender do no brown them.
In a 3 qt. slow cooker add all ingredients mix well and cook on low 5 hours.

Lighter Fish Cakes

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Well my friends I’m starting the New Year with a lighter version of my original fish cakes you will love these! I’m wishing you all a Happy New Year and good health and happiness in 2014!


1 pound cooked white fish shredded any will do (I used grouper)
¾ cup panko style bread crumbs
¼ yellow onions finely chopped
¼ cup yellow bell pepper finely chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
¼ teaspoon crack black pepper
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons light virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
In a large bowl, combine the cooked fish, bread crumbs, onions, bell pepper, cilantro old bay seasoning, crack black pepper and mayonnaise. Mix until will incorporated. Form into 8 small cakes. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Place the flour on a sheet of wax paper and lightly coat the cakes with flour.
In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Cook fish cakes until golden brown and crispy 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

New Spinach Quiche! Perfect for your holiday breakfast feast…

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1 prepared pie crust
1 small yellow bell pepper chopped small
3 green onions chopped small
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 large eggs
½ cup cream
1 (10oz.) pack frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or (your favorite)
Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Place pie crust in oven proof pie plate and set aside.
On medium high heat in a frying pan add first three ingredients and cook until vegetable are soft.
In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients and whisk all together well. Pour in pie plate and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife is inserted in center of quiche and comes out clean. Bon Appétit!