Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.

This tantalizing and super easy recipe will have you coming back to it time and time again.

Delicious comfort food at its best. Straight from our childhood.

Zucchini Bread

Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time: 40-60 mins
Serves: 2 loaves


Ingredients:

3 cups of flour
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
3 tsps of ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 and 1/4 cup of white sugar
3 tsps of vanilla extract
2 cups of grated zucchini
* optional- 1 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and *nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Easy Fried Chicken without the need of a deep fryer

Southern Fried Chicken

Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 10-15 mins
Serves: 2


Ingredients:

2 pieces of free range chicken (preferably boneless/skinless breasts). Cut each breast into 3 pieces.*
1 free range egg, beaten in a bowl
1/2 cup of flour
1 Tbsp of all purpose seasoning salt
1 Tbsp of black pepper
1 tsp of cayenne
Canola Oil

Directions:

Place flour and all the seasoning in a bowl. Place egg in a separate bowl.
Dip Chicken into flour, then egg, then flour again. Fill large wok pan half way full with oil.
Heat oil to medium heat and fry for 10 to 15 mins (when chicken juice runs clear when cut in the middle). This can be served alone or typically is served with collared greens or waffles.

Enjoy your delicious chicken ! It is that easy.

The best Southern prawns we have ever tasted and we mean EVER!

This food is purely decadent! It is not low fat but is worth every calorie as the flavours are amazing. It truly is a food explosion in your mouth! This is also a very quick meal to make in a hurry.

Tabasco Prawns with Grits

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time : 15 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

1/2 pound of butter
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp of liquid crab boil
1 Tbsp of Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp of Red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp of Salt
1 Tbsp of Black pepper
1 Tbsp of Thyme
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 lemon
Hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot)
Tabasco sauce  (1 tsp or to taste)
1 pound of large prawns or shrimp, shell on is OK (*best to remove tails and shell)
*optional chives as garnish


Directions:

Take the  butter, cut into thirds and melt in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Next add the green onions, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, cayenne, red  pepper, salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, Tabasco and hot sauce about 5 shakes.

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice in and then drop the lemon halves into the pan. Bring to a boil, but there should be no smoke. Add the shrimp  in a flat row on top. Cook until pink about 2 minutes per side. Pour everything onto a plate and serve on top of grits (recipe below).


Grits

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Serves: 4 


Ingredients:

2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of whipping cream
1 Tbsp of butter
150 mL of corn meal


Directions:

In a large pot, bring broth, cream and butter to a boil. Stream in corn meal and cook on medium high until thick (about 5 minutes). Serve under prawns with sauce drizzled on top. *Optional addition would be to add spiced butter as a topping or chives.

The Southern way to cook Donuts!

Beignets

 

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Servings : 2 and 1/2 dozen


Ingredients:

1/2 cup of boiling water
1 Tbsps of shortening
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of evaporated milk(must be evaporated do not use regular milk)
1 package of yeast (or 10-11 mL)
1/4 cup of warm water
1 egg beaten
3 and 3/4 cups of flour
**cinnamon is optional


Directions:

Pour boiling water over shortening, sugar and salt. Add milk and let stand until warm. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to milk mixture with the beaten egg. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Beat Add enough flour to make soft dough. Place in a greased bowl, grease top of dough, cover with waxed paper and a cloth, chill until read to use. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into squares and fry (a few at a time) , in deep  hot fat (360F), brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side.
Drain on absorbent paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and cinnamon.

This recipe is so delicious! You have to make this easy, breezy cake recipe!

Greek Honey Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

1/4 cup of butter
3/8 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/8 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/8 tsp of cloves
1/4 tsp of nuts, chopped
1/4 tsp of buttermilk
*Optional whipped cream for topping


Ingredients for Honey Syrup:

1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of water
1 and 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of lemon zest


Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients and half the nuts. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternating with the buttermilk (three additions of flour, 2 additions of buttermilk). Sprinkle with the remaining nuts. Pour into a greased 8'' round pan and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes. Allow to cook in the pan.
Prepare the syrup by combining the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmering for 5 minutes. Slowly spoon the syrup over the cooled cake. Allow the cake to stand for several hours to absorb the syrup. Cut into 6 wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Greek Prawns

Prawns with Feta and Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of oil or butter
1 small onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup of canned tomatoes
2 tsps of tomato paste
1 Tbsps of dry white wine
3 Tbsps of chicken stock
1 lb of prawns , shelled and deveined and tails removed
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 large green onion chopped
1/2 tsp of grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp of lemon pepper
2 tsps of fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme) chopped
2 oz (60g) of feta cheese, crumbled


Directions:

Heat oil or butter in skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine and stock. Simmer briefly then puree until smooth.
Cook prawns in olive oil until they change colour, along with green onions, lemon zest and lemon pepper. Stir in tomato sauce and herbs and cook until heated through.
Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.



 

Quick, easy and delicious

Greek Salad

Prep Time: 15 mins
Serves:5

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, at room temperature
1/2 green pepper
1/2 medium onion
1/2 of English cucumber
2 Tbsps of olive oil
1 Tbsps of fresh lemon juice
1/ tsp of dried oregano
salt to taste
1/4 lb of feta cheese
Kalamata olives

Directions:

Wash all vegetables and wipe dry.
Cut tomatoes into wedges and then into a half. Cut green pepper into 1'' silvered pieces. Cut onion in half and then slice. Slice and quarter cucumber. Place all veggies into a bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt. Mix well.
Crumble feta cheese and add to the top of the salad along with Kalamata olives. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

Easier than it sounds...and just as tasty as you think.

 

Spanokopita with Tzatzki Sauce

Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Serves: 4

Ingredients for Spanokopita:

1 pkg of frozen chopped spinach, well drained (squeeze all the water out)
1/3 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped finely
1 and 1/2 cups of feta cheese, grated
1/4 tsp of pepper
1-2 eggs
Phyllo pastry
Olive oil or melted butter

Directions:

Combine spinach, dill, green onions, feta cheese and pepper and mix well. Mix in 1 egg, and if mixture seems dry, mix in the second egg.
Cover the phyllo pastry with a damp towel. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo together, brushing the first sheet with oil or butter. Cut the pastry in half crosswise, then each half in three to make 6 strops. Place about 2 tsps of filling on the end of each strip and roll up flag style. Brush all over with oil or butter and place each triangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. At this stage you may freeze them if you don't plan to cook them immediately.)


Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce:

1/2 of a small cucumber
1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 and 1/2 tsp of olive oil
1 and 1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp of fresh dill, finely chopped
Pepper
Salt

Directions:

Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a little salt and place in a sieve to drain away the liquid that the salt will draw from the cucumber. Combine the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and dill and mix well. Mix in the drained cucumber and chill covered until needed.

A tasty way to cook rice in the oven

Baked Greek Style Rice

We didn't even know you could cook dry rice in the oven until we were given this recipe in a cooking class. The rice really is full of flavour from soaking up the broth and onions.

Cook Time: 25 mins
Prep Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps of olive oil
1 small cup of onion, finely chopped
1 cup of white rice (dry)
1 clove of garlic pressed
1 and 3/4 cup of boiling chicken broth
1 tsp of dried leaf oregano


Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and gently saute until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes Add the rice and cook and stir to get all the rice covered by oil. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat and put the ingredients into an oven proof dish. Pour over boiling broth and oregano, quickly stir, cover with a lid and place in a 350F oven for 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. During the cooking, check the rice periodically to make sure the oven temperature is correct and the rice has sufficient liquid in it.

A tradition Cajun dessert from good ol' New Orleans

Delicious Banana Foster

Servings: 4
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

4 bananas
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 cup of whipping cream
**optional alcohol which will be flambeed such as rum or cointreau

Directions:

In a large non stick fry pan, melt butter. Add sugar, cinnamon and orange juice. Boil until reduced by half. Add whipping cream and reduce by half. Then add sliced bananas and heat until bananas are hot. Serve with ice cream or alone and if you like with french toast, crepes or waffles as we have done.

Cajun Cookin' made easy and delicious

Cajun Chicken with homemade Cajun Spice ( blackened Chicken)

**Make your own spice rub from scratch, saves you sodium and money!**

Makes: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins


Ingredients: 

2 and 1/2 Tbsps of paprika
2 Tbsps of All purpose seasoning
2 Tbsps of garlic powder
1 Tbsp of Pepper
1 Tbsp of Cayenne
1 Tbsp of Oregano
1 Tbsp of Thyme


Directions: 

Mix all spices together in a bowl and this will make 2/3 cup.

In a  frying pan, heat some oil.
Take about 1 tsp of your cajun seasoning and season chicken with it. Sautee your chicken until one side is brown and then flip and do the other side. Serve with  either creole veggies(veggies sauteed with the same spice rub and tomatoes in a fry pan) and a rice pilaf or with asparus and mashed potatoes with creole butter as we did.


Easy peasy and delicious!

How to make Creole Butter:

Ingredients:

1 lb. soft butter
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Ground black pepper-fresh
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Chili flakes
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
2 oz. beer
 

Directions:

Beat all ingredients together in a bowl,
then  serve and refrigerate the rest.