Sirloin Tip Roast

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2.5 lb boneless eye-round roast, tied
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon plus one tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped to a paste

METHOD

1. The day before you plan to cook the roast, sprinkle the salt evenly over the meat, rolling it on your board to pick up excess salt that has failed to stick.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refridgerate overnight.
2. Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 250°.  Remove the roast from the refrigerator and use paper towels to dry excess moisture from the meat.  Rub all over with the teaspoon of oil before evenly sprinkling on the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, pepper and garlic.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to simmer and slightly smoke.  Add the roast and sear until richly browned on all sides (including ends), 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Transfer the roast to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast the meat for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the meat reaches 115° on a meat thermometer.
5. Turn the oven off, leaving the roast in the oven for another 30-40 minutes, or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 130° for medium-rare or 140° for medium. Do not cook the roast past medium or the meat will be too dry.
6. Remove the roast from the oven to a carving board and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.  Slice the meat as thinly as possible and serve.

Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Brie Grilled Cheese

Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Brie Grilled Cheese

• 2 Slices French Bread
• Brie Cheese
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 5 Mushrooms
• 50-100ml Concentrated Beef Broth
• Thyme
• Flour
• Butter
• Salt & Pepper

BEWARE!  The following grilled cheese takes time and patience, so grab a book, your tablet or a computer, sit back and relax while you watch your onions turn into caramelized gold!

First things first, get a pan going on medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons of butter. While your pan is heating, evenly slice your onion (if you are impatient, thinner slices will cook faster), then place them in the pan once the butter is bubbling. Stir the onions, coating them with the butter and only stirring periodically after that, allowing them to brown, but not burn. After a few minutes, turn the heat to  medium-low and start slicing up your mushrooms and garlic.

After about twenty minutes, add in your mushrooms, garlic and more butter. Stir everything around and add a few pinches of thyme (not necessary if you don’t have any on hand) and a generous amount of salt and pepper (the brie will tone down the salt and pepper once everything is combined). Let everything cook for about five more minutes, then sprinkle a pinch or two of flour over everything and begin adding in the beef broth. I poked a hole in the can and slowly added the broth a little at a time, letting it reduce and then adding more. This allows the onions to continue caramelizing instead of steaming from too much liquid. As you pour in the broth, you will get a nice gravy forming around the onions; taste it as you’re going, and stop once you’re satisfied with the “beefiness” of your onions and mushrooms!

Cut two slices of bread and spread butter on both sides of each slice. Place brie cheese on one slice, then top with your onions, mushrooms and more brie! Put the sandwich together, and grill it in the same pan you used for the onions and mushrooms (you’ll get some nice flavour on your bread this way!). Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned, then slice in half and enjoy this gloriously gooey mess!

The time spent caramelizing the onions is definitely worth it, and adding the beef stock gives this sandwich a flavour similar to a roast beef dip almost tricking you into thinking there actually is meat in it! Overall, you can’t really go wrong with a sandwich loaded with caramelized onions and mushrooms, and tons of creamy brie. Just thinking about it makes me want another!!

Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookies

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chocolate cookies with chocolate chips, mint green chips, and chopped up Cool Mint Oreos. These cookies are rich and decadent with a refreshing mint twist.

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mint green chips (I used Guitard)
1 cup chopped Cool Mint Oreo cookies

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

3. With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract. Mix until blended.

4. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until flour disappears. Stir in chocolate chips, mint green chips, and chopped Cool Mint Oreos. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don't over bake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Taco Roll-Ups

These flavorful roll-ups will become a family favorite that grows with your kids' tastes -- teenagers might choose to spice theirs with jalapenos.

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 to 1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans

• 6 (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

1. Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet and brown over medium-high heat. When the meat is cooked (about 10 minutes), drain the fat. Add the taco seasoning and water, then stir and simmer the mixture for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the refried beans.
2. To give the filling a smooth consistency, pour the beef mixture into a blender. With 4 or 5 short pulses, eliminate any large chunks from the mix.
3. For each wrap, heat a tortilla in the microwave for 10 seconds. Spread about 1/2 cup of the beef mixture evenly over it, then top with a layer of salsa and cheese. Roll it up and tuck in the ends.
4. Tightly cover each sandwich in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cut in half at serving time. Makes 6 roll-ups.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Makes 40 brownies as adapted

1 box of your favorite brownie mix
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups.

Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 1 heaping teaspoon). Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not then tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.

Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir. While brownies are still warm spoon about half a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan.

Roast pork loin with bacon and brown sugar glaze

Roast Pork Loin with Bacon and Brown Sugar Glaze

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 boneless pork loin, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds 

2 slices bacon 

1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

1/4 teaspoon paprika 

1 teaspoons salt 

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 

1 tablespoons flour 

1 tablespoons cider vinegar 

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F. Place pork loin in a roasting pan or deep casserole dish lined with aluminum foil. Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub over the pork. Cut each strip of bacon in half and lay strips over the pork loin. Roast for about 40 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, cider vinegar, and dry mustard in a saucepan. Simmer for 1 minute. Spoon over the pork and return to the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes longer, or until pork registers 160°. Let sit for 2 minutes after removing from oven. Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Salted Caramel & Vanilla Cheesecake

It was 'drool' at first sight for me and this recipe. As soon as I spied its glorious butterscotch-coloured center with its cloudlike topping and ooozy caramel dripping on the cover of the latest Donna Hay magazine I knew I had to make it. In fact I ended up making this a day early as I just couldn't wait another moment to dive into it with a side -turned spoon. A gigantic dessert side-turned spoon. 

I had two slices (well, slice is putting it lightly, more like slabs) straight after each other and had to practically bind my wrists not to have a third before dinner. After hearing my moans of gastronomic pleasure, my husband, who has never liked cheesecake, was so curious as to what could elicit such happiness from me asked to have a try. Alas, he still doesn't like cheesecake, although he did say it was the nicest cheesecake he didn't like...

If you like cheesecake then I have three words for you; GET. ON. IT.

Salted caramel and vanilla baked cheesecake 

 500g plain sweet shortbread biscuits
 ½ cup (60g) almond meal (ground almonds)
 150g butter, melted
 350g ricotta
 500g cream cheese
 1 cup (175g) brown sugar
 4 eggs
 2 tablespoons golden syrup
 ¼ teaspoon table salt
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
 1 cup (240g) sour cream
 1 tablespoon icing (confectioner’s) sugar, sifted
 sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
caramel sauce
 1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
 60g butter, chopped
 1 cup (175g) brown sugar

To make the caramel sauce, place the cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, bring to the boil and cook for 5–7 minutes or until thickened. Set aside and allow to cool. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Place the biscuits and almond meal in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the butter and process to combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base and sides of a lightly greased 22cm springform cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place the ricotta and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5–6 minutes or until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for 3–4 minutes or until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the golden syrup, table salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the biscuit shell. Place the tin in a baking dish and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove cheesecake from the baking dish and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Place the cream, sour cream, icing sugar and remaining vanilla in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Top the cheesecake with the cream, drizzle with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with sea salt flakes to serve. Serves 8–10.