Baby Spinach Artichoke Bread Salad

6 cups baby spinach

12 baby artichoke hearts (marinaded in olive oil and lemon)

6 slices rustic sourdough bread

1/2 red onion, sliced

4 ounces shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

Extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper

Divide salad ingredients amongst 6 salad plates. Scatter pine nuts over the top (optional). Season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve chilled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil on the side.

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Chicken

8 chicken thighs (bone and skin on) 

10 peeled garlic cloves 

1 large white onion, slice 

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and black pepper

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously over the chicken (both sides).Arrange chicken thighs skin side up on a large baking sheet. Season well with sea salt and black pepper. Scatter garlic, rosemary and onion over the top.

Preheat oven to 300 F

Bake for two hours. Use a brush to baste the chicken with the pan drippings and turn them over occasionally during cooking. The chicken should be moist and very tender.

Bison Vegetable Hash

1 lb ground Bison

4 large red potatoes, skin remove (optional), dice into bite size pieces

3 large carrots, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 large white onion, chop into bite size pieces

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

In a large deep sided skillet on medium heat, add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add onion when oil is hot and saute until soft. Add garlic, carrots, and potatoes. Continue sauteing the vegetables until crispy and brown (about 10 to 15 minutes). Add tomatoes and broccoli, saute a further 5 minutes. Season with sea salt and back pepper. Keep warm.

In a large frying pan on high heat, add three tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add bison and quick fry until brown and crispy (about 5 to 10 minutes). Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add to the vegetables. Stir to combine. Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the Hash. Enjoy hot with fresh bread.

Meatloaf with Roasted Sweet Pepper, Almonds, and Parsley Pesto

Meatloaf:

2 lbs ground beef (85/15)

1 cup roasted peppers/capsicum

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F

Tear whole wheat bread into small pieces, place in a bowl and soak with 1/2 cup milk. Squeeze excess milk out of the bread. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well to fully combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Mold the meatloaf on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/2 or until it's cooked, golden brown, and crispy on top. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm with Sweet Pepper, Almonds, and Parsley Pesto.

Sweet Pepper and Parsley Pesto:

2 cups packed roasted sweet peppers

1/4 cup  tightly packed fresh parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup whole raw almonds

Sea salt and black pepper

Coarsely chop parsley, garlic, and almonds in a food processor. Add 1/2 cup of olive oil and process until smooth. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Add the rest of the olive oil and process until smooth.  Add extra olive oil if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and either spoon on meatloaf or serve on side.

Pot Roast

2.5 lbs chuck roast

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 15 oz jar tomatoes

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 cup medium-bodied red wine

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cumin

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper (to liking)

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Add chuck roast to a large dutch oven (or similar) and rub generously with crushed garlic, cumin, and extra virgin olive oil. Add the rest of the ingredients. Season to liking with salt and black pepper. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 300 F and cook a further 3 hours. Turn off heat. Let Pot Roast sit in the oven until it's time to serve over fresh vegetables of choice.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Caramel-Lime Sauce

Rub:

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped

Juice and rind (grated) of 1 small lime

4 lbs (approx) boneless pork tenderloin

Preheat oven to 400 F

Combine all the above ingredients (except for the tenderloin) and mix well. Rub the tenderloin generously with the rub, ensuring to use it all up. Let the pork sit in room temperature for about 10 minutes. Place tenderloin on a roasting pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the juices run clear and golden brown on top. Start basting with the lime-caramel sauce, at least twice during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Lime Caramel Sauce:

2 small lime (juice)

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup of raw brown sugar

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

Salt and black pepper

Bring butter and brown sugar to melt over medium heat in a medium saucepan until it starts to bubble. Add lime juice and stir continuously a further 3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Season with salt and black pepper. Use 4 tablespoons of the sauce to glaze tenderloin.

Serve warm with the lime-caramel sauce and roasted vegetables of choice.

    

Asparagus With Hollandaise Sauce

Asparagus Spears:

24 asparagus (about 1 bunch)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, minced

Salt and black pepper

If the asparagus spears are thin, just snap the ends off. If the stalks are thicker, then peel the stalks from half way down to the end to ensure the spears are tender and not stringy. In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil all over the asparagus spears. Sprinkle garlic on top and rub well with your hands to ensure all the spears are fully coated. Season with salt and black pepper and toss over medium high heat in a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or on the grill/barbecue until it's cooked but still crispy (about 4 minutes).

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup butter, melted

In a blender, combine egg yolks, mustard, and lemon juice. Blend to fully combine (about 5 seconds). With the blender on high speed, stream the melted butter in. Sauce should be a thick, but smooth consistency. Pour over asparagus and serve immediately.

   

Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Fig Glaze

1 5-pound chicken

2 lemons, cut in half

2 tablespoons lemon thyme

2 tablespoons parsley

2 large clove garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced into large chunks

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fig-lemon preserve

salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and black pepper generously and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice making sure to coat the whole bird. Rub the chicken with minced garlic. Fill the cavity with lemon thyme, parsley, lemon and onion. Place chicken on a roasting pan. Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until the thigh juices run clear. Baste with the fig-lemon preserve twice during the last half hour. The skin should be crispy. Transfer to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.