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Main Dishes or Entree Options

Unbeatable Meat Loaf – The Ultimate Comfort Food

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series

My daughters were both very involved in soccer during their childhood (continuously, for seventeen years), sometimes seven days a week during soccer season.   Needless to say, we were very busy parents, often delivering one daughter to a field before driving to the other side of the city for our other daughter’s practice or game.  As a working Mom, I needed to be extremely organized with meal prep for breakfast, snacks, lunches and dinners.  I developed strategies to make my busy week simpler with a freezer reserve of homemade meals, a repertoire of slow-cooker recipes and a selection of make-ahead meals prepared over the weekend.  One of our family favourites was this Unbeatable Meat Loaf.  

Sliced Meatloaf on a Wooden Board | urbnspice.com
Unbeatable Meatloaf – The Ultimate Comfort Food

We often had what we called ‘oven-meals’ on Sunday and meatloaf was a favourite comfort food of the kids.  The addition of scalloped or lemon potatoes, roasted butternut squash and an apple crisp made this oven meal wholesome and healthy for two very hungry, fit and growing girls.  Meatloaf is an excellent quick and easy make-ahead dish, which also keeps the budget in mind.  

Meatloaf can be popped into the oven immediately after mixing together, or prepared up until topping (see Method) and refrigerated until the next day. This recipe makes two family-sized free-form meatloaves – one to have now and one to freeze for later.  If you can resist eating it all, there should be leftovers for meatloaf sandwiches! 

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Filed Under: Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Sandwiches, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Comfort Food, Gluten Free Recipes, Ground Meat Recipes, Meat Dishes, Meatloaf, Ultimate Recipe Series

How To Make The Best Chili – A Blend and Extend Recipe

By Denise Pare-Watson

Everyones chili preferences are very personal; for example, hot and spicy, meaty, vegetarian – the sky is the limit.  Chili maestros will always tell you that they make The Best Chili.   Well, I am here to tell you that I make the ‘best chili’ and this is the recipe that will back up that claim!  If you have been following my blog, you will know that I have been experimenting with recipes that are ‘Blenditarian’, (also known as ‘Blend-and-Extend’ in Canada).  By definition, ground meat recipes are stretched with finely chopped mushrooms.   For my version, I add finely chopped vegetables with the mushrooms to create an even more aromatic flavour.  This represents a more sustainable and nutritious approach to healthy eating.  This all ties in very well with the new Canada Food Guide recommendations of eating less meat and more vegetables. I have created a base called Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend.  This blend (or base) can be used in a wide variety of easy to make recipes.

How to Make the Best Chili | urbnspice.com

In this post, you will learn how to prepare this base blend to utilize it to make a fabulous chili – “The Best Chili”.  I make the blend base ahead of time and freeze it in family size portions. Once you have the blend base made, dinner can be on the table in less than ten minutes.  Enjoy!

This Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable base can be used to make many dishes such as:  Spaghetti Sauce; Sloppy Joes; Taco Salad; Hamburger Soup; Beef, Cheese and Macaroni Casserole; and much more. (Refer to “What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?” Section below to learn more).

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Filed Under: Blenditarian Recipes, Casual Dining, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Quick and Easy Dishes Tagged With: Blenditarian Recipes, Chili, Main Dishes, Quick and Easy

How to Prepare Spatchcock Chicken

By Denise Pare-Watson

 

Urb’n’Spice Tips and Techniques Series

Chicken is one of the most versatile of all meats or poultry.  It is prepared in a variety of ways in the Urb’n’Spice kitchen, such as Herb and Butter Sunday Roast Chicken, Pan Roasted Chicken with Creamy Asiago Sauce, or Grilled Chicken Breast with Roasted Strawberry Salsa.  The opportunity to flavour chicken is limitless.  In this post, I will teach you How to Prepare a Spatchcock Chicken, and also show you how to make a Quick Poultry Rub that will give any poultry dish a delicious flavour.

A Spatchcock Chicken is essentially a chicken that has had the backbone removed.  This allows you to butterfly or flatten the chicken more easily for grilling or roasting. Removing the backbone can be done with a sharp pair of kitchen utility shears or a chef’s (French) knife – not a serrated knife.  Alternatively, your butcher can easily remove the backbone for you. Once you have mastered the spatchcock technique, you will be able to create a delicious meal in the oven or on the grill in a much shorter time than roasting a whole chicken.

Spatchcock Chicken with Quick Poultry Rub | urbnspice.com 

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Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
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Filed Under: Casual Dining, My Recipes, Poultry Dishes, Urb'n'Spice Tips and Techniques Series Tagged With: Chicken, Cooking Techniques, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes, Poultry Dishes, Roasting, Tips and Techniques

Blanquette de Veau (Veal Stew)

By Denise Pare-Watson

Blanquette de Veau is a classic French ragout.   The veal stewing meat is often first blanched and then simmered (braised) in a chicken broth. For those of you who don’t have the time or inclination to hover over a stove browning stew beef for a Classic Beef Stew (while sipping a glass of wine), this much less time consuming and simpler method is a technique that you should consider trying. In this recipe, the vegetables (turnip, carrots, leeks, mushrooms, pearl onions) are cooked separately and combined with a luscious creamy sauce made from the braising liquid. So delicious – so French!

I have simplified the recipe somewhat from the classic recipe, omitting the egg liaison.  A liaison is a way of enriching sauces with a mixture of egg yolks and heavy cream, which is added at the end of the sauce making process.  It is a wonderful method but can lead to a curdled sauce if care is not taken.  In this recipe, I have used a simple roux method to thicken the flavourful braising liquid.  The addition of heavy cream finishes the sauce.  This is a simple to make and flavourful dish that you will enjoy.

Blanquette de Veau | urbnspice.com

Blanquette de Veau (Veal Stew)

Servings: 4 – 6

CHEF TALK:  You will often see instructions in recipes to skim any foam from the surface of the broth or cooking liquid. The method of removing any foam helps to ensure a clear (not cloudy) broth in the finished dish.  Discard any accumulating foam and continue cooking (braising) the meat until tender. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lbs. (907 g) veal shoulder, cut into 1-inch cube pieces
  • 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons butter (to cook the vegetables)
  • 1 cup pearl onions (5 oz.), blanched and peeled
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced into ½ inch pieces
  • 4 medium-sized carrots, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 cup diced rutabaga, cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 8 oz. (226 g) Cremini mushrooms, sliced into 6 wedges or whole small button mushrooms
  • 1 cup sliced leeks
  • 3 tablespoons butter (for the roux)
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
  • ½ cup Sauvignon Blanc or other favourite dry white wine
  • ½ cup heavy cream (35%)
  • ½ – 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:  fresh parsley or sliced scallion (green onion)

METHOD:

  1. In a Dutch Oven or other heavy bottomed pan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. 
  2. Add the diced veal to the pot and cook for two or three minutes over medium-high heat.  Skim any accumulating foam from the surface of the chicken stock and discard.  
  3. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and then lower to a simmer, cover and cook until the veal is tender (about 1 hour).
  4. In another heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the pearl onions, garlic, celery, carrots, rutabaga, mushrooms, and leeks.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.  Since the vegetables are cut small (1/2 inch pieces), this will only take about 8 – 10 minutes.   
  5. Remove the veal from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and place on top of the cooked vegetables.  Keep warm while you make the sauce.
  6. Place the liquid from the veal into a measuring cup. You should have about 2 – 3 cups. Set aside while you make the roux.
  7. In the same Dutch oven, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.  Mix in the 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend.  Cook, stirring constantly until the butter mixture turns a golden colour (about 2 minutes).  Add the white wine and stir to combine.
  8. Whisk in the 2 – 3 cups of reserved cooking liquid from the veal.  Cook until thickened, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon.  Stir in the heavy cream.  Season the sauce with the fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Pour the creamy sauce over the cooked veal and vegetables, tossing lightly together to combine.

TO SERVE:  Garnish the Blanquette de Veau with parsley or sliced green onions.  Enjoy served hot over noodles, rice or cauliflower rice.  Serve with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.

Blanquette de Veau | urbnspice.com

You Might Also Enjoy these Dishes:

How to Make a Classic Beef Stew

Classic Cobb Salad

Budget Friendly Burgundy Beef

Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Creamy Asiago Sauce

If you try my recipe for Blanquette de Veau (Veal Stew), please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

Denise Pare-Watson - The Urb'n'Spice Chef | urbnspice.com

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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, My Recipes, Sauces, Savory Tagged With: Classic Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Courses, Meat Dishes, Veal

Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers

By Denise Pare-Watson

We all have a repertoire of appetizers that we make year after year. These recipes are family favourites that we look forward to making and sharing. Sometimes, it is nice to change things up a bit. This recipe for Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers was developed because I was looking for a way to incorporate lean ground chicken into a lighter first course or appetizer. The final result was this recipe for Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers – a delicious, attractive and lean recipe.Chicken, Millet and Spinach Appetizers | urbnspice.com

Millet was chosen as an ingredient in this recipe for several reasons – it binds well with the delicate texture of the ground chicken and it is also gluten-free and inexpensive. Millet is an ancient seed that one-third of the world uses in their diet because it is rich in iron, B vitamins and calcium.  The chlorophyll from the spinach and parsley tints the ground chicken mixture to a unique green colour. This makes the appetizers a colourful addition to the holiday season due to their garden-fresh appearance. I encourage you to try this delicious appetizer – not only for the holidays but all year around.

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Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Dietary Restrictions, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Poultry Dishes, Preservative Free Tagged With: Appetizers, Dietary Restrictions, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Holiday Appetizers, Holiday Recipes, Light Recipes, Small Plates

Herb and Butter Sunday Roast Chicken

By Denise Pare-Watson

I have some great childhood food memories of Sunday dinners with my family around a large dining room table. The conversation was always lively and animated given our French Canadian heritage. The aromas drifting from the kitchen always made my stomach rumble in anticipation of the wholesome home cooking. Some of my favourite family dinners were Mom’s pot roast, roast leg of lamb or roast chicken, surrounded by potatoes and carrots from the garden which were always cooked in the same pot. All of these meals had one thing in common – they were prepared and placed into the oven with minimal fuss and roasted slowly. Fast-forward to today; a roast dinner is still my favourite meal on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I love planning the entire meal from the main dish to the dessert using the heat of the oven to cook several items at once. Our oven meal is often accompanied by local oven-roasted butternut squash, potatoes or Brussel sprouts. If you are the same as me, the big attraction is always the main course.  There is no doubt you will enjoy this recipe for Herb and Butter Sunday Roast Chicken, which has been adapted from a popular recipe.

Plated Roasted Herb and Butter Sunday Chicken | urbnspice.com

Plated Roasted Herb and Butter Sunday Chicken

This recipe demands no attention once it is placed in the oven – it is a self-basting roasting technique. The bonus sauce from the pan juices is wonderful.  Once you try it, I can guarantee that you will add this recipe to your Sunday Roast dinner repertoire. It is that good!

Herb and Butter Sunday Roasted Chicken…

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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Poultry Dishes Tagged With: Chicken, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes, Poultry Dishes, Roasting, Tips and Techniques

Spicy Sausage and Cabbage Fry with Greek Yogurt Sauce

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urb’n’Spice Series

Sometimes inspiration can be derived from necessity. Have you ever gone to the grocery store to purchase a specific ingredient or item and it ends up to be something entirely different than what you expected? This recipe was developed due to a case of mislabelling. I actually needed to buy mild Italian sausage, however, the package was mislabelled and I bought a spicy version instead. Not wanting to waste food, my original meal plan was altered to accommodate this Spicy Sausage and I created the following Spicy Sausage and Cabbage Fry with Greek Yogurt Sauce.

The ingredients for this dish have originated from all over the world: Hot Italian sausage; Chinese Napa cabbage; Canadian mushrooms; Greek yogurt sauce and Asian inspired seasonings. It all comes together into a balanced fusion dish. I encourage you to try it as it is a delicious, quick and nutritious meal.

Spicy Sausage and Cabbage Fry | urbnspice.com

Spicy Sausage and Cabbage Fry served in a flour tortilla

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Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
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Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, Brunch Dishes, Casual Dining, Condiments & Accompaniments, Dairy Free Recipes, Egg Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, Refined Sugar Free Recipes Tagged With: Blend and Extend, Blenditarian Recipes, Mushrooms, Quick and Easy, Sausage

Blenditarian Meat Turnovers in a Shortcrust Pastry

By Denise Pare-Watson

BLENDITARIAN CHALLENGE SERIES

Meat pies and turnovers are almost a religion in some parts of the world – the Australian Meat Pie is a very delicious example. My Blenditarian Meat Turnovers in Shortcrust Pastry is a meat-filled pastry, which is similar to the Australian Meat Pies. This recipe for meat turnover has been given a Blenditarian makeover with the addition of minced mushrooms and vegetables.Blenditarian Logo | urbnspice.com

My favourite choice for the pastry is shortcrust dough because of its sturdy, crispy and buttery characteristics. When a pastry is eaten out of hand, a sturdier, lean pastry is most suitable. In this post, I will guide you through how to make a Blenditarian Meat Blend and a shortcrust pastry, which includes a gluten-free option. The tips and techniques provided will simplify the overall process to inspire the chef in you.

Jump to Meat Turnover Recipe

Jump to Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Blenditarian Turnovers | urbnspice.com…

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Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, My Recipes, Pastry Tagged With: Appetizers, Baking, Family Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Small Plates, Tips and Techniques

Turkey Mushroom Jarlsberg Burger – A Blenditarian Recipe

By Denise Pare-Watson

Burgers can be made with any ground meat and can be seasoned to provide a unique flavouring. Even though it is fun creating your own favourite burger using ground beef, it is always interesting building a burger using ground poultry, which has a lighter taste and is more easily digested than an all-beef burger. Ground turkey is a good choice as it easily absorbs additional ingredients, which in turn allow it to make a flavourful burger. With that in mind, I have developed a recipe for Turkey Mushroom Jarlsberg Burger.

Turkey Mushroom Jarlsberg Burger | urbnspice.com

Turkey Mushroom Jarlsberg Burger

Have you ever tried a cheese infused turkey burger? Cheese is an effective way to add moisture to a ground turkey meat mixture. Ground turkey can taste quite bland and actually become dry when cooked if care is not taken to enhance the flavour and texture of the turkey with ingredients such as aromatic mushrooms, onions, garlic and cheese. Jarlsberg cheese is known for its mild, nutty taste and also its excellent melting properties which compliment ground turkey extremely well. In this recipe, I use Jarlsberg cheese in the meat mixture as well as a topping for the cooked Turkey Mushroom Jarlsberg Burger. You will enjoy this delicious burger! Try it!…

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Filed Under: Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, My Recipes, Poultry Dishes Tagged With: Blenditarian Recipes, Burgers, Gluten Free, Poultry, Turkey

Egg Rolls – Exposed in a Bowl

By Denise Pare-Watson

BLENDITARIAN CHALLENGE SERIES

Prelude: Blenditarian.Com has initiated a monthly challenge that incorporates their Blenditarian approach into interesting and fun dishes.  To clarify for my readers, a Blenditarian is “one who believes the mighty, meaty mushroom makes meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable.”  This approach stretches ground meat by adding finely chopped mushrooms to create a flavourful and more nutritious dish. The theme for the month of September honours National Mushroom month is all about incorporating“The Blend”(mushrooms + meat) into dishes that can be served in a bowl. As Blenditarian.com states: Bowls are a convenient (and delicious!) way to enjoy your favourite grains, veggies and proteins in one simple dish. There are no boundaries regarding what you can add to your bowls – including The Blend. With this in mind, I developed a bowl recipe that is enhanced by using the Blend. You will enjoy trying this recipe for Egg Rolls – Exposed in a Bowl.Blenditarian Logo | urbnspice.comEgg Rolls Exposed in a Bowl | urbnspice.com

Egg rolls are an American Chinese appetizer that most everyone is acquainted with. They are typically filled with pork, cabbage and other vegetables, enclosed in a wheat wrapper and deep-fried. The filling on its own is a healthy low-carb option that is also gluten-free and dairy free. While the filling is typical of what you would find in any egg roll, mushrooms were added to the turkey meat, together with onions and garlic. The remaining vegetables (carrots and cabbage) were cooked until ‘al dente’ to add texture to the dish (See Method, step 4)….

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Filed Under: Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, Dairy Free Recipes, Egg Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Poultry Dishes, Preservative Free, Quick and Easy Dishes Tagged With: Blenditarian Recipes, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Keto, Paleo, Quick and Easy, Weight Watchers

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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