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Meat Dishes

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

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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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

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

Budget Friendly Beef Bourguignon (Burgundy Beef)

By Denise Pare-Watson

Beef Bourguignon is a classic French dish and is essentially a beef and mushroom stew served on noodles. It is typically made with a tender cut of beef like beef tenderloin.   I have utilized more economical cuts of beef – such as stewing beef or chuck roast which I cut into strips for a more elegant appearance. The deliciously rich sauce with tender braised meat is served on top of tagliatelle or thick egg noodles. Beef Bourguignon is a very versatile dish that can be presented family style on a platter or plated individually with any number of garnishes.  I usually save some of each of the pearl onions, caramelized mushrooms and crispy bacon lardons to garnish the finished dish – add a sprinkle of parsley and you are ready to feast on a delicious meal.  Enjoy with a glass of Burgundy wine or any full-bodied red wine.

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Beef Bourguignon | urbnspice.com

Beef Bourguignon is presented family style

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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes Tagged With: Beef Dishes, Budget Friendly, Family Favourites, Slow Cooking

Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Blenditarian Challenge Series

I have taken the Blenditarian pledge and for some time now have been experimenting in the Urb’n’Spice kitchen on how to develop a money-saving recipe that incorporates a Blenditarian approach to everyday cooking. As a bonus, the blended base that I have developed is gluten free, preservative free, and dairy free. Just 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 with finely chopped mushrooms to create a flavourful and more nutritious dish. I have taken this meat blend process one step further by adding aromatic vegetables to the mushrooms and ground meat to create a nutrient dense Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend.  Blenditarian Logo | urbnspice.com

This blend (or base) can be used in a number of different recipes. In this post, you will learn how to prepare this base and how to utilize it. This Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable base can be used to make dishes such as: Spaghetti Sauce; Sloppy Joes; Chili; Taco Salad; Hamburger Soup; Beef, Cheese and Macaroni Casserole; or Australian Meat Pies, and much more. (Refer to “What Can I Do With This Recipe?” section below to learn more). I will be constantly adding to this Blenditarian Challenge Series. Blenditarian.Com has initiated a monthly challenge for anyone to incorporate their Blenditarian approach into interesting and fun themed dishes.  The theme in January was “Healthy Classics”.  This month’s Blenditarian Challenge is “Date Night Done Right!” For this post, I have chosen to make a Date Night Spaghetti Sauce using Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend. Look for more Urb’n’Spice recipes in this Blenditarian Challenge Series.

Skip to Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend

Skip to Date Night Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Date Night Spaghetti Sauce | urbnspice.com

Date Night Spaghetti Sauce ready to enjoy with a salad and a glass of red wine

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

How To Make a Classic Braised Beef Stew

By Denise Pare-Watson

UrbnSpice Tips and Techniques Series

I sooooo enjoy a Classic Beef Stew, and my absolute favourite recipe is adapted from the first Canadian Living Cookbook (circa 1977).  It is called Old Fashioned Beef Stew with Vegetables. I like to use root vegetables, which are a perfect accompaniment, and a number of herbs. In this post, I will discuss the braising method of cooking a more inexpensive tougher cut of meat and share a recipe for Classic Braised Beef Stew.

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Ask any chef what their favourite cooking method is and a large majority, myself included, will say braising because it produces a rich and flavourful product that is hard to beat. It is a cooking method that I use often in the Urb’n’Spice kitchen. Braising is commonly utilized in preparing meat, but there are numerous other food items that can be braised as well. You can learn all about braising in this post.

“Braising is one of the most amazingly delicious and yet simple methods of cooking
an otherwise tough cut of meat.”
The UrbnSpice Chef

What is braising?  It uses a combination of cooking techniques; for example, cubes of beef are first seared to brown and then slowly cooked in a liquid at a low temperature.  Beef stew, Osso Buco,  pot roasts, chicken thighs, pork belly, beef ribs, lamb shanks and pulled pork are a few examples of braised meats, whereas Vichy Carrots and Honey Glazed Rutabaga are some examples of braised vegetable dishes.

Try cooking a tough piece of meat (such as cubed stewing beef) using the braising method and I can guarantee that you will become a fan as well.  I will guide you through a step-by-step process on how to braise cubes of beef, how to deglaze a pan properly and then create and reduce a braising liquid to perfection.

Plated Classic Braised Beef Stew | urbnspice.com

The prepared vegetables are arranged on top of the Beef Stew for presentation

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Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Urb'n'Spice Tips and Techniques Series Tagged With: Beef Dishes, Braising, Slow Cooking, Stews

Gremolata with Roasted Leg of Lamb

By Denise Pare-Watson

Gremolata is an accompaniment served with savoury dishes. Osso Bucco (cross-cut veal shank) is a Classic Italian dish where Gremolata is used. Gremolata is made from a blend of three very distinct ingredients: fresh garlic, lemon and mint. I like to use Gremolata a bit differently.  I make it as an accompaniment in a dish called Gremolata with Roasted Leg of Lamb.  The combination of fresh spring mint with fresh garlic and lemon make a very fresh tasty addition to the roasted lamb.

Gremolata with Roasted Leg of Lamb: Plated | urbnspice.com

Plated Roasted Leg of Lamb with Gremolata

Ingredients for Gremolata are crushed in a Mortar and Pestle | urbnspice.com

Ingredients for Gremolata are crushed in a Mortar and Pestle

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Filed Under: Condiments & Accompaniments, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Savoury Garnishes Tagged With: Dry Rubs, Gremolata, Lamb, Lemon, Mint, Roasting, Roasting Vegetables

My Mom’s French Canadian Tourtière

By Denise Pare-Watson

CHC CANADA 150 FOOD BLOG CHALLENGE SERIES

Prelude:  I am a proud Canadian. When the Culinary Historians of Canada invited food bloggers to participate in the “CHC Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge”, I knew that I wanted in! What a great way to celebrate and honour Canada’s 150th birthday by featuring a different Canadian dish or discussing a topic which reflects on what it means to be Canadian.  For the month of May, in honour of Mother’s Day (May 14), CHC invited food bloggers to share recipes relating to mothers, recipes and techniques passed on by our mothers or grandmothers, or from our mother’s culture. I am honoured and proud to share a historical and famous recipe for My Mom’s French Canadian Tourtière.

Food has been such a significant part of my French Canadian heritage and some of my clearest childhood recollections are about food.   It is not only the memories of the food that are so clear but the smells, the tastes and the surroundings that are so vivid.  Holidays would not be the same without Mom’s tourtiere.  In our family, the Christmas Eve menu always included a large tourtiere to enjoy before midnight mass.

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There are a number of food traditions that are very important to my family, but my Mom’s famous tourtière is the most requested.  I have had many versions of tourtière – from chefs colleagues, relatives and friends, but none can compare to my “Little Mom’s” French Canadian Tourtière. (More on “Little Mom”).

French Canadian Tourtiere | urbnspice.com

My Mom’s version of tourtière is more savoury than traditionally prepared tourtière due to the use of sage and poultry seasoning as opposed to the warm spices typically used (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice).  Mom always insisted on a mixture of ground meat: beef, veal and pork. This combination makes a huge difference in the overall taste and texture of the tourtière filling. The aromatic fragrance of the tourtière mixture simmering is magical.  Writing about it makes me nostalgic.  Although I have adapted the process somewhat, I follow her recipe method and always make enough to share with family and friends, which was her tradition.

Baked Tourtiere | urbnspice.com

My Mom’s French Canadian Tourtiere

My Mom’s French Canadian Tourtière became quite famous in a small village in Ontario.  Everyone loved it when she made her tourtière pies for church or village social events.  As a matter of fact, the ladies of the village church approached her many years ago for her tourtière recipe to make and sell the pies for the parish fundraising efforts.  She not only generously shared her tourtière recipe – she also taught them how to make it….

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Filed Under: CHC Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge Series, Cooking Techniques, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Pies and Tarts, Traditional Foods, Vintage Recipes Tagged With: Family Favourites, Family Recipes, Family Stories, Main Meal Pies, Tourtiere, Traditional Foods

Make It Your Own Burger

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipe Series

Burgers are a very personal food and as such, it is my belief that burger recipes should provide the user with the flexibility to Make It Your Own Burger.

The following recipe will provide a number of options; as well I will also elaborate on why I have done what I have done. Enjoy!

Make It Your Own Burger | urbnspice.com

Make It Your Own Burger

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Filed Under: Casual Dining, Cooking Techniques, Meat Dishes, My Recipes, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Burgers, Casual Dining, Cooking Techniques, Hamburgers

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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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