THUNDER BAY – Entertainment –Foodland Ontario always has amazing ideas to share to wow your holiday guests. With holiday season is just around the corner, Foodland Ontario has put together a selection of appetizers along with a dessert that are easy to make and delicious.
Beef and Cabbage Asian-Style Buns are a great appetizer that can be made in advance and frozen, ready to thaw and heat for guests at party time. These delicious buns start with an Ontario pot roast that is flavoured with soy, hoisin sauce, garlic and ginger. The roast is then shredded and tossed with cabbage and onions and stuffed into biscuit dough.
This is a great two in one recipe. You can eat half right away for dinner with noodles or mashed potatoes and the other half you use to make the buns.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time (for meat): about 3 hours
Baking Time (buns with filling): 12 to 17
Makes 20 buns and 1 pot roast meal
Ingredients:
- 2-1/2 to 3 lb (1.25 to 1.5 kg) Ontario Beef Pot Roast, such as Cross Rib, Blade or Brisket
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (250 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) each hoisin sauce and packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) sherry or apple juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) each minced Ontario Garlic and fresh ginger
- 2 Ontario Onions, thinly sliced
- Half head Ontario Cabbage, thinly sliced about (4 cups/1 L)
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
- 2 pkg (340 g) refrigerated country biscuit dough
- 1 Ontario Egg, lightly beaten
- Black sesame seeds
Preparation Instructions:
Pat roast dry; season with salt and pepper. In large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown well, turning to brown all over, about 15 minutes. Remove roast to platter. Discard fat. Add 1 cup (250 mL) water to pan; cook over medium-high heat to loosen any brown bits. Add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sherry, garlic and ginger; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; return roast into Dutch oven. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours.
Turn roast over. Add onions and cabbage to Dutch oven; simmer until meat is very tender, about 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, remove roast and vegetables to platter and tent with foil. Measure 2 cups (500 mL) liquid and strain into saucepan. Discard remaining liquid. Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup (50 mL) cold water; whisk into saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Using fork, shred cooled beef into fine strips. Toss with sauce, cabbage and onions. Divide mixture in half; reserve half for buns. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat dough into 4-inch (10 cm) circles. For each bun, place 1 tbsp (15 mL) of filling in dough circle. Moisten dough with water, bring dough around filling; pinch seam to seal. Arrange buns, seam side down, on 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets.
In small bowl, combine egg and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water; brush over buns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
(Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days or overwrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Increase cooking time by 5 minutes.)
Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1 bun):
- Protein: 9.0 grams
- Fat: 7.0 grams
- Carbohydrate: 20.0 grams
- Calories: 180
- Fibre: 0.5 grams
Savoury Onion, Bacon and Cheddar Bites are the perfect party food. These delicious bites get their crunch from Ontario greenhouse red peppers and sweetness from Ontario red onion. Onion, bacon and cheddar – altogether in the same bite – simply scrumptious!
These delectable bites are perfect party food.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Makes 24 pieces
Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
- 2 Ontario Eggs
- 1 cup (250 mL) whole milk
- 4 slices Ontario Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 Ontario Greenhouse Sweet Red Pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL) shredded Ontario Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) minced Ontario Red Onion
Topping:
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) sour cream
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot sauce
- Minced fresh Ontario Parsley and chopped Ontario Greenhouse Sweet Red Pepper (optional)
Preparation Instructions:
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy; whisk in milk. Fold in flour mixture, stirring gently to combine. Fold in bacon, red pepper, cheese and onion.
Spoon a heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL) into well-greased mini-muffin cups. Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until golden and puffed, about 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.
To serve, cut each in half diagonally and arrange on lettuce-lined platter. Serve with small bowl of sweet red chili sauce for dipping.
Topping: In small bowl, mix together sour cream and hot sauce. Spoon about 1/2 tsp (2 mL) topping onto each bite. Sprinkle with parsley and red pepper, if using.
Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1 bite):
- Protein: 3.0 grams
- Fat: 3.0 grams
- Carbohydrate: 9.0 grams
- Calories: 80
Wonton Tourtiere Tartlets are bite-size bundles of Canadian comfort food. All sorts of delicious ingredients – lean ground Ontario pork and veal, herbs and spices, potatoes and onion – spooned into crispy wonton wrappers.
These delectable bites are perfect party food.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Makes 24 pieces
Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper
- 2 Ontario Eggs
- 1 cup (250 mL) whole milk
- 4 slices Ontario Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 Ontario Greenhouse Sweet Red Pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL) shredded Ontario Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) minced Ontario Red Onion
Topping:
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) sour cream
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot sauce
- Minced fresh Ontario Parsley and chopped Ontario Greenhouse Sweet Red Pepper (optional)
Preparation Instructions:
In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy; whisk in milk. Fold in flour mixture, stirring gently to combine. Fold in bacon, red pepper, cheese and onion.
Spoon a heaping 1 tbsp (15 mL) into well-greased mini-muffin cups. Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven until golden and puffed, about 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.
To serve, cut each in half diagonally and arrange on lettuce-lined platter. Serve with small bowl of sweet red chili sauce for dipping.
Topping: In small bowl, mix together sour cream and hot sauce. Spoon about 1/2 tsp (2 mL) topping onto each bite. Sprinkle with parsley and red pepper, if using.
Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1 bite):
- Protein: 3.0 grams
- Fat: 3.0 grams
- Carbohydrate: 9.0 grams
- Calories: 80
Send your guests home happy with Mini Apple and Cranberry Desserts, a rich, smooth dessert anchored by mascarpone cheese, Ontario apples, cranberries, honey, cinnamon and lemon juice.
This is a refreshing and easy make-ahead dessert for a holiday brunch. Place the desserts on a silver platter for an elegant presentation. When using frozen cranberries, thaw before adding to mixture.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Makes 20 servings – 1/4 cup (50 mL) each
Ingredients:
- 4 Ontario Apples, such as Cortland, Crispin or Empire, cored and sliced, about 4 cups (1 L)
- 1/4 cup (50 mL ) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
Cream:
- 1 container (475 g) mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) Ontario Liquid Honey
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced lemon rind
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) Ontario Cranberries, rinsed
Garnish:
- Fresh mint leaves
Preparation:
In saucepan, combine apples, sugar, 1/4 cup (50 mL) water, lemon juice and cinnamon stick; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until apples are soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly.
Cream: Transfer apple mixture to food processor; pulse until smooth. Add cranberries, mascarpone cheese, honey, lemon rind, lemon juice and salt; pulse until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Spoon 1/4 cup (50 mL) each into each dish. Garnish with fresh mint leaf.
Nutritional Information:
1 Serving (1/4 cup (50 mL):
- Protein: 3.0 grams
- Fat: 9.0 grams
- Carbohydrate: 17.0 grams
- Calories: 158
- Fibre: 1.0 gram