Simple Baked Apples

Classic Baked Apples

One of my favourite speedy apple desserts, these little babies also regularly make an appearance on my breakfast table topped with a few spoonfuls of yogurt.

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Classic Baked Apple

Serves 4

 4 Red Prince or firm McIntosh apples
1 cup rolled oats
3–4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3–4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350ºF, line a square baking dish with aluminum foil, and give it a spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

Using a melon baller or a small spoon, remove the cores of the apples. Set aside.

In to bowl of a food processor, combine half of the oats with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and blitz until well combined and the oats are a floury consistency. Add in the remaining oats and melted butter and pulse once or twice to combine. Nestle the apples into the prepared baking pan and stuff the apples with the oat mixture. Sprinkle any remaining oat mixture on top of and around the apples and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crumble mixture is browned and the apples have softened.

Apple Dijon Pork Tenderloin: My new "holy smokes, company is coming over and I have NO TIME" go-to

Apple Dijon Pork Tenderloin

Want to look fancy in a flash?

Well, look no further! This right here is your new secret weapon.

Just a couple of days ago, I busted this little baby out when unexpected but oh-so-welcome guests popped by for a late lunch and it was a hit! I just threw together a big kale salad to serve on the side and, voila! A culinary masterpiece in no time!

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Apple Dijon Pork Tenderloin

 Serves 4 to 6

2 pork tenderloins
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 small onions, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into 12 wedges
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Gala apples*, cored and sliced into 10 to 12 wedges
½ cup dry hard cider, dry white wine, or just regular apple cider
½ cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 425ºF and set a large cast iron skillet over medium/medium-high heat.

Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towel and coat each with vegetable oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper and sear the pork tenderloins until evenly browned all over. Transfer the pork to a plate and add the butter to the pan. Add in the onions, season with a pinch of salt, and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the Dijon, grainy Dijon, thyme, sage, and cinnamon and brush this mixture all over the pork tenderloins.

Add the apples to the onions and continue to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes just to give them a little colour. Carefully deglaze the pan with the cider or white wine and nestle in the pork.

Roast the pork for 15 to 17 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145ºF.

When cooked, transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it with foil, and allow it to rest for 5 to 8 minutes. Place the onions and apples back onto medium heat and add in the chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and allow it to bubble away until the pork has rested.

Slice the pork and serve it alongside those lovely golden brown onions and apples.

*Any other firm, crisp, and sweet apple will work well here. Gala’s are my go-to but Red Princes are also scrumptious in this recipe!

Roasted Tomato Soup: Almost as easy as opening a can!

Roasted Tomato Soup (with the crispiest grilled cheese on the side)

This is, by far, my favourite simple soup and is a staple in my house all year long.

It’s perfect served warm on a cold winter’s day or chilled, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a few fresh chives, in the sweltering heat of the summer.

All it takes is a bit of rough chopping, some roasting, and a quick trip into the blender and you’ve got the best darn tomato soup ever!

*Note: the only way to make this better is to serve it with a crispy, crunchy, cheesy grilled cheese

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Roasted Tomato Soup

Serves 4 

15 plum tomatoes, halved, cored, and pulp removed
4–6 cloves garlic, unpeeled and whole
½ red onion, peeled and thickly sliced
5–7 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2–3 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon or a bit more balsamic, if needed 

Preheat your oven to 375F and toss the tomatoes, garlic, onion, and thyme on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Scatter the top with sugar and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle the top of the vegetables with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. 

Pop the pan in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring about halfway through. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 cups of the stock in a large pot over medium-low heat.  When the vegetables are done, pick out the sprigs of thyme, carefully squash the roasted garlic out of its skin, discard the skin, and transfer all of those lovely veggies to the pot of stock.  Using an emersion or regular blender, blend the soup until it is smooth, adding more stock if needed.  Give the soup a taste and season with salt, pepper, and a little lemon or balsamic if needed.

Serve hot or chill for a lovely summery soup!

The World's Easiest Crispy, Super Cheesy Grilled Cheese

The cheesiest, crispiest grilled cheese ever

If you’re like me, a sandwich can never be too cheesy.

This one is delish dunked in ketchup, sriracha, sriracha-infused ketchup, or, better yet, Roasted Tomato Soup.

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Super Crispy and Cheesy Grilled Cheese

 Makes 2 sandwiches

 4 slices good quality sandwich bread, thickly sliced
3–4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature*
50­–60g old cheddar cheese (preferably orange) or mozzarella cheese, grated
50–60g Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

 Set out the four slices of bread and butter one side of each.  Place two slices of bread butter side down onto your preheated grill or pan and top with cheese the cheeses, reserving about ¼ cup of the grated cheese for later.  Top each with a second slice of bread, butter side up, and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is starting to melt, about 4 minutes.  Flip and cook the other side until golden and the cheese is fully melted. 

Remove the sandwiches and scatter the remaining cheese over the bottom of the pan.  Allow the cheese to melt and start to get nice and bubbly.  Pop the sandwiches on top of the melting cheese and allow it to cook for another minute or so or until the cheese is crispy and lovely.  Remove the sandwiches to a cutting board, crispy cheese side up and allow them to cool slightly.

Cut each sandwich in half and serve straight away for optimal gooeyness and crispiness!

*If you don’t have butter at room temp, try using mayonnaise for your grilled cheese. It’s kind of my new favourite thing - it’s so easy to spread and browns up so beautifully!