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Weekday Wrap Up 3

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Here are the latest pictures from the 5 o’clock rush kitchen for this week’s Weekday Wrap Up.

For more pictures follow the5oclockrush on Instagram

This week’s latest recipe was Pesto 101 | the 5 o’clock rush so sign up to the 5 o’clock rush blog to receive the most recent posts and recipes via email. Or the 5 o’clock rush on Bloglovin

Have a great weekend and bring an umbrella for your outings to the local markets.

Chef Kim

Weekday Wrap Up 3

iPhoto Pan-fried Pesto Chicken Breast with Zucchini Pasta and Roasted Cauliflower
DSLR BBQ Salmon with Zucchini and Kent County Corn
DSLR Patio Herbs
iPhoto Cast Iron Pan Fried Chicken Breast
Saute Yellow Zucchini with basil chiffonade In the background pan juices with Homemade Pesto
Red Leaf lettuce with Blue Cheese
Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette
iPhoto Pan-fried Pesto Chicken Breast with Zucchini Pasta and Roasted Cauliflower
iPhoto BBQ Salmon with Zucchini and Kent County Corn
DSLR Patio Herbs
DSLR Grilling Zucchini
DSLR BBQ Salmon
iPhoto Whole Wheat Flatbread Pizza with BBQ Chicken, Brie and Pesto Sauce

I’m still struggling and eating my cold dinners as I try to get decent pictures using my DSLR. Any tips or pointers on getting better food pictures would be greatly appreciated.

Weekday Wrap Up 2

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Summer is officially in full swing.

This Weekday Wrap Up pictures are from lunches, snacks and dinners that happen at the 5 o’clock rush 

For more pics follow the5oclockrush on Instagram

Have a great weekend and enjoy the heat wave in Ontario.

Chef Kim

chefkim1968@gmail.com

Another Weekday Wrap Up

DSLR Fried Egg with Avocadoes and Mini Bagel
DSLR Skirt Steak Wrap
DSLR Brewing Chocolate Chai Tea
DSLR Sleepover Cinnamon Rolls
DSLR Lunch of Poached Egg with Brie and Leftover Veggies
DSLR Trailer Dinner First Kent County Corn of the Season
DSLR Sticky Honey Garlic Wings
DSLR Pan Fried Chicken Breast with Two Potato Scallop Potatoes
DSLR Watermelon, Cucumber, Feta and Mint Salad
DSLR BBQed Bacon Rounds
DSLR Trailer Dinner Steak with Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Baked Beans

Weekday Wrap Up Premiere

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It is Friday and the Premiere of

Weekday Wrap Up

This is a new feature on the 5 o’clock rush that showcases the pictures of Weekday dinners that I have prepared for my family. These are simple dinners from what could be in my fridge, freezer, and/or pantry and even a trip to the supermarket.

In our weeknight dinners, I usually try to incorporate a starch, vegetables and protein. Sometimes the vegetables are only a green salad or avocado and cucumber slices. Vegetarian meals or ‘Meatless Mondays’ happen occasionally, but I’m striving for every Monday.

Like any busy on-the-go Mom out there, I do use pre-made foods from the supermarket, especially when our evenings are packed with activities. And yes, grilled cheese sandwiches do make it into circulation but with real cheese, not cheese slices.

Can’t be 5 Michelin Star dinners every night 😉

I’m also attempting improve my pictures by using my DSLR camera more often over my iPhone. Only problem is I eating my dinner plate a little colder now. 😦

I hope that you enjoy this new feature.

Chef Kim

chefkim1968@gmail.com

For more pics, follow my Instagram feed:

the5oclockrush on Instagram

 

DSLR of Dinner
Cast Iron Pan-Fried Chicken with yellow beans and glazed carrots
Cast Iron Pan-Fried Chicken with yellow and glazed carrots
Roasted Tri Colour Cauliflower
BBQ Sliders with Roasted Tri Colour Cauliflower
BBQ Sliders with Roasted Tri Colour Cauliflower
DSLR Rib Eye Steak ready for the grill
Seasoned Zucchini
Rosemary and Seasoned Scallops ready to be bacon wrapped for grill
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
BBQing Scallops
Charcoal BBQ Steak with Bacon Wrapped Scallops and grilled Zucchini
Baked Eggs with veggies
Baked Eggs
Oven Roasted Rainbow Trout
Zucchini Spaghetti
Sauteed Zucchini Spaghetti
Oven Roasted Rainbow Trout with Zucchini Spaghetti with Sticky Rice

Smoker Pork with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

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Over any given weekend during the summer when the weather is beautiful, we will be BBQing or in this case smoking a variety of meats.

My DH has been experimenting with smoking meats since we began our early camping adventures. He started with a Cabela’s Premium Stainless Steel 7-in-1 Cooker/Smoker : Cabela’s. which worked well but the constant ‘feeding’ the coals and controlling the temperature can be tedious. And when you enjoying the day with a few cocktails, who wants soooo much work.

This Christmas, I gave my DH Bradley Digital 4-Rack Electric Smoker | Canadian Tire. It is such a step up and far more predictable and easier to control your ingredients. The machine feeds the ‘wood pucks’ and digitally controls the temperature.

He smoked a pork butt (shoulder), a spatchcock chicken* and I threw in the cob of corn and baking potatoes in the smoker as an experiment.

Smoker Pork with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

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Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce

Mise En Place

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • Canola oil
  • 1-540 ml can of pineapple chunks
  • 1 red pepper, seeded, roasted and peeled
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
  • zest of lime or lime
  • ¼ cup of ketchup
  • ½ cup chunky chili sauce
  • ½ cup Garden Fresh medium salsa**
  • ½ tsp. sriracha
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ cup of brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp. of cornstarch
  • 1-2 tbsp. of water
  • 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Place enough canola oil to coat the bottom of a sauce pan. Saute chopped onions until it becomes fragrant, then add the finely grated garlic. Saute for 1-2 min. do not burn the garlic. Strain the juice from the canned pineapple chunks and reduce.

Add remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch, water and fresh rosemary. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low, simmering for 10-15 minutes until the apples are softened and flavours come together.

Using a potato masher, mash the chunks from the pineapple/apples in the bbq sauce until it is desired consistency. If you like a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender. 

To thicken the sauce, mix equal parts cornstarch and water. Slowly add to the sauce and stir.

Serve with pulled pork, chicken or fish.

Caesars!
Pulled Pork on Kaiser with Homemade Pineapple, Apple BBQ Sauce
Boston lettuce with strawberries and blue cheese
Smoker items
Finished Pulled Pork on a bun

*Spatchcock is when poultry that has been prepared for roasting or grilling by removing the backbone, and sometimes includes removing the sternum of the bird and flattening it out more fully before cooking. This preparation may also be known as butterflying the bird. 

**Using ingredients from my fridge or ‘bottom of the jar’ is something I tend to add to my recipes. This Garden Fresh Medium Salsa was something that I purchased at a discount for a previous dinner and didn’t want to go to waste.

FYI Although there was all this meat being smoked, we didn’t eat this in one sitting. 😉 The chicken leftovers were removed from the bone, chopped and froze and came in really handy for lunch wraps at the trailer.

The Pulled Pork sandwiches were consumed the following day and the BBQ sauce came together very quickly for dinner that night.

The ‘smoked’ corn was……SMOKY, an interesting colour and really well different. I removed the kernels from the cob and froze to be used in a future dish or maybe even a recipe.

Always check out my Instagram @the5oclockrush  to see my daily dinners photos.

Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

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This pasta dish was a go to from my childhood. I remember my Mom and my Nanie making this for dinner or snack in a pinch.

I like it because it can be adapted for what you have in your pantry and/or fridge.

Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

Serves 4-6  approx. 15-20 min.
Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

Mise En Place

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • 1/2 cup of white wine, I used the Riesling that was left on my counter 😉 *
  • 540 ml can of lentils, drained and rinsed
  • 1-450 g bag of elbow(no.26) pasta, cooked

    Mise En Place for Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

    Mise En Place for Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

  • 2 cups of reserved pasta water
  • 4 tbsp fresh salsa, used Garden Fresh
  • 2 cups of our favourite jar of sauce, PC Marinara is mine **
  • fresh basil, chopped
  • fresh dill, chopped
  • parmesan or romano cheese, grated for garnish
  • salt, pepper,and red pepper flakes to taste

Cook elbow pasta in heavily salted water according to package directions. Before straining pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid.***

Using a low to medium heat olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add the finely grated garlic until it becomes fragrant. Don’t overcook or burn the garlic will become bitter. Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated approx. 1-2 minutes.

Add the can of lentils, salsa and marinara sauce. Simmer until heated through. Add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.

Add the fresh chopped basil and fresh chopped dill. Check the flavour and season appropriately with salt and pepper.

Add the cook pasta to the finished lentil and marinara sauce and tossed.

Garnish with grated parmesan or romano cheese and red pepper flakes, if for some added kick.

Serve with a fresh side salad.

Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

Quick and Easy Elbow Pasta with Lentils

** A homemade pasta sauce is always a better option but in a pinch find a sauce at the supermarket that has only real ingredients. My go to sauce is PC Marinara.

*** Tip: Sometimes is your final sauce for pasta not up to par?  Why add plain old tap water too thin or adjust your sauce when you are going to dump this goodness down the drain?  I always reserve at least 1 cup of the starchy, salty flavourful cooking liquid before straining the pasta.