Mexican Rice

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

Posted by in Home, Side Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 14 ounces (1 3/4 cups) chicken broth (see notes)
  • 1 Jalapeno (optional)

Directions

  1. Wash rice and drain. Repeat until rice water is clear (about 3-5 times)
  2. Put oil into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat.
  3. Put washed rice into pan and stir constantly for 5-7 minutes until it turns a light gold in colour.
  4. Add the salt, garlic and cumin and continue to stir until fragrant (acout 30 seconds)
  5. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth and heat to a full boil.
  6. Add the optional jalapeno at this point (whole not cut)
  7. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low for 20-25 minutes (Do not life the cover while rice is cooking
  8. Remove from heat and let rice rest for about 5 minutes still covered.
  9. Remove lid and jalapeno and fluff the rice with a fork

Notes:
You can use just water instead of chicken broth or water plus 1 teaspoon chicken boullion.
If rice is still crunchy, add 2-3 tablespoons of hot broth over the rice, cover, and steam for 5 more minutes.
If rice is wet or clumpy, uncover and let it rest a few extra minutes before fluffing.

Enjoy

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Farm House Pancakes

28 Saturday Mar 2026

Posted by in Breakfast, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups (300 ml) all purpose flour
  • 2 TBSP (25 ml) sugar
  • 1 TBSP (15 ml) baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp (3 ml) salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 1/4 cups (275 ml) milk
  • 2 TBSP (25 ml) melted butter or vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp (3 ml) vanilla

Cinnamon Pancakes

  • 1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
  • Add to dry ingredients

Spicy Pancakes

  • 1/4-1/2 tsp (1 to 3 ml) ginger
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp (0.5 to 1 ml) allspice
  • 1/2- tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla
  • Add to dry ingredients

Buttermilk Pancakes

  • Use only 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda and 1 tsp (5 ml) hot water

Replace milk with buttermilk (make your own by adding 1 TBSP lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) and add to batter and baking soda and water mixture

Blueberry Pancakes

  • Use only 1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) fresh or frozen blueberries
  • Add to dry ingredients

Banana Pancakes

  • Use only 2 tsp (10 ml) sugar
  • 3/4 (175 ml) banana puree
  • Add to dry ingredients

Apple Pancakes

  • 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
  • 1/4 tsp (1 ml) nutmeg
  • Add to dry ingredients

Instructions

  1. Combine four sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, combine beaten egg, milk, melted butter (or vegetable oil) and vanilla.
  2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour liquid all at once.
  3. Stir quickly until it comes freely from the side of the bowl.
  4. Heat a medium hot pan or griddle and butter
  5. Pour a small amount into pan or griddle and cook pancakes until they are filled with bubbles and undersurface is golden brown.
  6. Turn and brown other side
  7. Serve immediately with syrup, honey, jam or jelly

Enjoy

“Good Gravy”

14 Saturday Mar 2026

Posted by in Main Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups of water
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 2 tsp beef bouillon
  • 4 TBSP butter
  • 1/4 cup of flour
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp ground sage
  • 1/4 tsp ground thyme
  • 1/2 tsp ground rosemary

Directions

  1. Place butter into a pot and heat till it melts
  2. Add flour and stir quickly to mix together
  3. Once mixed add water and whisk
  4. Add additional ingredients and whisk til smooth
  5. Serve over chicken, poutine or even pork.

Enjoy

Chinese Chicken and Broccoli

10 Tuesday Mar 2026

Posted by in Home, International Dishes, Main Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Better than takeout

Ingredients for marinating the chicken:

  • 20 ounces or about 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
  • 3 TBS water
  • 1 TBS Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt (use a little less if using fine salt)
  • 1/4 TBS baking soda
  • 2 TBS cornstarch
  • 1 TBS cooking oil (use a neutral oil)

Ingredients for stir fry sauce:

  • 2/3 cups of light soy sauce (light sodium is available)
  • 2/3 cups of water
  • 4 TBS granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 TBS cornstarch or equivilent
  • 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Other ingredients for the dish:

  • 1 pound of broccoli (cut into florets)
  • 1 1/2 – 2 TBS minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • 1 1/2 TBS minced ginger (about 1 1/2 inch cut from knob)

Optional ingredients:

  • Stir fry vegies such as shedded cabbage, bok choy, carrot, white onion, cooked noodles

Diretions

Marinate the chicken

  1. Combine the sliced chicken, water, Shaoxing rice wine, salt and baking soda (mix well until most of the liquid is absorbed)
  2. Add the cornstarch and mix until the chicken is well coated. Put aside for about 15 minutes while you prepare the additional items (or cover and refridgerate over night)

Prepare the sauce

  1. Combine all the ingredients (soy sauce, water, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil) mix well

Preparation of chicken and vegetables

  1. Add broccoli to boiling water and cook about 30 seconds to 3 minutes (or microwave on high for about 2 minutes) until tender . Drain and put aside
  2. In a large pan or wok over medium/high heat, add enough cooking oil to coast the bottom
  3. When to oil is hot add marinated chicken and cook both sides until cooked throughout. Remove from pan
  4. Add 2 TBS cooking oil to the pan add onion then after a minute add garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds
  5. Add your vegetables and cooked til done (if using cooked noodle, add them after veggies are done)
  6. Toss in the chicken and toss and pull to one side for the sauce
  7. Stir the sauce before adding it to pan and let the sauce thicken and glosssy. Make sure to stir to prevent scorching
  8. Reduce heat to low and toss everything together to coat veggies and chicken
  9. Served with rice if not using noodles.

Source

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

17 Saturday Jan 2026

Posted by in Side Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 1 (32 oz) bag frozen hash brown
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup (or mushroom)
  • 1 cup sour cream or blended cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2-3/4 cup diced onion or 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F
  2. Put butter and onions into a pan and cook till translucent
  3. Add all ingredients for top into a large bowl and mix together, leaving 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
  4. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish and top with remaining cheese
  5. Bake 45 minutes until bubbly and golden

Enjoy

Meatloaf

17 Saturday Jan 2026

Posted by in Main Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (or your favourite sausage)
  • 2 slices of bread (soaked in a little milk and squeezed dry)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • Black pepper (to taste) Optional, depending on sausage choice
  • Fresh thyme (Optional
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, sweet sausage, soaked bread (squeezed dry), eggs, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, black pepper, and fresh thyme. Mix thoroughly.
  2. Place meatloaf to a baking tray and drizzle a little olive oil overtop
  3. Bake in the oven at 400°F on the center rack for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
  4. Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing

Enjoy

Source:

1957 Banana Bread

15 Thursday Jan 2026

Posted by in Baking, Home, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

Loaf pan sprinkle (optional)

  • 2 TBSP sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Batter

  • 6 TBSP butter at room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • Add 3 ripe mashed bananas
  • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt or cottage cheese (blended smooth)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
  2. Grease 2 loaf pans with butter
  3. Sprinkle loaf pan mixture around pans
  4. Put butter, sugar cinnamon and eggs in to a mixer and cream together
  5. Add mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla
  6. In separate bowl add salt, baking soda and flour and mix together
  7. Add flour mixture into mixer and blend together
  8. Fold in walnut or chocolate chips
  9. Pour into loaf pan or cup cakes and bake 15 minutes to 30 minutes depending on size of pan.
  10. Check by inserting toothpick into center and if it comes out clean they are done.

Enjoy

Quick and Easy Quiche

07 Wednesday Jan 2026

Posted by in Baking, Main Dishes, wrks4me - Recipes

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Ingredients

  • 1 ready made crust unbaked
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk or cream
  • 1/2-3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup cubed cooked ham (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)
  • 3 TBSP sliced green onion (optional)

Directions

  1. Prehead oven to 375 degrees F
  2. In a large bowl, whisk in the eggs, milk, salt and pepper
  3. Sprinkle ham, 1 cup of cheese and onions into the bottom fo the pie shell
  4. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of egg mixture
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the center is completely cooked. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving

Enjoy

Original Source

Chocolate Chip Cookie Deluxe

06 Tuesday Jan 2026

Posted by in Home

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup of butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups of flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1-2 cups chopped chocolate chips
  • 1-2 cups chopped walnuts or your favourite nuts

Directions

  1. Spoon out onto a pan and put into freezer for 1/2 to 1 hour
  2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 13-15 minutes

Put on cooling rack to cool

Note: I roll out dough like a sausage and wrap with cling wrap. I divide and into the freezer and pull out one or two when needed.

Enjoy