Creamy Beef & Mushroom Rice Bake

Creamy Beef & Mushroom Rice Bake

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 small onion, diced

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup

2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a skillet, cook ground beef, mushrooms, and onion until beef is browned; drain excess fat.

In a bowl, combine beef mixture, uncooked rice, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Pour into baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 50–60 minutes, until rice is tender.

Uncover, sprinkle with cheese (if using), and bake 5 more minutes.

Let sit a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Chicken Tikka Patties

🔥 Chicken Tikka Patties (Make & Freeze)

⏱ Makes: 8–10 patties

🧊 Storage: Fridge 4 days | Freezer up to 1 month

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📝 Ingredients

 • 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken

 • ¼ cup Greek yogurt (or thick plain yogurt)

 • ¼ cup breadcrumbs (or crushed oats)

 • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

 • 1 tsp garam masala

 • 1 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder

 • ½ tsp ground cumin

 • ½ tsp ground coriander

 • ½ tsp turmeric

 • 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

 • ¼ tsp black pepper

 • 1 tbsp lemon juice

 • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped

 • 1 tbsp oil (for cooking)

⸻

👩‍🍳 Method

1️⃣ Mix

Add all ingredients to a bowl.

Mix gently until just combined — do not overmix (this keeps patties juicy).

⸻

2️⃣ Shape

Divide mixture into 8–10 portions.

Flatten into round patties about ¾-inch thick.

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3️⃣ Cook (Choose One)

Pan-Cook (Best Flavor)

 • Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.

 • Cook patties 4–5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

Oven-Bake

 • Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 18–20 minutes, flipping once.

Air Fryer

 • Air fry at 375°F / 190°C for 12–14 minutes, flipping halfway.

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❄️ How to Freeze (Very Important)

Option 1: Freeze Raw (Best for Fresh Taste)

 1. Place shaped raw patties on a tray.

 2. Freeze until solid (1–2 hours).

 3. Transfer to freezer bag with parchment between layers.

➡️ Cook straight from frozen (add 2–3 extra minutes).

⸻

Option 2: Freeze Cooked

 1. Let patties cool completely.

 2. Freeze in a single layer.

 3. Store in airtight container.

➡️ Reheat in pan, air fryer, or oven.

Crockpot Sausage and Potatoes

How to make Crockpot Sausage & Potatoes

To make delicious Crockpot Sausage & Potatoes, you'll need the following

 Ingredients:

- 2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved

- 14 oz sausage sliced into rounds

- 1 large onion, sliced

- 1 red bell pepper, sliced

- 3 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/4 cup chicken broth

- 1 packet ranch dressing mix

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1 teaspoon paprika

- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

- Salt and pepper to taste

Here's a step-by-step guide:

- Step 1: Prepare the Crockpot: Pour chicken broth into the crockpot.

- Step 2: Add Ingredients: Add halved potatoes, sliced sausage, onion, and bell pepper to the crockpot.

- Step 3: Mix Seasonings: Whisk together olive oil, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

- Step 4: Combine: Pour the seasoning mixture over the ingredients in the crockpot and toss to coat everything evenly.

- Step 5: Cook: Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once halfway through, until potatoes are fork-tender.

Some helpful tips:

- Potato Types: Use Yukon Gold potatoes for a creamy texture or Russet potatoes for a fluffier texture.

- Sausage Options: Italian sausage, bratwurst, or andouille sausage work well in this recipe.

- Adjust Cooking Time: Cook on high for 2 hours if you're short on time, but check the potatoes to avoid overcooking.

You can also customize the recipe by adding other vegetables like carrots, celery, or mushrooms for extra nutrition and flavor. Enjoy your hearty and comforting Crockpot Sausage & Potatoes!

Homemade Garlic and Onion Powder

Pho Ga

Me:  a friend of mine is looking for a recipe for Pho.  I know it can be made with chicken.

 

ChatGPT: let’s make Pho Gà doable with what you can grab at Sobeys or Superstore in Yarmouth.

You don’t need a specialty Asian market — here’s how to adapt it. 😄🍜

🛒 Nova Scotia Grocery-Friendly Substitutions

🐔 Chicken

Ideal: Whole chicken

Easy Option:

2–3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

OR

1 rotisserie chicken + 1 carton low-sodium chicken broth

👉 Thighs give richer flavor than breasts.

🧂 Fish Sauce

Look for: Thai Kitchen, Blue Dragon, or any small bottle in the international aisle.

If unavailable:

Substitute (not perfect, but works):

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

(Still try to find fish sauce if you can — it’s worth it.)

🌿 Whole Spices

Some stores may not carry black cardamom or fennel. No worries.

Must-have:

Star anise

Cinnamon stick

Cloves

If coriander seeds aren’t available:

Use ½ tsp ground coriander

If no whole spices at all: Use:

½ tsp Chinese 5-spice powder

It won’t be fully traditional but gets you 80% there.

🍜 Rice Noodles

Look in:

International aisle

Sometimes gluten-free section

If you absolutely can’t find them:

Use thin rice vermicelli

Or in a pinch, thin spaghetti (not traditional, but works in an emergency)

🌿 Thai Basil

Hard to find sometimes.

Substitute:

Regular fresh basil

Or even a little fresh parsley + mint combo

🌱 Bean Sprouts

If unavailable:

Thinly sliced cabbage

Or just skip — pho is flexible at home

🍋 Lime

If limes are expensive or hard to find:

Lemon works just fine

🍁 “Maritime Pantry Pho” Version

If you wanted to make this using very normal pantry stuff:

Chicken thighs

Store-bought chicken broth

Onion

Ginger

Cinnamon stick

Ground coriander

Soy sauce

Rice noodles

Fresh basil

Lemon

You’ll still end up with a very comforting bowl. 🍜

FYI, I live at the other end of Nova Scotia. I live in North Sydney.

Ahhh — North Sydney! 🍁⚓ Cape Breton changes the grocery game a little!

Thanks for the correction 😄

Up your way, you’ve got:

🛒 Sobeys (Commercial Street)

🛒 Superstore in Sydney River

🛒 Walmart

And sometimes smaller local shops with surprisingly good international sections

Good news? You can absolutely make solid pho up there.

👍 What You’ll Likely Find Easily

Whole chicken or thighs

Fresh ginger

Onions

Rice noodles (Superstore almost always has them)

Fish sauce (international aisle at Superstore/Sobeys)

Star anise & cinnamon sticks

🤏 What Might Be Hit or Miss

Thai basil (regular basil works perfectly)

Bean sprouts (sometimes available, sometimes not)

Black cardamom (very unlikely — skip it)

Honestly, with Superstore in North Sydney, you’re in better shape than a lot of rural spots.

If you’d like, I can tailor a “North Sydney Superstore exact shopping list” version so you can grab everything in one run. 🍜