Tonya’s Fix - Spanish Rice

Cape Breton Spanish Rice (Corn Version)

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter or vegetable oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)

1 can (28 oz / 796 mL) diced tomatoes (with juice)

1 can (14 oz / 398 mL) corn, drained

1 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp ketchup (replaces tomato paste)

1 Tbsp Cape Breton Vegetable Seasoning

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Heat butter or oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat.

Sauté onion for 4–5 minutes until soft.

Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Stir in uncooked rice and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring often.

Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, ketchup, Cape Breton Vegetable Seasoning, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Stir well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes.

At the 10-minute mark, stir in the drained corn, then re-cover and continue cooking.

Once rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Notes (Cape Breton twist)

The Cape Breton Vegetable Seasoning replaces the need for extra salt-heavy seasoning blends — it does most of the flavor lifting here.

The corn adds sweetness, so the ketchup works nicely as a mild tomato base without needing paste.

Creamy Seafood Salad

Here's a creamy seafood salad that's perfect for sandwiches, croissants, crackers, or served on lettuce.

Creamy Seafood Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) imitation crab meat (pollock), chopped into bite-sized pieces

• 1 lb (450 g) shrimp, cooked, devined and tailed

• ½ cup celery, finely diced

• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced

• 2 tbsp green onion, sliced

• 2 tsp dried dill

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 2 tbsp sour cream

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ½ tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp paprika

• ¼ tsp black pepper

Optional Add-ins

• 1 chopped hard-boiled egg

• 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish

• A pinch of cayenne pepper or your favorite seafood seasoning

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the seafood, celery, red onion, green onion, dill, and parsley.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper.

3. Fold the dressing into the seafood mixture until everything is evenly coated.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.

5. Serve chilled.

Serving Ideas

• On toasted sandwich bread

• In buttery croissants

• Stuffed into pita pockets

• Over crisp lettuce

• With crackers as an appetizer

Mitch & Tonya's Twist

Try stirring 1–2 teaspoons of SHORELINE into the dressing instead of the garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. It adds a bright seafood-friendly flavor with very little effort. 

If you're using real shrimp or lobster, a squeeze of fresh lemon just before serving makes it even better.

This recipe serves about 4–6 people and keeps well in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

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Boiled Corn - Simplified

Boiling corn on the cob is simple—but there’s a right way if you want juicy, sweet, not-waterlogged corn.

🌽 What You’re Going For

🔥 The Best Way (Simple + Reliable)

1. Bring water to a boil first

Use a big pot

Enough water to fully cover the corn

2. Don’t salt the water

Salt can toughen the kernels

If anything, add a teaspoon of sugar if your corn isn’t super fresh

3. Add husked corn

Drop it in once the water is already boiling

4. Cook for 4–6 minutes

That’s it. Overcooking = mushy corn

Fresh corn can be done in as little as 3–4 minutes

5. Pull it out and serve immediately

Butter, salt, and you’re in business

🧠 Pro Tips (This is where it gets good)

The fresher the corn, the shorter the cook time

(Sweet corn doesn’t need much help)

Milk + butter trick (optional upgrade)

Add:

1 cup milk

2 tbsp butter

to the boiling water for slightly richer flavor

Keep it hot without overcooking

Turn off heat and leave corn in the hot water for up to 10 minutes if timing is tight

⚠️ Common Mistakes

- Starting corn in cold water → uneven cooking

- Boiling 10–15 minutes → kills texture and sweetness

- Salting the water → tougher kernels

💥 “Tonya’s Fix” Style Upgrade

After boiling:

Brush with butter

Hit it with your FORGE or COAL seasoning

Finish with a light sprinkle of parmesan or a squeeze of lime

That turns basic corn into “why is this so addictive?” corn.

SHORELINE Creamy Chip Dip

Alright, this is right in your wheelhouse — simple, addictive, and perfect for pushing SHORELINE. Let’s build it like something people will keep asking you for.

🌊 SHORELINE Creamy Chip Dip

🧂 Ingredients

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 to 1½ tbsp SHORELINE All Purpose Seasoning

1 tsp lemon juice (optional, but brightens it up)

1 tsp dried parsley (optional for color & light herb note)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

Mix sour cream and mayo until smooth.

Stir in SHORELINE seasoning.

Add lemon juice and parsley if using.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30–60 minutes

→ This is key. The seasoning blooms and the flavor deepens big time.

🔥 Pro Tips (this is where you elevate it)

Want it thicker? Add a spoon of cream cheese.

Want it sharper? Splash of pickle juice instead of lemon.

Want it next-level addictive? Add:

Finely diced green onion

Crumbled bacon

Want a “restaurant-style” vibe? Hit it with a pinch of garlic powder + onion powder.

🧠 Flavor Profile

Think:

Creamy + tangy base

Savoury coastal vibes from SHORELINE

Slight herbal, slightly zesty, very snackable

💬 “Warning: This dip doesn’t last long.

SHORELINE + sour cream + mayo = the kind of chip dip people hover around.  You’ve been warned.”

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Taco

This is a really popular recipe.  Of course you can modify it to make it your own family recipe.

Ingredients 

6 x Flat bread

1 pound ground beef

3 Tbsp Taco seasoning * see notes

1/2 cup water

Shredded Tex/Mex cheese

Shredded lettuce

Diced red onion

Diced tomato

Sour cream or salsa

Directions

Brown your ground beef, breaking up any chunks.  If you have a meat masher, this make your job a lot easier.

Add Mitch & Tonya’s Taco Seasoning plus the water and simmer for about 10 minutes.  It will thicken nicely.

Add your ground beef and as much of the toppings as you like.

You can have hard shell tacos.

Taco bowls.

Open face tacos.

Tightly wrapped tacos.

It is really your choice.  

Yes, wrapped tacos are sometimes called burritos.  I like them wrapped so the fillings don't fall out.

Note: I make my own taco seasoning.  It has about half the salt in commercial bought seasoning, plus no fillers.

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