Leek & Chicken Pie with Puff Pastry Lid

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! 🦃
Hope your day is filled with big, noisy family time and tremendously biteable food things!

We’ll be celebrating tomorrow, but a few nights ago I made this little gem — Leek & Chicken Pie — and as my granddaughter Naima says, “Oh my m gee!” 🤩

It’s unctuously creamy, rich, and full of cozy goodness, finished with a golden puff pastry lid… because, well, it just wasn’t rich enough already!

This recipe came from my friend Julie Scholes from Ireland — she made it for us this summer when they were “across the pond.” If you ever need to impress someone or maybe redeem yourself for something… make THIS. It’s a “go-to for specialness,” trust me.

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🥧

The “stuff”…

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 2 leeks, sliced lengthwise and cut into ¼–½” half moons
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 3 tsp chicken bouillon powder (or 1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon — my fave!)
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp water
  • 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs — more flavor, just sayin’)
  • 1 can water chestnuts, diced (optional but adds a nice crunch)
  • 1 large egg

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Let puff pastry thaw for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add leeks, pepper, paprika, and bouillon. Sauté 6–8 minutes until softened.
  4. Sprinkle in flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Whisk in cream and ⅓ cup water, blending out any lumps (because lumps = yuck 🤢).
  6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add diced chicken and water chestnuts, simmering 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Spoon filling into an 8” square baking dish (or ramekins if you’re feeling fancy).
  8. Roll puff pastry into a 10” square (if needed) and drape over the dish, sealing edges.
  9. Beat egg with 1 Tbsp water and brush over pastry.
  10. Cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape.
  11. Bake 35–40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
  12. Let rest 10 minutes, then dig in and watch your family lose their minds.

Notes 📝

  • This is not a low-fat meal — it’s comfort food royalty.
  • Perfect with a crisp salad or roasted veggies.
  • Ideal for special dinners, cozy nights, or “please forgive me” moments. 😄

Recipe Credit: Julie Scholes (Ireland) & Bite Me Canada

Cheesy Onion Beer Bread

Here’s the perfect sidekick to last night’s Cheeseburger Soup 🧀🍔 — my Cheesy Onion Beer Bread!

Make it. Bake it. BITE it.
Crispy on top, soft in the middle, cheesy all the way through. It’s one of those throw-together, feel-like-a-rockstar recipes that will make your kitchen smell like comfort and victory.

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🍞

The “stuff”…

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 12 oz beer (any kind — use what you’ve got!)
  • ¼ cup butter, melted

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cheese, and green onions.
  3. Add beer and stir gently until just moistened — don’t overmix!
  4. Pour thick batter into a greased loaf pan.
  5. Drizzle melted butter over the top.
  6. Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden and set.
  7. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Slice, slather with butter, and BITE IT. 😋

Notes 📝

⚠️ The top can darken quickly from the butter. Next time, check it early and tent with foil if it’s browning too fast.
Still… SOOOO delish!

Recipe Credit: shugarysweets.com

Cheeseburger Soup

Good morning y’all! ☀️
It’s a foggy start to the day here, but it’s going to be a beautiful 70 degrees — yes, I speak imperial, not metric… and I LIKE it! 🇺🇸

I love soups — especially in the fall — and this one is one of my all-time faves. It’s comfort food at its finest: Cheeseburger Soup! 🍔🧀

I also baked a Cheddar Onion & Beer Bread to go with it (because why not cook with beer if you don’t drink it, right?). I’m a wine girl — white wine, that is ❤️

And the best part? I topped it with diced dill pickles (because… cheeseburger!) and a little crumbled bacon.
So grab a spoon and BITE IT — you’ll be a rock star in your own kitchen. 🎸

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🍲

The “stuff”…

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ¾ cup chopped onion
  • ¾ cup shredded carrots
  • ¾ cup diced celery
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
  • 4 Tbsp butter, divided
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon (chicken flavor — optional, but bold and delish!)
  • 4 cups diced peeled potatoes (about 1¾ lbs)
  • ¼ cup flour (I used King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose)
  • 2 cups process cheese (Velveeta), cubed (8 oz)
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • Dill pickles, diced (optional… but come on, do it!)
  • Crumbled bacon (optional… also, do it!)

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. In a 3-qt saucepan, brown the ground beef. Drain and set aside.
  2. In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 Tbsp butter until tender (about 10 minutes).
  3. Add broth, Better Than Bouillon, potatoes, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10–12 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
  4. In a small skillet, melt remaining butter and whisk in flour. Cook 3–5 minutes until bubbly, then stir into soup.
  5. Bring to a boil again and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  6. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cheese, milk, salt, and pepper until melted and smooth.
  7. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.
  8. Top each bowl with diced dill pickles and crumbled bacon for that cheeseburger magic! 🍔

Yields: ~8 servings (about 2¼ quarts)
Sooooooo good!!

Recipe credit: Adapted from tasteofhome.com

Baked Kung Pao Chicken

Hey Bite Me Foodies! 👋

I’ve been a little quiet the last few days… been busy with a baby shower food thang! So tonight, Ken is finally getting a real home-cooked meal 😉

But don’t worry — he hasn’t been “starving.” The last time I cooked (Thursday), I made this absolutely delish Baked Kung Pao Chicken, and it was darn good!

⚠️ NOTES:

  • You’re gonna want to double the sauce — trust me.
  • Stir every 15 minutes while baking to get that sauce nice and thick and the chicken perfectly glazed.

I served it over Jasmine rice, and it was truly bite-worthy.
Make it. Bite it. Love it. ❤️

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🍗

The “stuff”…

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (or thighs if you prefer)
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp red chili paste (like Sriracha)
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup peanuts
  • Chopped green onions, for garnish

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with all the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt & pepper.
  3. Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls. Dip each piece of chicken into cornstarch, then coat with egg.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned.
  5. Transfer browned chicken to a greased 9×13 baking dish.
  6. In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, garlic, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Pour over the chicken and toss to coat.
  7. Add chopped red peppers and peanuts on top.
  8. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to glaze the chicken evenly.
  9. Serve hot over Jasmine rice and sprinkle with green onions.

Sooooo… BITE ‘EM! 😋


Recipe credit: ohsweetbasil.com

Spicy Sticky Thai Wings

Good morning Bite Me Bite-EE’s! ☀️

I’ve been a little out of commission lately with a major pulled muscle in my right shoulder — and I’m right-handed 😭. Couldn’t lift anything for three days! Went to the clinic, got some anti-inflammatories and rubs, and I’m finally at 75% today — yeah drugs! 💊

Getting an X-ray tomorrow, but feeling more like myself again. Ken said, “Do you know what you look like?” 😂 (He’s healing too, though still a bit cross-eyed from the trauma.)

Anyway… enough about me — what do you think about me?! 😜

Before the shoulder meltdown, I made these Thai Wings on Saturday night and OH MY GOODNESS — they were DELISH. Sweet, sticky, spicy perfection. You’re welcome. Enjoy the Bites!

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🍗

The “stuff”…

  • 14 chicken wings
  • Olive oil
  • Seasonings of your choice (I used Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Salt — I put that @#$% on everything! 🤣)
  • ½–¾ cup sweet chili sauce
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2–3 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • ½ cucumber, sliced into ¼” pieces
  • Crushed peanuts or cashews
  • Crispy fried wontons (optional but so good!)

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Place wings in a large bowl and toss with ¼ cup olive oil and your favorite seasonings.
  3. Arrange wings on a baking sheet (don’t crowd them!) and roast for 30 minutes.
  4. Flip wings and roast for another 10 minutes until golden and crisp.
  5. Remove from oven, place in a big bowl, and toss gently with sweet chili sauce until coated.
  6. Transfer wings to a clean, lightly oiled baking sheet and roast again for 10–15 minutes to caramelize.
  7. Plate the wings, then sprinkle with peanuts, sesame seeds, green onions, cucumber slices, and crispy wontons.
  8. Drizzle with extra sweet chili sauce for that glossy, sticky finish.

Serve with lots of napkins… and a smile 😋


Notes 📝

You can skip the second bake if you want — the wings are cooked after the first round.
I just like mine extra crispy, so back in the oven they go 🔥

This recipe is my take on Milestones’ Sticky Chicken Bites — and honestly, I think it’s better 😉

Recipe credit: Milestones Restaurant & Bite Me Canada

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

The “stuff”…

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (sand-like texture)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 1½ lbs baby potatoes, halved (about 20–22 potatoes)

Instructions

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  3. Pour olive oil into a 9×13 glass baking dish and tilt to coat the bottom evenly.
  4. Carefully sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly over the oil. (Don’t dump — sprinkle! Once it touches the oil, it won’t spread.)
  5. Arrange potatoes cut-side down in a single layer on top of the cheese. Press lightly to make sure they’re in contact.
  6. Bake 30–40 minutes, until cheese is golden and potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork.
  7. Let rest 5 minutes, then lift out with a spatula.

Sooooo delish — and amazing fried up the next morning for breakfast… if you have leftovers. 😋

Recipe credit: theyummylife.com

Patsi’s Oven Steak

Hey guys! 👋
It was a comfort food kinda night here in the Bitemecanada Kitchen — and nothing says comfort like beefy oven steak simmered low and slow for about 4 hours in rich, savory gravy.

The meat is fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth good, and I served it with Parmesan roasted baby potatoes.
Super easy. Super DELISH.

Make this. Bite this. ❤️
#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🥩

The “stuff”…

  • 2 lbs round steak (I tenderized mine with a meat stapler — puts neat rows of holes all over it!)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1½ tsp EACH: nutmeg, cinnamon, 5-spice powder, and salt (I used Trader Joe’s Chili Salt — LOVE it!)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 pkg brown gravy mix (or 1 tsp Beef Better Than Bouillon)
  • 1 pkg onion soup mix
  • 1 lb mushrooms, sliced

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
  2. Heat 2–3 Tbsp olive or coconut oil in a large frying pan.
  3. Stir spices and flour together. Dredge beef in seasoned flour.
  4. Brown both sides of beef in hot oil, then transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
  5. Add about ⅓ cup of the seasoned flour to the leftover oil to make a roux.
  6. Let the oil cool slightly, then whisk in the flour until absorbed.
  7. Slowly stir in beef broth, gravy mix, and onion soup mix. Cook until thickened and taste for seasoning.
  8. Pour the gravy over the meat, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 3–4 hours.
  9. In the last 30 minutes, remove the foil and stir in sliced mushrooms.
  10. Bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.

Then go clean your stovetop — because yes, it’s now a glorious, gravy-splattered mess! 😅
Bite it!

Recipe credit: Bite Me Canada

West Coast Poutine

Good day y’all!!! 🌧️
Hope you’ve had a lovely weekend. We had some much-needed rain… have I told you I LOVE rain?!

And rainy days need comfort food, right?
So in the Bitemecanada Kitchen we made West Coast Poutine — and it was AMAZEBALLS!

We bit it two days in a row — it was THAT BITEABLE.
So here’s what I did…

#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🍁

The “stuff”…

  • 3 cups (or whatever) assorted veggies, cut into ½–¾” dice
    (They shrink when roasted — you don’t want “specks” of veggies!)
    • I used onions, fennel (love fennel!), carrots, radishes (taste like taters when roasted — low carb idea!), broccoli, cauliflower, peppers & kale.
    • But you do you — any veggies work.
  • ¼–⅓ cup GOOD olive oil
  • Seasonings of your choice (I did Italian herbs & pepper)
  • ½–¾ cup cheese curds (mine were from Costco — “squeakers”!)
  • Brown gravy (I use the Costco Trio mix — no fat, no MSG, no GMO, and super tasty!)
    • Mix ½ cup gravy mix into 2 cups boiling water
    • Add 2 Tbsp horseradish (optional but amazing)
    • You can also add sautéed mushrooms or onions — or nothing but LOVE ❤️
  • 1 lb cooked, crumbled, and drained ground beef

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Wash and cut all veggies into chunks (remember they’ll shrink — make them big!)
  3. Toss veggies in a large bowl with olive oil and seasonings until evenly coated.
  4. Spread onto 1–2 sheet pans in a single layer (so they roast, not steam).
  5. Roast for 20 minutes, stir, then roast another 15 minutes or until caramelized and slightly charred.
  6. Turn off the oven. Sprinkle cheese curds over veggies and return to oven until melty and gooey (nobody likes a hard squeaker!)
  7. While veggies roast, make your gravy and doctor it up however you like.
  8. To assemble:
    • Spoon a dollop of gravy in the bottom of a bowl and swirl it around.
    • Add ½–¾ cup cooked ground beef on top.
    • Add the roasted cheesy veggies over the beef.
    • Spoon that glorious beefy, horseradishy gravy all over.
    • Garnish with green onions and serve with warm naan bread.

Result: Off. The. Hook. 🔥


Notes 📝

I used ground beef because Ken is a total ground beefaholic, but you can use any protein — just cook it first.
Or skip the meat entirely. There are no rules here.

The ideas are endless… make it, bite it, and let me know how many ways you ❤️ it.

Recipe credit: Bitemecanada Kitchen

Mom’s Sugar Muffins

My sweet granddaughter Naima came for a sleepover — and she is a muffin junkie! 🧁
So we made Mom’s Sugar Muffins, a family recipe my mom only made at Christmas time.

They’re warm, buttery, and rolled in cinnamon sugar — totally irresistible.
This batch makes 12 “mini” muffins… but trust me, they rise up bigger than you’d expect.
You probably already have all the ingredients in your cupboard right now!

A perfect back-to-school treat.
Bake ’em & Bite ’em! ❤️
#delicioushappenshere #funologyoffood #bitemecanada


Ingredients 🧂

The “stuff”…

  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tsp orange extract (I used vanilla — who even has orange extract?!)
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup melted butter (for dipping)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ cup sugar (for coating)

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan.
  2. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.
  4. Add the egg and mix well.
  5. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until combined.
  6. Stir in extract.
  7. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins.
  8. Bake 10–12 minutes, until golden.
  9. Let cool slightly.
  10. Melt butter in a small bowl.
  11. In another bowl, mix cinnamon and sugar.
  12. Dip each muffin in butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Shake off the excess and place on a cooling rack.

Notes 📝

These muffins are nostalgic, cozy, and dangerously snackable.
Perfect for holidays, lunch boxes, or a Saturday morning treat.

Recipe credit: My mom, Norma MacKay — aka “Bidie.” 💛

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Hey guys! It was a soup nite here tonite! 🍲
Kenny Boy’s favorite — Zuppa Toscana, just like the one at Olive Garden.

Except… I swapped the potatoes for cauliflower because hubby is “low carbin’ it.”
And you know what? It was still SUPER yummy — cauliflower actually has more flavor than potatoes, in my humble opinion.

Do I want cauliflower in a pizza crust? NO! Come on!
But in this soup? YA I DO!

Make it, BITE IT!
#bitemecanada #funologyoffood #delicioushappenshere


Ingredients 🥣

The “stuff”…

  • 1 lb Italian sausage (I used spicy — but you do you)
  • 2 large russet potatoes, washed, sliced in half, and then in ¼-inch slices (or cauliflower florets for low-carb)
  • 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional — but come on… you know what to do)
  • 1 tsp Accent seasoning (optional — I used Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Salt)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp minced garlic (or 1 jar of minced garlic)
  • 2 cups chopped kale (or Swiss chard — I did kale)
  • 2 (8 oz) cans chicken broth
  • 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon (chicken flavor)
  • 1 quart (32 oz) water
  • 2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with a little water to make a paste
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream (tempered — see below)

Instructions 👩‍🍳

What to do with the “stuff”…

  1. In a large soup pot, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crumbled.
  2. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until onions are translucent and the aroma is DELISH.
  3. Add potatoes (or cauliflower), chicken broth, and water. Stir well.
  4. Simmer on medium until tender.
  5. Stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer for another 15 minutes to thicken slightly.
  6. Reduce heat to low. Add kale and bacon (if using).
  7. Temper your cream — stir ¼–½ cup of hot broth into the cream first — then slowly pour into the soup while stirring.
  8. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.

Notes 📝

This soup is comfort in a bowl — creamy, hearty, and loaded with flavor.
It’s even better the next day after the flavors settle.

Serve with crusty bread… or don’t, if you’re still low-carbin’. 😉

Recipe credit: Genius Kitchen

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