Citrus Fruit Salad with Roasted Pecans

We had a glorious sun-filled weekend.  Today the morning started off with a grey sky and snow falling gently to the ground…the chunky snowflakes were pretty but more snow?  A total of 10cm (4-inches) fell with more forecasted on the way.  I’m usually more tolerant of our winters and I really don’t want to sound…

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How To Segment An Orange

How do you eat an orange?  Do you peel it with your fingers or use a knife?  I do both depending on the thickness of the skin but when I want the orange to be the main attraction, segmenting it looks so professional and yet is easy to do.  Orange slices in a dish adds…

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Asian Inspired Beef Short Ribs

I never knew there were so many braised short rib recipes on the web and it seems a good portion are dedicated to slow cookers.  I eyed a package of two meaty-looking beef short ribs and couldn’t wait to get home and decide how to cook them.  I did not want a typical braise with…

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Corned Beef and Cabbage

Not sure what to make for dinner?  If you have a farmers’ market nearby, drop in and get inspired.  That’s what happened to me on Saturday.  Mr. S asked what’s for dinner and I said I wasn’t sure and hoped the market would be my source of inspiration.  Root vegetables seemed to be everywhere from…

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Pork Belly Buns

It’s Chinese New Year’s Eve today and tomorrow millions will usher in the new year of the Sheep/Goat.  Most Chinese have already cleaned their house (literally) where the cleaning helps to drive any bad luck away from the house and discarding anything old to make way for a new start.  The years we spent in…

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Smoked Cheddar Scones

I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing mouth-watering about processed cheese. It lacks any kind of taste, looks artificial, and I doubt there’s any nutritional benefit once being processed. As a cheeselover, it pleases me to know there are cheesemakers in every province. According to the Canadian Dairy Commission, Quebec is the biggest producer…

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Smoked Salmon Spaghetti

Smoked salmon is well loved in our house.  It’s so versatile and delicious on scrambled eggs, as a creamy pâté, in sushi rolls, tarts, chowder or soups, blinis, quesadillas and so forth.  Some enjoy smoked salmon in spaghetti carbonnara which I was almost tempted to make but felt I wanted the salmon to be center…

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Calgary – a visit to see my daughter

  Whenever we travel to a new destination I always make a list of things to see and do.  It’s aimed as a loose itinerary for us.  Last Thursday I arrived for the first time in Calgary to see my daughter… a surprise birthday gift from her.  When I arrived I asked her what’s on…

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Brussels Sprout Salad

Salads take on many forms from the traditional and the not-so-traditional like the one posted here. Brussels sprouts are not every persons cup of tea but I’ll bet if you try it as a salad with the following delicious ingredients, I think you just might be pleasantly surprised.  Brussels sprout salad not only is esthetically…

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Onion Dip – made from scratch

As a youngster and young adult, one of my favorite junk foods was French Onion Dip and a bag of rippled potato chips.  It’s been years since I last snacked on a commercial onion dip but the other day while I was at the grocery store, I really wanted to buy one.  Instead, my inner…

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