Top 5 Favorite Recipes for Christmas

The celebration of Christmas in our house begins with breakfast which consists of ham and eggs, toast and freshly brewed coffee.  Of course the presents are opened pre breakfast…that would be just cruel to make you wait!  Around lunchtime I head back into the kitchen to prep the turkey and the stuffing.  Some people believe…

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Cranberry Cupcakes

Think of cranberry and you’re likely to associate it with Thanksgiving and Christmas in North America and with good reason as they’re native only to North America. Early pilgrims thought the cranberry blossom resembled the head of a crane and called them ‘crane berries’.  According to Nova Scotia Cranberry Growers Association, cranberry production began in…

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Crostini with Beetroot Jam and Goat’s Cheese

Holiday parties are in full swing now and we all have our favorite dishes we like to make that tend to be specific for this time of year. I, too, find myself repeating appetizers especially those that are given the two thumbs up by my family. So it can be daunting to want to step…

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Asian-style Rice Noodle Beef Salad

Our Asian experience seems like a lifetime ago but whenever we have a dish that reminds of food from that side of the globe, it almost feels like we’re back there. Almost. I’ve made this Asian-style rice noodle beef salad many times in Hong Kong and Bangkok but last night, as we sat around the…

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Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Caps

There are oodles of recipes for stuffed mushrooms but most require too much cooking for my liking.  I want a simple yet mouth-watering appetizer to whip up while I chat to my friends.  Sausage and mushrooms are perfect companions and pair them with garlic and fennel…it becomes a snack your guests will find hard to…

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Barley Salad with Roasted Squash and Fennel

It can be a challenge keeping your kids healthy when they live at home but when they leave the nest for university or boarding schools this can be a bigger challenge. We’re happy to be back in Nova Scotia for many reasons and one of those is that Laura is able to hop on a…

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Homemade Vanilla Extract

I had been meaning to stop by the historic farmers’ market. I told my husband that I wanted to go there for a specific reason but when I arrived that reason escaped me until I spotted a table across the way decked out in spices. Yes! Now it’s coming back to me. Costas Halavrezos, former…

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Red Onion Jam with Dhal

Baby it’s cold outside! We’ve been having a pleasant Maritime November but today the mercury dipped, no wait, it took a nose dive. It’s days and evenings like this that I just want a blanket wrapped around me, plunk myself in front of the television while consuming a bowl of hot soup.  While dhal isn’t…

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Chocolate Date Balls

I was listening to the radio this morning and the announcer said she only has 2 more paychecks before Christmas! Yikes! Thirty-four days to go and I haven’t done any Christmas shopping let alone any baking. In the next few days I plan to make and freeze any holiday sweets with exception of chocolate date…

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