appetizer
bruschetta with white anchovies
Bruschetta (pronounced bru-sketta) is a classic Italian appetizer consisting of toasted bread slices topped with fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra-virgin olive oil. There are oodles of variations and I’ve named a few here for you to consider: smashed avocado with chopped tomatoes; zucchini goat cheese bruschetta; smoked salmon with mascarpone cheese.
Read Morehomemade quince paste
Quince is a yellow fruit that looks like a cross between an apple and a pear. It is high in pectin and was typically used in jam and jelly making. It’s too tart and hard to eat on its own but cooked it turns sweet with a slight floral taste. My mom used to have…
Read Moreroasted vegetable stacks with goat cheese
I am in veggie heaven with these roasted vegetable stacks and in one recipe I get the daily recommended servings of vegetables; my kind of dish. Although the end of Summer means goodbye to warmer days (sigh), its departure signals the bounty of the harvest (yay!). It’s the perfect time of the year to grab…
Read Moregrilled radicchio with bagna càuda
Sometimes less is more and in cooking terms it’s spot on. Simple ingredients can make any dish shine. Bagna càuda is an Italian sauce made with butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies. The Italians eat it with fennel, peppers, carrots, cauliflower. Fresh bread dipped in this sauce is simply scrumptious! Or, give your taste buds…
Read Moregarlic scapes hummus
Garlic scapes are the flower bud of the garlic plant and are cut to force the garlic bulbs to grow bigger. Some gardeners throw these away! The flavour is less pungent than a garlic clove and has a subtle scallion flavour. How to use? Think of how you would cook a green vegetable (stir-fry, sauté,…
Read Moreroasted peppers and gorgonzola crostini
Crostini (little crusts in Italian) are the easiest appetizers one can make. There are oodles and oodles of variations and limited only by one’s imagination. Creative ones such as smashed avocado topped with thinly sliced cucumber seasoned with chili flakes and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil or mashed fresh peas with sea salt, extra-virgin…
Read Moreprosciutto rolls – an easy snack to make
Easy to make; my three favorite words. In my culinary world, nothing pleases me more than to whip up an elegant-looking appetizer using only 3 ingredients. Our friends, Ralph and Michelle, stayed with us last weekend and Thursday was the only night we were eating at home. My head was spinning with food ideas I…
Read Morepork belly bites – one helluva snack!
.Well, hello 2016! Whatever the days or weeks ahead have in store for me, I’m ready! Mr. S and I spent Christmas in Calgary. Over the holiday period I cooked in other peoples homes; one being my daughter’s (a first for me!), one at my cousin’s (in Edmonton) and the other at my daughter’s employers…
Read Moreprosciutto wrapped tomato
The holiday season is just around the corner and it’s that time of the year when we’re out socializing and entertaining at home. The thought of entertaining can be intimidating for both the novice and the experienced. When I know I am having friends over, I generate a plan, cook ahead, stay within my limits…
Read Moresavory palmiers
These delicate, but easy-to-make French pastries can be sweet or savory. Palmiers, named so because they look like palm trees or the shape of an elephant’s ear, uses puff pastry for its base. Traditionally, simple ingredients such as sugar and cinnamon are sprinkled over the pastry then folded, rolled, sliced and baked in the oven. …
Read More