baked boursin cheese

baked boursin cheese

When you have been entertaining and cooking for as long as I have, coming up with new appetizers isn’t easy.  Having said that, now and then I’ll see something on social media that grabs my attention.  Boursin cheese isn’t something new to me. TweetFacebookLinkedInTumblrStumbleDiggDelicious

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fried brie with honey

fried brie

I don’t know why, but Christmas always seems to sneak up on me…39 days to go!  It feels like summer and fall whizzed by. Each year I am on the hunt for new appetizers.  I had seen a recipe for pan-fried brie Half Baked Harvest posted.  Tieghan had me at fried brie and this inspired…

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cheesy garlic bread – keto friendly!

cheesy garlic bread - keto friendly

Keto has been around since the 1920s. While most people today start the ketogenic diet to lose weight or otherwise improve their health, the eating strategy originated as a treatment for epilepsy.  Twenty days ago Mr. S and I embarked on this new way of eating.  It was Mr. S’s work colleague/friend said he’s been…

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bacon and gruyère egg bites – breakfast on the go!

bacon and gruyère egg bites

Eleven days ago our daughter, Laura, became a missus.  It was an intimate affair and not at all what was initially planned.  Having said that, there’s something even more special when surrounded by immediate family.  The morning of the wedding, Laura came to our room to get her makeup done.  She had stopped to pick…

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ciro’s stracciatella bruschetta

stracciatella bruschetta

Mr. S and I LOVE cheese and you know you’re a cheese lover when your friend gives you a book on it! Last October I posted about our local Italian cheesemaker, Ciro. His products can be found at two of our local farmers’ markets and other food establishments.  His passion for cheese making is infectious…

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Ciro’s stracchino cheese crostini

Ciro's crostini with his homemade stracchino cheese

What makes a delicious crostini?  Two words; fresh ingredients.  And when my farmers’ market has an Italian vendor selling his own cheese, I am ONE happy camper!  Ciro Comencini moved to Nova Scotia with his wife, Alessia and their six children (soon to be seven!) in 2013.  His dairy experience started with his family’s farm, just…

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easy-to-make homemade ricotta

easy to make, homemade ricotta cheese

It all began with a bag of shelled green peas.  I was thinking sautéed spring vegetables with pasta; the Italians call it primavera.  But, I did not want to use traditional pasta such as linguine, penne, or tagliatelle.  And, I had a yearning for some sort of fresh sauce, too, in lieu of a creamy…

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baked brie with onion jam – make it tonight!

baked brie with onion jam

I am not mathematically inclined, but I do like to figure out how things work and have always had an inquisitive mind.  If a shortcut works, well, I’ll take that route.  It stems from childhood.  When a problem arose, I would try to sort it out on my own before approaching my parents. I would…

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greek yogurt labneh balls

DIY yogurt labneh balls

How to turn Greek yogurt into a delightful soft cheese?  It’s quite easy and so simple!  Labneh is strained yogurt and found in Middle Eastern cuisines.   Serve it with a drizzle of olive oil and top with za’atar or do what I did by rolling into balls and place in a jar with olive…

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salad with fried halloumi

salad topped with fried halloumi

Halloumi, a Cypriot cheese made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, has a high melting point and can easily be fried, grilled or roasted.  When fried or grilled, it develops a delicious crust that surrounds a slightly springy, mild interior that squeaks between your teeth when chewed!  Its uses are so versatile: skewer…

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