Melon Carpaccio with Burrata and Crispy Sage
Growing up, I was never much of a melon fan. Watermelon, absolutely, but the others I could happily leave behind. Somewhere along the way, that changed. These days, when summer is in full swing, I can’t get enough of a perfectly ripe melon.
Chicken Shawarma -easy to make
This chicken shawarma dish isn’t as time consuming as the real MacCoy. A traditional shawarma, originating in southern Turkey, is cooked with stacked, spice-marinated lamb on an upright spit. The shawarma turns and cooks on the spit for hours, basting in its own juices. When ready to eat, the meat is shaved off the stack…
Naturally Dyed Eggs – an Easter Treat!
If you were to tell me a rabbit could lay eggs, I would seriously have to check your pupils. German folklore suggests a story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden. It was pre-Christian Germany where people worshiped gods and goddesses. Ēostre, the goddess of spring and fertility, chose the rabbit…
How To Cut and Peel an Avocado
I was in the kitchen the other day getting ready to use an avocado as one of the ingredients for my portobello burger, when I fondly recalled the conversation I had with my son. He wanted to know if there was an easy way to get the pit out of an avocado. I hadn’t really…
Portobello Mushroom Burger
Burger Week in Halifax, an annual event to help raise funds for Feed Nova Scotia, is winding down. I was away last week and therefore wasn’t able to partake. Because of this, I have had burger on the brain. Initially I wanted a burger overflowing with toppings and condiments (read messy) but in the end…
Mu Shu Pork
Mu Shu Pork is a Beijing dish and is typically served rolled in Mandarin pancakes but I chose to serve it as a side dish. Dishes like this pull me back to our time spent in Asia. For a western newcomer, the Asian culinary experience delights and at the same time shocks the senses. I…
Oats and Cranberry Bars
A few posts ago Mr. S wanted me to make him his favorite ginger molasses cookies – I said I would but didn’t. If I’m not in the mood to bake, I don’t even make an attempt. I’ve had failures in the kitchen before when my mood was less than buoyant resulting in the meal…
Braised Eggs with Pork
Eggs for dinner? You betcha! This dish gently cooks the eggs while sitting atop a glorious, well-seasoned ground pork surrounded with dollops of yogurt and pan-seared cherry tomatoes. Braised eggs take center stage. This recipe is slightly adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi. In the past I’ve cooked eggs in a chunky tomato sauce, sliced chorizo sausage…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…