Boursin & Prosciutto Pastry Bites
There’s something irresistible about an easy appetizer that looks impressive but asks very little of the cook. This Boursin cheese and prosciutto puff pastry is exactly that. Salty prosciutto and creamy Boursin are tucked beneath golden,
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Pop-up shops (temporary retail spaces that sell merchandise of any kind) have been around for a while and not limited to art or fashion. Farmers’ markets are getting on the band wagon and showing up in places you wouldn’t have thought. And why not? Last week I dropped my daughter off at Mic Mac Mall…
Grilled Guacamole
There are oodles of recipes incorporating an avocado but the most familiar is guacamole and everyone has their own version. Grilled guacamole is a slight spin on an old favorite. The avocado has been around for thousands of years and is rich in potassium (helps regulate blood pressure) and vitamin A (helps your eyes). Avocado…
Asparagus Vichyssoise
I am a huge fan of supporting anything local; it just makes sense to me to do so. A few years ago I read The 100 Mile Diet – A Year Of Eating local. Big kudos to Alisa Smith and James MacKinnon for their one year journey of only eating what was available to them within…
Aussie Meat Pies
Meat pies in Australia and New Zealand are what apple pie is to North America – iconic. Years ago John and I visited Australia and everyone kept telling us to try the Aussie meat pies. Not one to turn down an opportunity to see what all the fuss was, we tried our very first meat…
Strawberry Pavlova
It’s officially Summer (yay!) although it still feels like Spring here in the Maritimes. A good indicator that we might be leaving the cold behind is the sighting of fresh, local strawberries. I spotted them at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, Pete’s and other grocery retailers over the weekend. I grew up in the country…
Crudités with Blue Cheese Dip
Out of all the menu planning, food prep, and cooking I do, the one thing I enjoy the most is the presentation. It’s so easy to take simple ingredients and show them off. Look around your home for interesting containers that tend to only be used for certain things or special occasions. Crudités (raw…
Grilled Pineapple
This is such an easy, no fuss, and delicious dessert to make. Grilled pineapple can be served on its own, with ice cream or a dollop of yogurt. I’ve been grilling pineapple for years and it’s always a crowd pleaser. I have been asked before how to pick a ripe pineapple. When we lived in…
Wine Tasting in Nova Scotia
All it took was an invitation from Domaine de Grand Pré to join them for their annual barrel tasting to spur us into action and take a mini vacation – it’s an easy one hour drive north of home. It’s been a while since we had a ‘real’ vacation and this was just what we…
Endive Salad
I know, another salad but I promise this one is a keeper! Endive (pronounced on-deev) is a favorite of ours and because I don’t buy it that often it remains a treat whenever I serve it. This endive salad is bursting full of flavor and will have your taste buds doing a happy dance. Ok,…
Beans, Bacon & Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Making a plate of food come alive with a variety of colors not only is visually appealing but healthy. Think in terms of the rainbow when deciding on what to serve – many colors are already represented by vegetables. You’ll get a good mix of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Keep this in mind next time…
Eton Mess
If you haven’t heard of Eton Mess, you’re in for a real treat! It’s an English dessert, served in the food hall at Eton College, and is a mixture of strawberries, broken meringue and whipped cream. It’s so easy to make and a perfect dish for those novices wanting to try baked meringue…and don’t worry…
Rhubarb Cordial
Cordials are fruit-based concentrated drinks that are diluted with water before being consumed. Homemade versions are easy to make and don’t have any additives like the commercial brands do. Lemon, lime, orange, raspberry and elderflower are some of the popular ones. Rhubarb cordial is my favorite. If you’re lucky enough to have a rhubarb patch…