Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
From Ancient Remedy to Beloved Dessert – A Spice Route Treasure – Rhubarb’s roots stretch back thousands of years to the mountainous regions of northern and central Asia (China, Mongolia, and Siberia), where it was cultivated primarily for medicinal purposes. The Chinese prized it as a digestive tonic and laxative,
Fried Fingerling Potatoes with Tarragon Sauce
The humble potato shines in this dish! It originated in South America (on the border between Bolivia and Peru) along the slopes of the central Andes nearly 8,000 years ago. What’s more amazing is that “what we know as the potato contains just a fragment of the genetic diversity found in the seven recognized potato…
Greek Salad Skewers
American Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I am sure there is last minute food shopping going on as I write this post. This appetizer is a fun spin on a classic salad. So fresh and full of flavor who could resist? Cucumbers are the fourth most widely cultivated vegetable in the world and are enjoyed on…
Beer Deep-Fried Avocado
I first started following Sweet Paul (blog) a few years ago before his on-line magazine came to life. His style is fresh and easy which are two schools of thought I try to use whenever I cook. So you could imagine how delighted I was when I read Paul was going to have his first…
Beet Salad
I love creative salads. Simple ingredients but when mixed together – a taste sensation! Beets are an excellent source of folate (produces and maintains new cells) and manganese (keeps your bones strong and healthy) and a good source of potassium (helps muscles and nerves), dietary fiber and vitamin C. This dish excites all the…
Tomatillo Salsa
I’ve been eyeing these tomato-like fruit for quite some time but I never really had a reason to use them until now. Last month I enrolled in a food styling and photo workshop arranged by Sweet Paul Magazine. It was a full-on day with tidbits of information flowing from Paul on how to style food.…
Fig and Goat’s Cheese Mini Croissants
As I sit here typing this recipe, our guests are on their way to our home for dinner. No, I’m not panicking at all as I have the ingredients ready and will pop them into the oven in a few minutes…just enough time to finish this post! Makes 16adapted from Australian Vogue Entertainment & Travel…
Seared Scallops and Bacon Jam
Bacon jam conjures up all sorts of culinary delights and possibilities. It seems that bacon is today’s hero in sweet concoctions such as bacon baklava, cupcakes with bacon, bacon chocolate crunch bar, chocolate bread pudding with bacon crème anglaise to name a few. But wait, before you turn your nose up at the notion, I’ll…
Manhattan Clam Chowder
I’ve never eaten Manhattan clam chowder, that is until now. I grew up in the East Coast of Canada and being a 4th generation Canadian, clam chowder was always served using milk or cream (New England clam chowder). I have The Countryman’s Cookbook copyright 1946 and author Haydn S. Pearson writes this about clam chowder:…
Oven-Dried Tomato and Oregano Tartlets
Holiday entertaining is just around the corner and this simple, yet elegant recipe is perfect for finger food. They are delicate and small enough to eat without too much fuss or mess. Makes 24adapted from Australian Vogue Entertaining 12 large cherry tomatoesolive oil, to brush3 sprigs oregano, leaves removed375g frozen puff pastry, thawed2 tablespoons freshly…
Grilled Eggplant with Mint
John and I use our barbecue all year round. When it snows, the driveway, front door and back deck get cleared of snow. There’s always a clear path from the kitchen door to the barbie and we use it no matter what the weather! Eggplants are the nightshade family of vegetables which grow much like…
Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Crostini
The movers unpacked us in one day and while they try their best to place items in the right rooms (guided by me and my husband) things do get misplaced. While they were unpacking, I couldn’t help but notice my cookbooks being scattered throughout the house but couldn’t really focus on that at the time…
Pirate Pasta
What makes a house a home? I was thinking about this while I was cleaning up the breakfast dishes. It’s our 13th day in the new house and while there are more things to do to make it feel more like our place, it is now starting to look like home. The smells of fresh…