I adore the idea of making festive cutout cookies during the holidays – but traditional sugar cookies are just too sweet for me, and we don’t like icing on our cookies either. Since I’m a big fan of buttery shortbread, I figured – why not try shortbread cutouts instead? I asked Claude (my AI assistant… Read more »
Rice Flour Shortbread
I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from Claudette (whom I don’t even know!). It’s fun to see how recipes are passed around, even without the internet. I adjusted it slightly and added a few more instructions based off my test baking of the recipe. INGREDIENTS 1 pound butter, well-softened 1 cup… Read more »
Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
An easy and quick dinner: For the squash (I roast ahead, then warm & toss with herbs when meat is ready): Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds Drizzle cut sides with olive oil, salt, and pepper Place cut-side down on a baking sheet Roast at 400°F for about 30-40 minutes until tender but al… Read more »
Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
It’s soup time. We enjoyed this with perogies and bacon. Ingredients: 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth 4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped (see stems below) 1 cup diced onions, diced small 1 cup diced carrots, diced small 1 cup diced broccoli stems, diced small 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup whole… Read more »
Spiced Mushroom Pilaf with Left Over Lamb
We like rice pilaf with lamb. This is my new test recipe. It’s a small batch only, just enough for two – with some left over. Main Ingredients 1 cup basmati or long-grain rice 250g cremini mushrooms, sliced thin 2 cups hot broth (vegetable or chicken) 1 medium onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2-3… Read more »
Hearty Instant Pot Pork & Squash Stew with Beans
I made this Autumn inspired stew from butternut squash grown in our garden. A nice change from beef stew. Ingredients: 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb), cut into 1-inch cubes 4-5 slices bacon, sliced across about 1/4 inch width 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups) 1 small can beans (northern, cannellini… Read more »
Cheese and Herb Zucchini Loaf
I’m working towards a savoury zucchini loaf with no sugar that goes well with salmon or quiche. This is my first try. The cheese and herb was there but it was a little dry and maybe a bit bland. Next version, add more oil/melted butter and maybe 1/4 cup sugar, plus more salt. INGREDIENTS 2… Read more »
June Blooms in the Garden
While in the thick of it, my overall impression of June 2024 was that it was wetter and warmer than in 2023. Sure enough, I was right. Not only did we get more rain in 2024 (91.1mm compared to 64.9 mm in 2023), but the daily rainfall was more consistent. We also had more consistently… Read more »
Instant Pot Pulled Pork Carnitas
My son slow cooks his carnitas in fat, I prefer this version submersed in beef broth. It has less fat but is just as flavourful. INGREDIENTS: 1.25 grams cubed pork shoulder, large fat sections removed (measured after cut) 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion… Read more »
Base Pasta Sauce – Butter & Onion with Pasata
This is based off the famous Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce 5 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion (vidalia or red) – cut in large chunks 1 quart pasata Add all ingredients to sauce pan, bring to simmer for 30 minutes