This year I am intentionally changing how I start my annual flowers, and what I’m growing. In the past, I’ve had a tendency to sow too early and start too many varieties. While some plants did beautifully, those requiring a long indoor growing period before planting out often struggled. I wasn’t consistently matching heat and… Read more »
Avgolemono Soup
I have been craving this since the 80’s when I used to live near the Danforth in Toronto. This has to be made with home-made chicken stock. The recipe ratios are based on the amount of stock I had on hand. The carrot is not necessarily traditional, but I added a small amount for colour.… Read more »
Cabbage Casserole
A cabbage and beef casserole or deconstructed cabbage rolls without the fuss. You can use a fresh cabbage but in the winter, when I prefer to eat this, I find it easier to use a package of precut cabbage slaw mix to reduce the prep time. Just be sure the slaw is more shredded and… Read more »
Grocery Style Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is recipe number three in my efforts to find an oatmeal cookie that tastes like the Farmer’s Market brand oatmeal cookies you can buy at Canadian grocery stores. The taste is very butter forward, with a soft chewy texture but crispy on the outsid. I thought I found one that worked using melted butter,… Read more »
Rigatoni with Italian Sausage
This is a quick pasta made mostly with pantry items. INGREDIENTS 3-4 Italian sausage, casings removed 3 heads roasted garlic small can cannelloni beans 1/2 cup whole black olives, halved small jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped 2 tablespoons olive bruschetta spinach rigatoni pecorino romano DIRECTIONS roast garlic heads ahead of time and remove… Read more »
Chocolate Roasted Salted Macadamia Nut Cookies
Costco sells dry roasted sea salt macadamia nuts that are divine. They taste fantastic in these chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I also don’t like white chocolate so I used milk chocolate chips instead. INGREDIENTS 2 cups flour 2/3 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup butter,… Read more »
Asparagus Soup
This soup has a strong asparagus taste seasoned just right with parmesan. The parmesan adds a salty taste, so be careful when seasoning early. This is a small recipe perfect for 2 people with left overs, but it can be doubled. While it can be frozen, I find cheese soups do not reheat well after… Read more »
Fruit or Apple Crisp
“Lot’s of crunchy topping on this apple crisp.” Update: The recipe below was my original large batch crisp. To make a smaller batch I use the same 1-2-4 ratio. One part butter, two parts brown sugar, 4 parts oats. So for example 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 cup oats. I often skip… Read more »
Beet Salad with Capers, Pepitas & Balsamic Vinaigrette
A bright, tangy side dish that pairs beautifully with rich meats like wagyu steak. Make the vinaigrette early so you can marinade the beets in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is enough for two with a little left over dressing for the next day. Balsamic–Shallot Vinaigrette: 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp… Read more »
Mixed Greens, Pear, Walnut and Goat Cheese Salad
This salad went well with pesto-herbed pork tenderloin but would be good with any Tuscan style meal. Salad Mixed greens blend 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced 2-3 tablespoons toasted walnut pieces 2-3 tablespoons goat cheese Mix greens with dressing. Just before serving slice pear and add with toasted walnuts and chunks of goat cheese. Mix… Read more »