July 25, 2012

What? Dulce de Leche Irish Oatmeal

If you have read my Seattle Excursion post you’d know that I sometimes go to great length to find oatmeal for breakfast. Must be my comfort food. Recently I had breakfast at Diner Delux in Calgary and ordered their delicious Maple Fried Oatmeal with Lemon Curd, a fried square of oatmeal served in an individual cast iron skillet floating in a maple flavoured sauce and topped with a dollop of lemon curd.  The lemon curd cuts down the... View Article

July 24, 2012

Cherry Tomatoes-Gouda Tarts

It’s raining and cool today. There must have been a rain storm here last night. We woke up to find several cushions and a beautiful, heavy table cloth that were left out overnight scattered all over the patio this morning, soaking wet. The one time I don’t put everything away and there is an overnight storm. The tall grass in the planters surrounding the patio is bent over, burdened with rain water and wind. One... View Article

July 22, 2012

Fruit Smoothie

When I cut up fruits and do not use them all I place the leftover portion in a freezer bag and freeze them for making smoothies later on. Last time I made fruits on a stick (see here) I had a few fruits left over that I froze so this morning I made them into a smoothie for breakfast to serve with cooked Irish steel cut oats. If you don’t have your own then use... View Article

July 20, 2012

Rhubarb Raspberry Whip

I have a couple of rhubarb plants in our otherwise wild back yard in the country where we live. It’s the only plant that seems to survive here. It is impossible to have a garden or even landscaping as we have a large number of wildlife roaming the forest and meadows around us and they eat everything in sight. They even come up on the deck to lunch of my flower pots, when i have... View Article

July 20, 2012

New Potatoes and Vegetables Salad

We have been eating pretty simply these last few days, you have seen the postings. A salad here, a chilled soup there, corn on the cob almost every day. Everything so fresh, so flavourful and so seasonal. That’s how I enjoy cooking the most. Today for lunch I put together this lovely potatoes and vegetables salad tossed with a store bought mayonnaise and flavoured with a bunch of fresh dill, chopped and mixed into the... View Article

July 18, 2012

Ribbon Salad

We are settled in our Kelowna abode for a few weeks and I am going to the local markets each day searching for beautiful produce to prepare at home. These market forays are special and I venture with anticipation to see what’s new, what’s fabulous and what’s going to make it home with me to be prepared for lunch or dinner. Spring and summer vegetables are one of the most exciting things for a foodie... View Article

July 17, 2012

Drink your vegetables: Chilled Gazpacho

Spanish in origin, this refreshing chilled soup is lovely in the summer when tomatoes are ripe and sweet and vegetables are crisp and tender. I serve it on hot days and even the skeptics and the less adventurous fall for it every time. Gazpacho is easy to make, there is no cooking involved and the ingredient list is quite flexible. Today I made this with vine riped tomatoes from the local market, small cucumbers, tender... View Article

July 16, 2012

Breakfast on the Mayan Riviera, the Omni Hotel, Puerto Aventuras

I mentioned that I write travel reviews on Trip Advisor. I have written about a number of hotels on the Mayan Riviera in a series about Luxury Breakfast on the Mayan Riviera and this posting about Puerto Aventuras was submission #7. The Trip Advisor articles have generated so far more that 21,000 readers so I assume people find them helpful. You can find all the submissions in the Travel section in this blog, left column... View Article

July 14, 2012

Lentil-Vegetable Burgers

Vegetarian burgers are standard on the menu here in the summer. I make a recipe and if not using all the burgers immediately I freeze them individually, well wrapped in plastic bags and pull them out as I need them. They reheat beautifully in a 375℉ oven or on a grill. I make them with cooked lentils and whatever vegetables I have on hand. For these burgers you need brown or greenish lentils that cook... View Article

July 13, 2012

Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

WARNING: Gooey, chewy and can be addictive. This recipe uses a can of sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter. Melt them together and pour over 6-8 cups of Rice Krispies. Press into a pan, refrigerate for a few hours and cut into squares or roll into balls. I sometimes stick the Rice Krispies balls on skewers so your fingers don’t get sticky. I support the gooey chewy balls on skewers with... View Article

July 12, 2012

Spring Peas

I intend to post a few recipes using peas in the next few weeks so I thought I’d talk a little about peas first. Indulge me. Fresh green peas begin  to appear in the market in late spring and remain until mid summer. If you have only eaten frozen peas up to now I hope I can persuade you to venture to your local farmers market, pick up fresh  peas in their pods, return home... View Article

July 11, 2012

Cherry Tarts

Cherry pie and tart filling is usually made with sour cherries. Sour cherries are only available for a short time in the early spring. Honestly, I seldom find sour cherries in our markets up here so I am making these tarts with regular cherries. If you do have sour cherries maybe adjust the amount of sugar you are using, you may need a little more. Otherwise I think things should work the same. Making individual... View Article