July 25, 2012
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 14, 2012
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 12, 2012
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 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
July 8, 2012
These last few days in Kelowna have been lovely, although I didn’t get to cook any dinners. With all the gorgeous produce in the markets I was eager to cook but I am coming back next weekend and staying for a while so will get to do more cooking then. I did have plenty of opportunities though to prepare snack food and I posted some of them in the last few days. This morning is... View Article
July 6, 2012
Not to be rude or anything but “stick it” in culinary terms is not so bad. I tend to “stick” foods on skewers for presentation, grilling, and ease of serving. Why not? I am fairly adventurous and like the unexpected. Don’t these fruits look more special on a stick then on a plate? I made them this morning, expecting a couple of friends to drop by our place at the end of their morning walk... View Article
