Aug 20, 2014 | desserts & sweets, frozen treats, in the kitchen, popular, recipes
Even though summer in Toronto this year has been on the ‘cool’ side, and it’s nearing the end of August, I refuse to let summer die. And what better way to continue on celebrating than by whipping up some ice cream? Now, don’t get the wrong...
Aug 8, 2014 | beyond the kitchen, personal
To be honest, when I agreed to take part in Ontario Gas BBQ’s #OGBChallenge back in May, I was just excited to go along for the ride. As I mentioned in my introductory post for the Challenge, “I rarely grill. Did I say ‘rarely’? I meant...
Aug 6, 2014 | our travels, travel, travel info
During our recent anniversary trip to Hawaii, Paul and I tried our best to “eat local” – not only did we look for small, independent businesses to visit, but we also tried to make sure we sampled some truly Hawaiian dishes. A few of these were things...
Aug 1, 2014 | beyond the kitchen, events
Just a quick Friday morning post to tell you about a fun food event coming up on August 10 here in Toronto – the TO Food Fest! Now in its third year, the TO Food Fest is one of my favourite food events of the year. I’ve been watching the event grow since...
Jul 25, 2014 | book reviews, bookshelf, reviews
title: All Four Stars author: Tara Dairman publication date: July 15, 2014 publisher: Putnam Juvenile As a child, I was a bookworm. Now, as an adult bookworm, I sometimes discover books that I wish had been around during my childhood because they are just that...
Jul 21, 2014 | our travels, travel
While staying at the St. Regis Princeville on Kauai (highly recommended, by the way – this place is LUXURIOUS), I was told that the Bloody Mary was celebrating its 80th ‘birthday’ (see, I’m on vacation, and STILL learning food facts!) and that...
Jul 4, 2014 | our travels, travel
Ten years ago, Paul and I spent our honeymoon in Hawaii – two glorious weeks of sun, water and great eats – one week each on Oahu and Kauai. We came home with a love of all things Hawaii – the fresh fruit, the sun, the laid-back lifestyle and the...
Jul 1, 2014 | in the kitchen, personal
HAPPY CANADA DAY! There’s something very Canadian about celebrating our country’s birthday with a famly BBQ. And as you probably know from my past several weeks of blog posts, I’ve been taking part in the #OGBChallenge, sponsored by Ontario Gas BBQ,...
Jun 20, 2014 | breakfast, cheese, eggs, grilling & smoking, in the kitchen, pork & bacon, recipes
The Challenge: A “Mexican” breakfast, featuring bacon and using a cast aluminum double-sided griddle. My final recipe for the #OGBChallenge really shows how much you can accomplish on the grill. This “breakfast” is actually great any time of...
Jun 19, 2014 | cheese, desserts & sweets, fruits & vegetables, grilling & smoking, in the kitchen, recipes
The Challenge: An “Italian” dessert, featuring cheese and using a sauce pot. After the 13-hour grilling marathon that I went through for the pulled pork pitas, I wanted something quick and simple for my next recipe. This recipe definitely fits the bill....
Jun 18, 2014 | grilling & smoking, in the kitchen, main courses, pork & bacon, recipes
The Challenge: A “Mediterranean” main dish, featuring pork shoulder/butt and using a food injector. I LOVE pulled pork sandwiches. So, when I saw my next #OGBChallenge involved an injector and a pork shoulder (or, as the five-year-old in me likes to say...
Jun 17, 2014 | fruits & vegetables, grilling & smoking, in the kitchen, recipes, side dishes
The Challenge: A “Thai” side dish, featuring vegetables and using a porcelain coated wok. Since this is a side dish, I wanted to keep things simple, but still wanted to create a dish that added a lot of impact to a meal. This quick vegetable stir-fry...
Jun 16, 2014 | chicken & poultry, in the kitchen, recipes
The Challenge: A “British” appetizer, featuring chicken legs and using a stainless steel wing rack. Out of the five recipes I created for the #OGBChallenge, I think this one gave me the most trouble. Now, I LOVE all things British and London is one of my...
Jun 16, 2014 | in the kitchen, personal
Sometimes I agree to do crazy things without thinking them through first. For example, when the awesome folks at Ontario Gas BBQ (OGB), the world’s largest BBQ store, invited me to take part in a grilling challenge, I thought it would be a great opportunity to...
Jun 9, 2014 | book reviews, bookshelf, reviews
title: Garde-Manger author: Chuck Hughes publication date: April 16, 2012 publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Food is constantly evolving, changing, becoming…Food is alive! Capturing something as ephemeral as a recipe or a favourite dish is anything but...
