This is definitely my go-to pancake recipe that I make for Timothy and me on weekends. There is a good amount of apple in the batter and they aren’t as doughy as some fluffy pancakes can be. I decided to add some barley flour for some extra taste and for something a little different. I had originally bought the barley flour because it was a main ingredient in some really nice cookies I made from Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook. If you don’t have barley flour, or don’t know where to get it (or can’t be bothered), then using only all-purpose flour will be […]
Crispy Red Kale Chips
Like most people who have tried homemade kale chips, I’m hooked. I previously had put it in soup and loved it there but who am I kidding – lighting coating it in olive oil and Maldon Salt will always win. I have read other blogs and heard people talking about these and they say that they are like potato chips. I disagree. They are salty and crispy but they do taste like kale, but only in the best sense. When they are in the oven the steam coming out of the vent does smell a little cabbagy and not in […]
Blueberry Maple Ice Cream
I bought an ice cream maker earlier this week and I have now discovered what will replace last month’s obsession with making jam. I bought the ice cream maker out of the goodness of my heart because my husband is going gluten free for a little while and also giving up beer, so I thought I would give him a treat. I continue to enjoy a cold beer now and then on our newly minted patio and I felt bad for him that he couldn’t have a treat. The ice cream maker that I got is a Cuisinart that I […]
Black Raspberry and Chambord Jam
Each new jam recipe that I come up with becomes my new favourite. I think Timothy particularly enjoyed this one as well which makes sense since he devoured half a pint of black raspberries in one sitting. In the same sitting, he ate about a cup of cherries. I knew I wanted to put in some type of booze into this jam but I wasn’t sure what I should use, so I hit the internet. It became very clear that Chambord was going to be the winner. There are two reasons for this: the first reason was that I thought […]
Preserved Cherries with Brandy
I ordered a box of cherries from Bailey’s last week but unfortunately due to the wet spring their supplier wasn’t able to come through. It was too bad but I ended up getting a bunch of cherries from Martin’s Family Fruit Farm instead. It was my first visit out there and I came home with a flat of black raspberries too – more on that in the next post. It turns out that Timothy loves cherries. He ate so many that I was worried he would have a big stomach ache. That kids can really pack away the fruit though. He […]
Swiss Chard with Garlic Scapes and Cultured Butter
It is two weeks now into our CSA share with Transpire Organic and I have a new favourite veggie – sautéed swiss chard. I am by nature a very picky eater and you couldn’t have paid me to eat wilted greens when I was little, but I thought I would give it a go. When I served myself this dish for the first time last week I was quite trepidatious as I brought the fork to my mouth. I was worried it would be like spinach, but it wasn’t at all. Swiss chard has a mild flavour unlike spinach, which […]
Crème Fraiche & Brown Sugar Scones
I really wanted something to eat my jam with. I was content with just toast but I left a brand new store-bought loaf on the edge of the counter before I went out and guess who got it? George just couldn’t help himself and pulled it off the counter. I was very disappointed to discover that Buffy also got in on the action and likely ate much more of the bread than Georgie. She was hiding under the bed when I got home, consumed with guilt and likely a sore belly. BTW – you don’t want to know how I […]
Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam
This rhubarb jam is probably one of the best things that has ever come out of my kitchen. My husband, always my biggest fan, said that it is the best jam he has ever tasted. While it was cooking my house smelled amazing. If I had a clue how, I would bottle the scent or make scented candles out of it. The idea for this jam has been rattling around my head since last summer after I made what I guess would be called stewed rhubarb that I put on plain yogurt. I was pretty darn nervous about making proper […]
Eating Local in Waterloo Region
While I am not fiercely committed to eating only organic food, nor will I ever try the ridiculous 100 Mile Diet challenge, I am committed to buying what I can locally and being aware of what I am eating. It is harder to do than getting everything from the grocery store and not care whether it traveled across the country or how it was raised (referring to meat), but the possibility of better long-term health and helping support sustainable farming in Ontario (or wherever you live) is a desirable pay-off. I am eagerly awaiting the start of this year’s […]