Next Weeks Menu

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Deborah

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!

The 3-D weather (Dark, Dreary & Damp) lately has made it feel like I have been transported to Ireland (no offence to Trishie et al). It is so damp I think I have moss and mushrooms sprouting in my hair, just like my lawn, and I am impatiently waiting for the well deserved heat and sun of Summer to make an appearance.

Meanwhile, we continue to BBQ despite the rain (or snow, we Canucks are hardy folks who love our BBQ’s) and this weekend is no exception as Sunday is Father’s Day. One of the traditional … Read more...

Puzzled?

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Deborah

I admit it…. I am a Crossword Puzzle-A-Holic. I love the puzzles in the USA Today paper (when hubby heads stateside occasionally, he brings them back for me – Woot!), and when we are at the Homestead, we grab a copy of the local newspaper as they have 2 puzzles in every issue. One is fairly easy, but the other is pull your hair out difficult, and when conquered, I feel like a World Champion…able to leap tall puzzles in a single bound.

Sunday mornings I can be found with at least 3 cups of tea and several Crosswords to … Read more...

Mango Nectarine Salsa

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Deborah

Open a jar, close your eyes, sample a spoonful of this bright, flavourful salsa and you would swear you were dining al fresco in Mexico. It is that good.

Excellent served as a topping for grilled chicken, fish or pork, it also makes an excellent alternative to plain salsa alongside a bowl of crunchy home-made tortilla chips.

You can vary the heat by adding more jalapeños to your liking, or if you have wimpy taste buds, remove them entirely. Either way, I bet you will love the taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 large, slightly under-ripe Mangos (if using the smaller … Read more...

Next Weeks Menu

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Deborah

We are approaching the middle of JUNE already??!! Didn’t I just make a menu board up a few days ago for the 1st week of June? Sheesh, life is so busy that one day flows into the next and snowballs from there….speaking of snowballs, talk about COLD here lately, may as well drag the parka out of storage if this cold front hangs around any longer.

Meanwhile, I am still on my BBQ kick, actually, we BBQ all year round, but it somehow tastes better when you can tend to the BBQ without said parka and mukluks on. We have … Read more...

Lime Coconut Biscotti

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Deborah

‘She put the Lime in the Coconut, she drank ’em both up’…

Who doesn’t love the Coconut Song performed by Harry Nilsson? This is one of those songs that you either love or hate, kind of like anything done by Weird Al Yankovic. For those Muppet fans of yesteryear, this version I remember vividly and still laugh hysterically every time I watch it.

The Coconut Song has been stuck in my head for the past week and I haven’t been able to shake it. Probably something to do with a mental image of me being set amongst palm trees with … Read more...

The Best of May

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Deborah

May has come and gone like a flash. A welcome one for me though as the weather really didn’t cooperate for us here in Ontario. Actually, April was really miserable too…combine a miserable, cold, wet April with another miserable, cold, wet May with only a few days of sun provided to keep my sanity, meant for a very cranky Homesteader….

I WANT HEAT AND SUN!

There, now that that is out of my system…can we move on to summer please?

There was a glorious long weekend in May for both Canuck’s and Americans alike, albeit spanning 2 different weekends, which … Read more...

Next Week’s Menu

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Deborah

Ack! It is June already! Cold, rainy May is finally behind us and now we can concentrate on summer F-U-N that is just around the corner. I love the month of June, boasting the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the arrival of Strawberry Season.

Nothing tastes as good as fresh, homegrown Ontario strawberries after our self-imposed fast from last summer. I head to the local PYO (pick-your-own) farm a few miles from the Homestead and come back laden with hefty baskets filled with luscious, red, ripe fruit. Some are made into muffins and desserts, others … Read more...

Skinny Girl Chilaquiles

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Deborah

Oxymoron Title? You bet….pretty much anything full of cheese and deep fried tortillas isn’t good for the waist line of any ‘mujer’…but I love Mexican food. Mexican food is flavourful, spicy, exotic, tasty….and well, sometimes fattening.

One of my favourite items when I head to Mexico to escape the frigid Canadian winters is Chilaquiles con pollo y salsa verde (oh, you don’t understand Spanish? Translation: Chilaquiles with chicken and green salsa…See? sounds way sexier in Spanish). It is one of those local, hearty dishes where everyone’s ‘abuela’ has a way of making it their own way. It is the kind … Read more...

Next Weeks Menu

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Deborah

I am so excited I can’t contain myself. This weekend I will be solo at the Homestead as hubby has to work a special project. Why am I so excited you ask? Aside from the obvious hogging of the whole bed every night?

It is Mexican fiesta weekend, that’s why! It is also a time to enjoy a vegetarian meal or two without having to make something else for hubby who prefers meat to be included in his dinners.

I am trying out 2 new recipes this weekend, Chilaquiles con Pollo y Salsa Verde (this from an episode of Triple … Read more...

Next Week’s Menu

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Deborah

Woot! Our first ‘Official’ long weekend of the summer is upon us! Even though summer doesn’t arrive for another month, we Canadian’s take full advantage of any temperatures warmer than -10C and add it to our short summer season.

Holiday Monday marks Queen Victoria’s birthday. Sure, she’s been long gone for a while, but we still like to honour her birthday with a day off, family BBQ’s, fireworks and of course, plenty of cold beverages and lounging in the sun. She is also nice enough to let us continue with our time honoured tradition we affectionately call ‘The May Two-Four … Read more...