Abra Cadabra-Presto its Pesto!

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Deborah

If you are like me, you are probably wishing you could wiggle your nose like Samantha Stevens and turn your seemingly endless supply of Basil leaves into cute, little bottled jars of pesto in an instant. Complete with bows on the lids and fancy labels. But the reality is, you are not a witch like Samantha Stevens, apparently they only exist in tv land. Therefore you must roll up your sleeves and deal with the Basil acreage on your own. Dammit…why is tv make-believe only?

I have 2 Basil plants at the Homestead and one in my garden in the … Read more...

I Can, You Can, Everyone is Doing the Can Can….

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Deborah

No, not the dance. But something equally as exciting and so much more self-satisfying. Unless you’re a gentleman watching some lovely French Ladies perform the time-honoured dance of the same name. But we won’t go there….

I am talking about Canning. Canning is preserving home-grown foods for consumption during the long, drawn-out, cold, miserable, kill your spouse for being cooped up with you for far too long Canadian winters.

Kinda makes you appreciate all the efforts you expended tending to that garden in the nine-million degree heat all summer long. Dealing with the cabbage worms that were eating your lettuce, … Read more...

How to make your own Pizza Dough…and Make it Healthier too.

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Deborah

HA! No way…she’s crazy you say. But it’s true. It is much easier than you think to make your own pizza dough. Especially when I have taken all the guesswork, time trials, marginal successes and some downright failures in perfecting this Pizza Dough recipe for you. I had gradiose ideas of wanting to use just whole wheat flour, but it ended up being just like making 100% whole wheat bread. It turned out heavy, chewy, no flavour and was almost suitable for boat anchor material (*almost* – it wouldn’t be because the fish will have eaten it once you threw … Read more...

Chiles Rellenos….Meets a Jalapeño Popper

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Deborah

How many things have been invented over the years that have actually come about from either a mistake, or the crazy notion that putting two seemingly oddball things together just might be the next best thing since the day someone dunked a hunk of chocolate in a jar of peanut butter.

I had that revelation today after heading out to the garden and picking the first 2 Poblano Peppers that were ready, and as I looked at the Poblanos, dinner popped into mind.

Chiles Rellenos – Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Chiles Rellenos (pronounced Chi-leys Rey-yeh-nos) are an extremely popular Mexican … Read more...

If I could raise chickens…..

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Deborah

I would have plenty of fresh eggs every day. Fresh eggs are amazing. You know where they came from and exactly how old they are. Something you have no idea about with the ones purchased in the store.

I would have fresh eggs for breakfast, eggs for baking my world famous chocolate chip cookies, or cakes and breads, making egg salad sandwiches, quiches and custards and of course, eggs for dying at Easter time.

But I don’t have any chickens. Mainly because the city where I live would most certainly throw a hissy fit and demand their removal. They … Read more...

Garden Harvest # 1…Peppers, Tomatoes, Garlic…and what is that in my pool?

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Deborah

I arrived home yesterday to a mini-bounty of vegetable goodies after being up at the Homestead for almost 2 weeks. Usually when I have to leave the Homestead, I drag myself to my car kicking and screaming (not easy to do and the neighbours look at me funny) and then I proceed to pout for the entire 3+ hour drive. I am not kidding, its true. Happens every week. I can’t help myself.

But yesterday I was actually a little… just a *little* excited about coming home. Because I knew after such a long absence, there would be beautiful, colourful … Read more...

Heirloom Pickerel Dinner

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Deborah

Our family loves to eat this tasty freshwater fish. So much so that we eagerly await opening season in May and head out to *try* and catch dinner. Sometimes we come back empty handed and therefore resort to cooking hamburgers for dinner, and of course sulk the entire time we are eating.

But when we are able to bring back some of these tasty morsels of the fish world, we are like kids at Christmas time. Absolutely and positively excited about the dinner that is soon to hit the table.

This recipe is from my husband’s grandmother. I was introduced … Read more...

Pickerel or Walleye….

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Deborah

They are called by either name depending on what side of the border you are on. Canadians call them Pickerel. Americans call them Walleye. I call them DEE-LISH on my plate. With a squeeze of lemon for good measure.

They are a freshwater fish with firm, white flesh and have been made famous by many a fishing show shorelunch excursion. Italo…eat your heart out.

Catching a stringer full of pickerel is THE BOMB.

Yummy. Yummy. In my Tummy.

Depending on what lakes you visit in Ontario, there are limits as to how many you can catch/have in your possession at … Read more...

Orzo….ORZO….

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Deborah

OOOORRRZZZOOOO…. I love saying the word ORZO. It kinda rolls off the tongue and sounds cool. Maybe Ferrari should create a new car and call it Orzo. I would buy one. I bet a lot of people would.

Orzo is a small pasta. The word Orzo is actually Italian for ‘Barley’. It is shaped like a grain of Rice or kernel of Barley, only larger. It has gained it’s fame over the years from being included in numerous Italian soup, casserole and side dish recipes.

It is the star of an Orzo with Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. It has … Read more...

Drying Herbs

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Deborah

Herbs….Herbage…Herbaciousness….are fantastic for livening up your culinary experiments in the kitchen, whether they are fresh, dried or even fresh/frozen.

Most people use dried herbs purchased in dusty little glass bottles that have been sitting on a store shelf since at least 1982 and cost as much as a small car. These are *ok*, if you like blandness in your food that is. As opposed to the smack-in-the-face whiff of fresh or freshly dried herbs that makes your nose happy to be first in line to smell the wonderful aromas coming from your stockpot.

I have been growing and using fresh … Read more...