Next Weeks Menu

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Deborah

WooHoo!

It is time for another Long Weekend in Canada!
This coming Monday marks our Country’s 146th Birthday.

Pretty much half the population of Southern Ontario will jam the 3 major highways heading north on Friday afternoon, all desperate to escape the city and relax in their quiet, lakeside settings with plenty of food, fun and frivolity (and beer too).

We are no different, except we will be leaving at the crack of dawn Friday to avoid the ‘Indianapolis 400’….better known as Highway 400 heading north from Toronto to Barrie. The worst stretch of highway for traffic in the summertime … Read more...

Guess What Time It Is?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Deborah

It is GangUp Challenge Time!

It has been far too long since we have done one of our cooking competitions. Almost 6 months to be exact, (view last posted GangUp here) and I have been asked by a few folks in the last little while wondering WHEN the next one was going to be.

Well, wait no further. The time has come to flex your culinary muscles and come up with a unique dish from the list of ingredients below.

The rules are the same, and for any newbies to the Challenge out there, here is how it works:… Read more...

Next Weeks Menu

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Deborah

WooHoo!

Do You Know What Day it is TODAY?

Today is the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!

I am so excited. Maybe the nice weather is finally here to stay for oh…say the next 3 months. My garden depends on it, my pool depends on it…and I depend on it. I savour the short respite from Old Man Winter, who is getting awfully cranky in his old age (like me lately – oh wait, that’s the menopause).

Next weeks menu below highlights a Surf & Turf Week at The Homestead. Deliciousness all around it will … Read more...

Pancakes Or Waffles?

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Deborah

It is Wednesday and inquiring minds want to know…

Do you prefer…

Pancakes?

Waffles?

Secondly…WHY do you prefer one to the other?

Please write your comments below as I am putting together an unscientific study to be compiled into a post at a later date.

Many thanks for your cooperation!… Read more...

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...

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...

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...