When I was a kid, I remember being in awe of my mom's sisters because they were such good cooks. They could make everything from traditional Filipino food to New York Style Cheesecake, Mille Feuille, and beautiful, delicious, homemade apple cake. Being a kid in the kitchen was fun. I loved watching my aunts cook together and laugh together. It was the stuff childhood … [Read more...]
I love to cook and bake, and I love sharing recipes with my readers. For me, food brings people together. I guess this is why I love having friends and family over for dinner and I love hosting dinner parties. I'm all about International Cuisine Nights!
Coming from the city and coming from a family of Spanish, Filipina, Caribbean, Chinese roots, I love 'ethnic' cuisine. Living on an island in Northern Ontario, I need to find ways to create dishes with local produce and tweak recipes so that I can use Island ingredients when so much of the Asian ingredients aren't available where we live.
I'm also a Food Network Canada addict. We don't watch much TV in our house, but my biggest weakness is Food Network!
Coming from the city and coming from a family of Spanish, Filipina, Caribbean, Chinese roots, I love 'ethnic' cuisine. Living on an island in Northern Ontario, I need to find ways to create dishes with local produce and tweak recipes so that I can use Island ingredients when so much of the Asian ingredients aren't available where we live.
I'm also a Food Network Canada addict. We don't watch much TV in our house, but my biggest weakness is Food Network!
Fettucine Alfredo
Korean Beef Bulgogi
Japanese Okonomiyaki
Asparagus and Zucchini Ribbons (modified recipe from Giada de Laurentiis)
Cinnamon and Raisin Buns (Hubby's favourite on a Saturday morning)
The Easiest Chocolate Dessert You Will Ever Make
My mother-in-law makes this chocolate dessert every now and then, and this is a definite crowd pleaser. Everyone loves this dessert. The best thing about it is that it is really easy to make, and it only takes about ten minutes to make it! That means if you have guests who drop in for a meal unannounced or if you need a last minute dessert, you can make this and people will … [Read more...]
Fluffy Pancakes
The case of the fluffy pancakes. Little One loves waffles and pancakes, but she is very particular when it comes to pancakes. They have to be homemade (not from a boxed mix and not from frozen), and they have to be fluffy. The fluffier, the better, she says. I have to admit, she is right. There's nothing better than hot, buttery, fluffy pancakes! Little One cracks me … [Read more...]
Jerk Fish Poutine
Jerk Fish Poutine? Some may think it sounds crazy, or even sacrilegious, but I have to tell you that Jerk Fish Poutine is surprisingly delicious! Disclaimer: This post was written in affiliation with Grace Foods. All thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. For purists, perhaps any alterations to the original Quebecois favourite may very well be unheard … [Read more...]
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is another one of my favourite Thai dishes. The bit of heat, the layers of flavour, the aromatics, the creaminess from the coconut milk...What's not to love? I have to admit that when I taught my first Thai cooking class, I made the curry to the heat level I am accustomed to. I didn't realize that it would be too hot for some people's … [Read more...]
Super Easy, Super Delicious Pad Thai Recipe
Pad Thai is one of my absolute favourite dishes. Whenever I go to a Thai restaurant, 9 out of 10 times, I'll order the Pad Thai. What can I say? I am a creature of habit, and when I really like something, I order it whenever I can! What many people do not realize is that Pad Thai is not an overly complicated dish to recreate in their own kitchens! It's actually super … [Read more...]
Three-Ingredient Homemade Cheese Recipe
I know. Three-ingredient homemade cheese recipe? I kid you not, my friends. We go through cheese like crazy in this house. I even have a monthly "cheese allowance" for when I go to our local fromagerie. I love cheese that much! Really. I cannot live without my Bella Vitano Balsamic, Bella Vitano Merlot, applewood smoked Gouda, Huntsman, Brie, Camembert, and … [Read more...]
Spooky Halloween Bark
Little One reminded me that Halloween is in but a few short days and she wanted to make a super easy kid-friendly Spooky Halloween Bark for her classmates. I thought I had at least another week! Is it just me or have the months just flown by at warp speed? To be honest, the Spooky Halloween Bark treats were all Little One's doing. She actually wouldn't let me do anything. … [Read more...]
Cheesy Bacon Beer Bread
I've had many requests for our Cheesy Bacon Beer Bread recipe. Here it is! A few Summers ago, a dear friend of mine baked some Cheesy Beer Bread for my husband (that farm boy loves his bread). He enjoyed it so much that I tried to recreate the recipe in my head. I basically used a basic bread recipe my mother-in-law taught me and tweaked it a bit to include the … [Read more...]
August Long Weekend BBQ #PerfectPairings #SummerFresh
August long weekend is fast approaching. It feels as though school just let out, and all of a sudden, August long weekend is just around the corner! How on earth does that happen? Summer always seems so fleeting. To savour the remainder of our Summer days, we like to BBQ and have friends and family over. If you're looking for a great recipe to make, our eight year-old … [Read more...]
Perfect Pairings this Canada Day! #PerfectPairings #SummerFresh #Canada150
Canada Day is almost upon us, and this Canada Day is a BIG one! Canada 150! Celebrations will definitely be including BBQ parties with friends! We're already thinking about some perfect pairings! I don't know about you, but with school ending and Canada 150 celebrations beginning, we're really strapped for time. Easy, delicious, and quick recipes for the BBQ are what we … [Read more...]
Lumpiang Shanghai ~ Filipino Spring Roll Recipe
Some of my earliest memories are of my mom, her sisters, and my grandmother gathering around the kitchen table and making Lumpiang Shanghai and other Filipino food together. There would always be lots of laughter and chatter as the sisters worked together to prepare a feast for the family. The sound of laughter and the fragrances that came from the kitchen will forever be some … [Read more...]
Layered Eggplant, Zucchini, Tomato Gratin & a #BakersSecret Giveaway!
One of my absolute favourite dishes is my Layered Eggplant, Zucchini, Tomato Gratin. Years ago, I used to just put throw in all my vegetables for my ratatouille in a baking dish and cook them, but I find the presentation for this dish is so visually appealing. When it comes to making side dishes for our meals, I love a very generous helping of vegetables. I've been … [Read more...]
Mini Chocolate Chess Pies
It's National Chocolate Day, so we whipped up some Mini Chocolate Chess Pies. One of my husband's favourite desserts is Chocolate Chess Pie. Hubby mentioned recently that I haven't been baking as much as when we first started dating. Before we got married, I baked him gourmet cheesecakes regularly. Now, he only gets homemade gourmet cheesecake on his birthday or on … [Read more...]
Salmon with Maple Dijon Glaze
One of the greatest things about living on an island is that we have access to fresh fish. A favourite of ours is salmon. Manitoulin Island is a fisherman's paradise. The fish you can catch depends on the time of year, and which lake you are fishing at. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned fishing enthusiast, or whether you like fishing from the shore, the dock or … [Read more...]