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...]
Celebrate with a Slice this Holiday! Breville Canada Crispy Crust Pizza Maker Giveaway
Christmas is the one time of the year when my whole family is able to get together. Now that my brothers and I are grown up and have families of our own, our it's often a challenge getting our schedules to sync. This said, we always make sure to coordinate our vacation time for Christmas. It's extremely important for us to celebrate together. When I think of all the food … [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...]
Hasselback Potatoes – Another Family Favourite
I married a beef farmer. He loves his meat and potatoes. He really loves his meat and potatoes. This means I've got to pull out all my favourite potato recipes, as well as be on the look out for new recipes to try! I have been seeing Hasselback Potatoes on all of my social media networks. In fact, I'd be pretty hard pressed to go online and not come across photos and … [Read more...]
Summer Entertaining #Snapware
Summer is finally here, and that means it's time for Summer entertaining. One of the things I love most about Summer is enjoying home-cooked meals on the patio and sharing good food, conversation, and laughs with loved ones. Whether you're doing some outdoor dining on the patio, or packing a picnic lunch for a family hike, or going to a potluck BBQ party, it's important to … [Read more...]
How to Cut a Mango
My seven-year old daughter asked me to create a blog post on how to cut a mango, so here it is! This may sound funny, but whenever we eat mango, I always think of my grandparents. My grandfather showed me how to cut a mango (his way) when I was a little girl, and now I always cut it this way for Little One's lunches. When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time at my … [Read more...]
Macaron Obsession
Le macaron - French merringue-based confection made with egg whites, confectioner's sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder/ground almond, and food colouring. Often confused with the macaroon. Please! I beg you! Do not call a macaron a macaroon! I realize it's trivial, but hearing people use the word macaroon when talking about macarons really is a pet peeve of … [Read more...]
Miso Soup
Miso soup for breakfast? Yes, please! When I was living and working in Japan (1998-2000), one of the things that was a bit of a surprise to me was Japanese breakfasts. Traditional Japanese breakfasts often include rice, soup, fish, or egg and natto -- but not limited to those breakfast items. When I had training at my school's headquarters, we stayed at a ryokan … [Read more...]
Chicken Dumpling Stew
On cold Winter days, Little One wants nothing but soups, stews and chili. In fact, our seven-year old is currently obsessed with chicken dumpling stew! If she had it her way, we'd have soup every night of the week! One of her favourites is my Dad's chicken dumpling stew. Grampy's stew is a Trinidadian Dumpling Stew (can use beef instead of chicken) and includes … [Read more...]
Citrus Salad Recipe
Over the holidays, I was asked to bring a salad to a dinner party. I realized that I didn't have any kale, spinach or lettuce left, but since my niece's high school had a fundraiser recently, we happened to have bought two cases of citrus fruit! Citrus Salad would be our contribution then! I have to admit that the holidays always tempt me with favourite comfort foods and … [Read more...]
Grilled Persimon® Crostini w/ Manchego & Wine Reduction
Last Christmas, I introduced persimmon to our holiday dinner menu. I made a Persimon®, Blueberry and Pomegranate Salad, and it was a huge hit with my family. It was such a refreshing salad and the flavours were incredible together. I think it's safe to say that my family really enjoys the sweetness of persimmon. I really love the versatility of the fruit. I love it in … [Read more...]
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Though time was not something I had much of this Summer, my garden was surprisingly prolific. We are still picking tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber and green beans halfway through October! I won't mask my feelings of shock. My garden pretty much went untended and we still had a bountiful harvest. I've been making chocolate zucchini brownies and chocolate zucchini cake since … [Read more...]
Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake
I can feel it. The air is getting cooler. The days are getting shorter. Fall is absolutely, 100%, undeniably here. That's not a bad thing though! To be honest, I'm excited! I love Fall. I love the changing of the seasons. I love the beautiful Fall colours, wearing warm, fuzzy sweaters, and most of all, I love the Fall harvest! One word: PUMPKIN! I'm a fan of … [Read more...]
How to Pack a Bento Box Lunch in a Snap
It's that time of the year again! For many of us in Ontario, school starts next week! Some schools have already started their school year, but Little One goes back after Labour Day long weekend. This may sound a bit crazy, but I'm super excited about back to school bento box lunches! You've had two months of not seeing my daily kids' bento box posts on Instagram! Well, … [Read more...]