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...]
Camping Food: What Are Your Family’s Favourites? #woodsexplorer
"My favourite camping food is __________." (fill in the blank) When it comes to camping and dining, some quintessential camping food items that come to mind are: S'mores Sausages and hamburgers Grilled fish (with freshly caught fish straight from the lake) Fruits and veggies Cereal and milk PB & J sandwiches The list goes on! I never used to want to … [Read more...]
The BEST Omelette (Made by my 6 year old)
This may be hard to believe, but the best omelette I've ever eaten was actually made by my six year old daughter! The other day, Little One looked over at me, smiled and then said, "Mommy, I don't know why, but I all of a sudden feel like having an omelette!" Little One wanted to make the omelette herself. Of course, she knew that Mommy would have to do the actual … [Read more...]
PC Cooking School for Kids
Cooking is love made visible." Some of my earliest memories consist of being in the kitchen with my grandparents, learning how to cook traditional Filipino dishes. Afritada, Menudo, Sinigang, Tortang Talong, Adobo, Sio Pao are just some of the foods that transport me back to my childhood. I learned a lot about life and family in my grandparents' kitchen. I also learned that … [Read more...]
Celebrating Father’s Day with Summer Fresh #FreshBBQ
Father's Day is a day to celebrate Dad. Though we appreciate the important men in our lives every day, Father's Day is a great time to remind them of how special they really are to us. In our family, we celebrate with gathering together and sharing a meal. On special occasions like Father's Day, we let Daddy and Grampy choose their favourite dish. It seems that … [Read more...]
13 Amazing & Practical Uses for Mason Jars
There's just something so rustic and homey about mason jars. Living on a farm, mason jars are aplenty in our old farm kitchen. Friends and family joke that I work for Bernardin! I don't, but I sure do use their mason jars regularly and have hundreds in use all the time. I'm not kidding. Hundreds! Okay, maybe about two or three hundred! That's still a lot though! … [Read more...]
How to Sprout Seeds, Grains, and Beans
From my earliest recollections, sprouting our own bean sprouts has been something our family did. My Dad, being an expert green thumb and fan of all things innovative and science-based, always had some kind of "science project" going on. Whether it be hybridizing and creating new species of fancy Japanese goldfish to cross-pollinating flowers like orchids and daylilies, or … [Read more...]
Thai Mango Salad Dressing
One of my absolute favourite salads is a good Thai Mango Salad. Of course, living on Manitoulin Island, I try to use mostly ingredients that are found locally and that we grow on our farm. Sadly, we obviously just don't have the temperature to grow tropical fruit. Not only are we in Canada, but we're also in Northern Ontario. Our temperature and climate just aren't … [Read more...]
Soupe aux Petits Pois
My six year old is an unusual child. She has a refined palate for someone so young. She's not shy to tell me whether she thinks a dish needs more seasoning or whether it needs more acidity. How she knows this, I have no clue! She certainly loves flavours from all over the globe and asks me to make dishes from the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Japan, the Caribbean, … [Read more...]
26 Fun Easter Treats!
The weather is warming up, the sun is shining, and the birds are chirping! It's definitely starting to feel like Spring! When I think Spring, I think of grass peeking through the snow and flowers blooming. I also think about Easter dinner with family and all the dishes to make! We love sharing a meal with loved ones. Here is a collection of great Easter treats to make … [Read more...]
Best Ribs Ever!
For those who grew up in Montreal, I'm sure you've enjoyed many a meal at Bar-B-Barn. I remember going to Bar-B-Barn as a kid. It was near my Mom's work, so we sometimes went there for dinner on a Friday night. Years ago, a friend e-mailed me a recipe similar to the one for Bar-B-Barn's ribs. In college, another friend e-mailed me a similar recipe. Over the years, I have … [Read more...]
How to Save Time & Make those Hard-Earned Dollars Stretch #testdrivemoms
Living on a working beef farm, we really need to make our dollars stretch. The work is aplenty, but the monetary return not as much compared to the work that is entailed. Hubby reminds me that we are rich in many ways. We have a full life and are not in need of anything. Recognizing the difference between needs and wants is important. In order to ensure that I make our … [Read more...]
Mairlyn Smith’s Breakfast Grab-and-Gos
As busy working moms, I'm sure many of you are like me in that you ensure your family is fed before rushing out the door in the morning, but forget to feed yourself! I'm really bad for this. Oftentimes I even forget that I've made myself a tea and have to re-warm it three or four times before I actually get a moment to sit down and drink it! Does this sound like you? We … [Read more...]