tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59437192012-01-24T00:50:24.682-05:00Recipes. Reviews. Music. Videos. Life. It all revolves around food.Avranoreply@blogger.comBlogger811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-70045928028812931392009-11-24T16:11:00.005-05:002010-11-24T11:12:22.507-05:00

My father passed away November 14. I am sad, but he has not been the person I grew up with for many years. That's the kind of effect that Alzheimer's and old age had on him: he remembered his family, but not what he did that morning. He could identify photos of old theatre colleagues from the 50s, but hecouldn't recall where he was in pictures I would show him from my childhood.My dad was the one

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-71019694179536576112009-08-19T23:08:00.007-04:002009-08-24T16:11:58.382-04:00

I'm not going to even try and explain why it's been almost four months since my last post. Nor am I going to promise to be more regular with the blog posting. Enjoy!My family is well aware of my love for chocolate, and they often bring home interesting chocolate bars for sampling. This summer was no exception, as my sister-in-law (SIL) went out and picked up four different chocolate bars for

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-78758406234348695222009-04-30T15:09:00.002-04:002009-04-30T15:15:04.347-04:00

Meryl Streep, Norah Eprhron and a movie about food. What's not to like?I can't embed the trailer, so here's the official website.http://www.julieandjulia.com/

Avranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-43358855699845023352009-03-30T13:01:00.003-04:002009-04-04T22:01:27.212-04:00

Here’s some interesting work news, which ties beautifully into the theme of this blog.My job involves writing. A few days ago my colleague and cube mate was talking about needing to put together some two line descriptions on the inspiration and ingredients for each of the canapés that will be served at the next exhibition opening, which is all about camouflage and deception.The chef is proposing

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-29414303055005379002009-03-06T07:57:00.010-05:002009-04-04T21:47:49.907-04:00

My bus to work lets me off in front of a Starbucks every morning.This in itself may not sound like an incredible pronouncement, but let's go back and look at this sentence more carefully. a) I now have a job, people. Back at work, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm. After 18 months of hanging out at home with the kids, I'm back in the hustle and bustle of the rat race...but with a small difference.

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-12309016196395902152009-02-11T13:57:00.004-05:002009-02-11T16:06:36.740-05:00

A long time ago, in the same land I am in now, I used to participate in a food blogging challenge - Presto Pasta Nights, originated by Ruth Daniels of Once Upon a Feast. My first submission to PPN (#60) was a Garlic, Sweet Potato and Spinach lasagna. I still count it as one of my best-ever creations - succulently rich slices of sweet potato layered with spinach, noodles, zucchini and a flavourful

Avranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1988178091992699712009-01-26T15:19:00.005-05:002009-02-11T16:02:04.135-05:00

the first batch of golden-brown potato latke goodnessCravings for the potato nests from my childhood intersected with the gift of a subscription of Gourmet for Christmas.I made my first batch using baking potatoes and a recipe from the December issue over the Christmas holidays while BIL and GIL were here. The results were mouthwatering, but the photo doesn't do them justice.Last week I

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-53786675412677534882009-01-13T22:07:00.004-05:002009-01-13T22:18:12.488-05:00

Okay, I give up for now. I seem to be unable to make the time to write the kind of blog posts I want to write. It's taking too long and it's more work than fun. And I'm blogging for fun, not work.But I still like thinking about, talking about and making great food. So I'm switching(temporarily?) to microblogging via Twitter. You'll notice the updates over in the right-hand corner of the page.I

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-24807076991690244812008-12-12T14:57:00.008-05:002009-01-13T22:24:23.282-05:00

Where have I been? Even my dashboard forgot me. No surprise there, since it's been over a month since I last blogged. Sure, I've sat at this computer pretty much every day, but somehow, the will (or the time) to craft a decent post escaped me.But I'm still trying....and just to prove that I have been in the kitchen I bring you a quick, easy and healthy recipe that makes potato chips a thing of

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-75144428790864255882008-11-05T11:29:00.005-05:002008-11-06T09:44:07.992-05:00

November. For some, it's a long, dreary month that signals the arrival of colder temperatures. For the Prostate Cancer Rearch Foundation, November has become Movember, and men all over Canada the world are encouraged to grow a moustache in support of prostate cancer research.I'm not a man, so I can't grow a mo. Instead, I'm paying good money to see my brother-in-law (not BIL or BBIL, but the

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-77370577264917010122008-10-02T10:14:00.007-04:002009-02-02T10:21:25.786-05:00

luscious red cranberries.a tarty hint of fresh green lime and a dash of almond extract. Smitten Kitchen Blueberry Crumb Bars, reinvented. Mouthwatering goodness.

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-55299988669909458922008-10-01T22:31:00.015-04:002009-02-02T10:16:45.593-05:00

Last Friday, the Bean and I found ourselves in the kitchen once again. This time, I decided that it was time to make granola. It's been on my to-make list for a while. As soon as I published that oatmeal was the favorite family breakfast, the Bean and the Boo switched to a preference for granola. And now that I've written that, it will probably switch again.We go through about 750 grams of

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-60677297878599480002008-09-25T22:00:00.001-04:002008-09-26T23:44:59.622-04:00

What do you do with two quarts of baby tomatoes delivered to your door? That was the situation I found myself in two weeks ago when I let some of the vegetables we had been receiving pile up in our fridge.So, to be honest, I had previously been drooling over images of slow-roasted tomatoes, and I was purposely trying to hang on to the tomatoes so I would have enough to fill a cookie sheet or two.

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-39708996574059870462008-09-18T21:22:00.016-04:002008-09-25T11:37:36.317-04:00

Orzo has never been one of my favorite pastas. Maybe because the few times I have had it, either it has been cooked incorrectly (leaving it sticky and clumpy), paired with the wrong kind of sauce (it really didn't do much for me mixed with pesto and served as a side like rotini or fettucini), or left me feeling less than wowed as an ingredient in a salad. You would think I'd avoid eating it, but

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-28386949782038326052008-09-13T22:06:00.026-04:002009-02-02T10:17:35.597-05:00

The Bean and I are on our way to establishing what I hope will be an ongoing routine. Every so often on a Friday afternoon, we head for the kitchen while the Boo naps. I put on my baking apron with the red and white stripes and the Bean puts on his..errr..."apron". Then we get all the ingredients out to bake a special treat.I read the recipe and measure things out. He's in charge of dumping the

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-49292419480153797712008-09-13T21:51:00.006-04:002008-09-13T22:00:30.315-04:00

Here's a question that has been bothering me for years. We've all been to those restaurants where they post this sign on or near the door:NO SHOESNO SHIRTNO SERVICEI've always wondered: what would happen if someone walked in wearing only a shirt and shoes? Would they have to serve that person? (and no, I'm not the type of person to try and find the answer out first hand...)

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-35012402443075509162008-09-11T21:50:00.012-04:002009-02-02T10:17:56.904-05:00

This week, I was inspired by the plethora of vegetables in my fridge to create a version of a pasta primavera. In this case, I think primavera is a bit of a misnomer, given that the current weather is definitely not spring-like where I am. In fact, the last few days have alternated between blazing summer heat and downright fallish rains. I guess that's September for you.But back to the vegetables

Avranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-58269544997194739042008-09-10T12:25:00.016-04:002008-09-11T14:55:58.517-04:00

Blogging is hard.I've been at this one now for 6 months, and all I can say is that I find it difficult to be happy with the way I am writing. I can't help but compare my blog to some of the ones out there that I find interesting -- either because they have great photography or great writing (for some examples, see my blog roll to the right). Lately, I feel like I have neither...though I know my

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-6756344832631910122008-09-04T13:49:00.005-04:002008-09-11T14:28:01.975-04:00

So I took four ingredients that my little Bean always wants to eat for lunch when asked, and wondered what would happen if I tried putting them together in a pasta dish.In to the bowl went wholewheat pasta, feta cheese. leftover grilled chicken with pesto and blueberries.It looked interesting and colourful, but the Boo's reactions to this combination spoke volumes. He picked out all the

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-36223758384263087222008-08-31T23:01:00.011-04:002008-09-04T14:03:49.824-04:00

It was because of the leftover oatmeal.Wait, let me try that again. I wasn't inspired to bake a version of Starbucks Baked Berry Stella because of leftover oatmeal. But leftover oatmeal certainly pushed me in the right direction of creating a recipe that came very close to the taste of the original.I was inspired because of my love of all things baked, and because I was less than overwhelmed by

Avranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-2558694010007585922008-08-26T22:13:00.013-04:002008-08-27T13:20:05.742-04:00

As promised - a visual sampling of the meals that I ate while at Hollyhock (Friday, August 15-Sunday, August 17). A grand total of two dinners, two breakfasts, and one lunch. All the meals were prepared with fresh ingredients, and many of the ingredients came from the large garden that sits in between the reception/registration hall and the kitchen/dining hall.I still have a real shyness when it

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-21649110864961997772008-08-23T21:32:00.006-04:002008-08-26T22:04:03.109-04:00

I'm back, but still digesting recovering from my whirlwind trip west. In a word, the trip was captivating.The meals, the scenery, the people I met -- all met and exceeded my expectations.But I'm saving the details for another post.I found this list while checking out some different food blogs tonight. I like the original creator's definition of omnivore, and had to test myself to see just how

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-43475695303985147642008-08-13T22:20:00.007-04:002008-08-20T15:59:24.620-04:00

I'm breaking free of being a "mom" for a while to spend a few days in total rest and relaxation on Cortes Island, BC. The Hollyhock retreat, to be exact. I've never been, but I am meeting a friend of mine (and photographer of the above picture) who makes a point of going at least once a year when she's had enough of the hustle and bustle of her life as a family doc.If you have read any of my

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-24047293699867161232008-08-11T21:54:00.010-04:002008-08-11T22:27:05.703-04:00

Only days after posting my tribute to Sher of What did You Eat, I was inspired to try her suggested variation on Edamame and Scallops using salmon.This time I used black sesame seeds, orange sweet pepper and a little bit of wasabi in the salad.I also simplified my standard salmon glaze. I used the honey and mustard as a base, and then added a little bit of lime juice. I omitted the sesame and

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-90309147236144032312008-08-06T14:14:00.017-04:002008-08-08T14:25:25.759-04:00

Things I love about our annual beach vacation:We found the sweetest little cottage.It's 500 meters from the beach.We go at the same time as my husband's other siblings.When we get together, it's usually over food.We eat a lot of seafood.My sisters-in-law appreciate good food as much as I do. We always have bonfires at night.Did I mention we spend a lot of time at the beach?My husband comes from a

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-68500481324865919312008-08-04T20:25:00.003-04:002008-08-09T15:54:48.422-04:00

While on vacation, we would go into town every once in a while to visit with my husband's parents or his sister. I would sometimes take advantage of these opportunities to check my email and peruse a few of my favorite blogs.It was on one of these visits that I stumbled across news of Sher--the creator of What Did You Eat?-- and her unexpected death from heart attack.This news affected me in a

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-52232503041138108812008-07-17T11:00:00.003-04:002008-11-18T20:05:24.165-05:00

We're off on vacation for the next couple of weeks, with no Internet access. So I've asked BIL and GIL to guest-post for me while I am gone. I haven't given them any guidance except to say that it has to be about food. Being the foodies that they are, I am sure that whatever they come up with will be interesting, so please check back.In the meantime, I am leaving you with some photos to give you

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-14831669639161168332008-07-16T20:06:00.008-04:002008-11-18T20:05:24.859-05:00

The saskatoon berry. From this...I’m a prairie girl by birth, and saskatoon berries grow in a lot of places in and around the city where I grew up.Growing up, saskatoon berry picking in our family was a ritual that was synonymous with summer. I have vivd memories of clambering around in bushes, picking the small but firm berries off the bushes and hearing the soft hollow thunk as they landed in

Avranoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-57153545940484527082008-07-15T14:46:00.008-04:002008-11-18T20:05:25.049-05:00

I'm a Starbucks girl, I admit it.It started with the iced Tazo Chai Lattes in the late 1990's and has progressed from there. When I was running with the Strollercize ladies after the birth of the Bean, I was in our local Starbucks at least 3 times a week. I've managed to cut down since then, but it's still my little luxury...While out running errands today, I stopped in to discover they had just

Avranoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-81075671558673119282008-07-11T23:08:00.004-04:002008-09-04T13:42:51.697-04:00

I use acronyms and nicknames in this blog to refer to people who show up - mostly to protect our privacy, and sometimes to protect the not-so-innocent ;-)Here is the quick and dirty reference to all the names so far:The Bean: my 3 year old son. A boy with definite opinions on how he likes his berries and a real charmer to boot.The Boo: my 1 year old sonMy husband: self-explanatory - the father of

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-35060044652044518512008-07-09T15:39:00.010-04:002009-02-02T10:18:23.358-05:00

I love cookbooks. While I certainly use the Internet for a lot of my recipes (especially since we put the computer in the kitchen), there is something about being able to directly document the changes I make and the reactions to recipes that I enjoy. I also enjoy finding those notations later. This recipe for conchiglie stuffed with roast pumpkin and ricotta is a perfect example of that. I made

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-54050336130912044372008-07-08T16:16:00.008-04:002008-11-18T20:05:26.282-05:00

The weather here has been spectacular. Hot, but not too humid. It makes it hard to want to sit at the computer. That, plus I'm spending the entire week, 24x7, with the kids (the caregiver is on a well-earned vacation).The wading pools are our best friends. The squeals of delight coming from my 13-month old as he discovers the wading pool for the first time are priceless. Watching the Bean splash

Avranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-43863099125084104982008-07-01T20:02:00.011-04:002008-07-02T23:22:30.651-04:00

Ever since I was a little kid, I've been in love with making lists.The lists I made were pretty mundane as far as entertainment value go --the usual "My favorite things" (not surprisingly, chocolate is on the list), "Things I want to do before I die" (#34: go work on Fashion Television) and the top 100 songs for the years 1983, 1984, and 1985, (as copied carefully during the special New Year's

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-63670274050395573262008-06-26T19:00:00.002-04:002008-11-18T20:05:27.058-05:00

squid with pasta and tomato sauceMy son, the Bean, has taken a keen interest in taking pictures with our camera (a Sony Cybershot 10.1 MP). Some of his photos are very good (as good as an adult might take). Most are blurry, since he tends to move to the next shot as soon as his finger is off the button. All of them are fascinating because they really give a good idea of how a three year old views

Avranoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-69682052212067997662008-06-26T09:59:00.001-04:002008-06-26T09:59:31.333-04:00

I found this article from the Toronto Star that highlights some differences between organic milk and conventional milk. It substantiates a lot of what I wrote, misses some information and adds some new information.It is interesting to note that pesticides are not covered in this article either.I've copied their summary chart verbatim, below. But do check out the original article.CONVENTIONAL

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-63282782770828892702008-06-24T13:33:00.010-04:002008-06-26T19:40:01.836-04:00

A while ago I wrote about a big debate that was raging in our house about whether or not we should be buying organic milk.Like a lot of my neighbors and friends, I had the perception that organic milk was better than “regular” milk because it didn’t include hormones, antibiotics or pesticides (three items on my list of things I would rather my kids didn’t ingest). And as I wrote previously, we

Avranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-74750385066618450282008-06-16T15:46:00.012-04:002008-06-21T14:05:52.509-04:00

I love our neighbourhood for a number of reasons. One, it's within walking distance of downtown, and a growing farmer's market. Two, it's close to bike paths that run for kilometers along a canal and a river, and in late April/early May, these pathways are abloom with all colors of tulips. Three, we have one of the best playgrounds in the city within four blocks of our house (and that's not just

Avranoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-89847363928392411662008-06-12T13:35:00.003-04:002008-11-18T20:05:27.613-05:00

Thanks to hot and muggy days this week and a broken oven, salads have turned into a theme for dinners in our house.So far I have made three salads that I have been really happy with. The one I'm going to cover in this entry is my adaptation of a simple pasta salad with kidney beans and cilantro that I found over on Food Nerd.The other two salads were a green bean salad with smoked salmon tips

Avranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-13783467659044611112008-06-11T21:23:00.010-04:002008-11-18T20:05:27.768-05:00

...thin crust mulitgrain pizza with vegetable masala toppings baked in a wood-burning oven...butternut squash agnolotti in fresh sage butter, red onion and chili flakes...pâté, brie and tapenadesDefinitely not the food of my university days! The Globe and Mail Life section featured a story recently about how campus cafeteria food has gone upscale, leaving me wishing I was back in residence!This

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-71724943445286650812008-06-10T21:12:00.002-04:002008-11-18T20:05:27.881-05:00

Yes, it's freaking hot here. But now I have 16 pints of Cool Hemp - certified organic, locally grown, non-dairy frozen dessert full of natural Omega-3s and Omega-6s. My favorite is the Cool Chocolate and my husband prefers the Cool Maple. I'm also not afraid to give it to the kids.Have you tried it? What do you think?

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-71331648591774271882008-06-04T22:10:00.006-04:002008-11-18T20:05:28.020-05:00

Dear cubanelle,I'm sorry I misjudged you. I didn't include you in a recipe because I thought you were going to be spicy like a jalapeño. The first way you tripped me up was your appearance. You are light green, long and skinny (and oddly shaped like a crocodile head, in this photo). Usually when I eat a long, skinny, green pepper, my mouth heats up like a fiery stove and I have to drink

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-71375444220530177012008-06-04T13:35:00.010-04:002008-11-18T20:05:28.307-05:00

Oops, I forgot the basil and parmesan!I'm off epicurious this week and back to my old standby, the big purple binder full of recipes clipped from various sources. Someday I would like to dedicate a post to this big purple binder that has been my constant companion for the last 12 years, at least - ever since I moved out on my own. But first I have to get through this post, which will be my

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-83599440654953283782008-05-31T16:48:00.003-04:002009-02-02T10:18:47.758-05:00

First off, I have to comment on the large gap between my last post and this one (mitigated only by the short quote I posted a few days ago to try and freshen things up).For the past two weeks, I have been prepping for toddler birthday parties (the Bean is now THREE!) and fighting inhumane headaches and sore throats. My blogging time has been replaced with baking and frosting umpteen cupcakes and

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-65406198876343434492008-05-29T15:22:00.004-04:002008-05-29T21:01:21.731-04:00

Do you want to dazzle guests, or feed a hungry kid?Tom Colicchio, Think Like a Chef

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-8102152592921362402008-05-21T21:43:00.008-04:002008-11-18T20:05:29.063-05:00

It's no secret that I love chocolate. Correction - I love GOOD chocolate. And my husband does too. From time to time he brings home outrageously priced chocolate bars as special treats. On these days, we wait until we get the kids to bed (so we don't have to share), and then we rendezvous downstairs in the kitchen or living room. We open the package and each start with one square. If it's a new

Avranoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-76601042425840150902008-05-18T14:49:00.014-04:002008-11-18T20:05:29.372-05:00

My son, the Bean, and I have established a little bedtime ritual that warms my heart, as all good rituals should.Every night, after we brush his teeth and before he goes off to his room to read stories with daddy, he gives me a hug and a kiss. Then we blow each other one more kiss for good measure.A few months ago I started "catching" his kisses and telling them I was keeping them in my heart. I

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-38137861037740056112008-05-14T22:46:00.012-04:002009-02-02T10:19:06.677-05:00

I must be in a comfort food zone. How else can I explain my sudden desire to cook up a dish of macaroni and cheese for my family?Not that mac and cheese was ever real comfort food for me. Although I remember eating macaroni and ketchup numerous times as a kid (no cheese please--I never did trust the nuclear shade of orange), I avoided it like the plague during university.In my recipe collection,

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-33642417603717081392008-05-11T13:38:00.011-04:002008-11-18T20:05:29.976-05:00

We went to our favorite park after our mother's day brunch today, and arrived to this:While my husband and the Bean dug in the sand pit, my mom and I took the Boo over to check it out.There was the host, his cooking team and a small army of people in blue t-shirts marked "CREW", grilling up french toast with blueberries for a small crowd. Apparently they were in the process of taping one of four

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-70507245114726037122008-05-07T21:23:00.007-04:002008-11-18T20:05:30.142-05:00

Today I took the Boo for our weekly run with the strollermoms. As is our post-run habit, we stopped at the local Starbucks for a coffee. My craving for baking kicked in and I added a piece of banana chocolate chip bread to my order. Usually it hits the spot, but today it tasted stale and dry.Not satisfied, I decided that tonight was the night I would finally use the super-ripe bananas in my

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-17939262341622331982008-05-06T13:06:00.011-04:002008-11-18T20:05:30.574-05:00

My husband and I are both long-standing fans for this curly vegetable that looks like the end of a violin (or a snail, or a car wheel, depending on your frame of reference!). Last year, we bought package after package of them while they were in season, and cooked them up with butter and garlic. I love them because they are not your ordinary green vegetable, and any dish you put them in suddenly

Avranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-3370555457578301602008-05-04T21:35:00.007-04:002008-05-06T13:05:57.282-04:00

My past musical posts have come from concerts, my husband's iTunes collection and from my head. Short on time and needing some inspiration tonight, I did a Google search for food-related music.The search for "songs about food", turned up 1,630,000 listings. They range from epicurious.com (Bon Appetit Party Playlist: Best Food Songs) to mixedup.com (525 Songs About Food) and the food section (

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-79151212260794869282008-04-30T23:15:00.014-04:002008-11-18T20:05:31.181-05:00

Tuesday nights my brother-in-law (BIL) and his girlfriend come for dinner. This week has been a little cooler than last, so I chose to test out a recipe for Tuscan Bean Stew with Sausage as posted by Kim, from Yummy Mummy Cooks Gourmet. Like me, she has kids. And chaos. I have chaos too, but nothing like I had today.It started at the grocery store, when I went to pick up the sausage and a few

Avranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-76260355041680258312008-04-26T15:20:00.004-04:002008-11-18T20:05:31.856-05:00

I was looking around at my favorite food blogs last week and the cucumber elixir posted by Jen at becoming a foodie looked so luscious and refreshing I had to go out and buy mint. But then I was left with a whole lot of mint, and as much as I'd like to keep drinking the Elixir, I need all my wits about me to manage the Bean and the Boo...I was planning on making a tabouli salad with the leftovers

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-35161562711186470532008-04-23T14:47:00.012-04:002008-10-01T22:35:21.987-04:00

What a thrill it is when you get your first comment on a post. And your second, and even your third. And at the same time, I feel a sense of panic. If people are reading, do they find it interesting? Will they come back? Do I have typos?This blog is still in progress. But I'd like to give my thanks to:redmenace, of a Chow Life. She was my very first blog commenter, and I have to confess to a

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-84247374788524839742008-04-18T21:27:00.013-04:002008-11-18T20:05:32.493-05:00

After almost five months of the most snow this city has seen in 35+ years, we are finally seeing warmer weather.To set the scene, this was our front yard on March 28. The mountain is over 6 feet tall. I know this because my husband could not see over it, and he's 6'2". Our barbeque has been buried under the same amount of snow on our back porch.Here's a photo of my lima bean on the same day we

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-43195976640731078622008-04-16T13:32:00.006-04:002008-11-18T20:05:32.682-05:00

I was at a friend's house for a birthday party on Sunday. For the record, it was a morning brunch in celebration of her youngest turning one. She had made a good selection of egg-based concoctions, all from recipe books. One was a huge success and was eaten up within 30 minutes. The second one was not as successful, judging by the fact there was still some left an hour later. I was in the

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-84867246263060028742008-04-15T08:57:00.008-04:002008-05-07T22:15:06.924-04:00

Cake - Short Skirt, Long JacketI have a crazy amount of personal stuff to deal with this week, so the time I have to spend planning meals, shopping, and cooking is even more limited than usual. But I don't want my blog posts to suffer ;-). Haven't posted a video in a while, so here is one for a song I love to play while I'm cooking in the kitchen (in fact, the last time I blared this song, I was

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-91939066579588863772008-04-12T21:21:00.006-04:002008-11-18T20:05:32.797-05:00

My brother in law (I'll call him BIL - get it?) came over last night to pick my husband up to see the hockey game. He presented me with a bag and the words " A present for you". I opened the bag up to find a beautiful homemade loaf of braided bread. (see above) I was so touched, I ran into the kitchen and took a picture (does this qualify me as an obsessive foodie blogger?)Once they left, I

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-18866706588675503282008-04-10T11:01:00.006-04:002008-11-18T20:05:32.935-05:00

Ever since my little boo was born, I've had a craving for baked goods. Honestly, I need some tasty little teatime treat every day. Scones, cookies or cake are preferred. Nothing else seems to satisfy.Fortunately, I like to bake, and sometimes the little boo's naptimes give me enough time to whip up a batch. And as an added plus, my lima bean loves to spend time in the kitchen helping to make

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-63803319796805690372008-04-09T19:35:00.011-04:002008-11-18T20:05:33.150-05:00

I lost my blogging mojo this week, after a good run this past month. Nothing like a daycare drama to divert your attention and give life a little bit of stress. One week ago, our daycare provider informed us she would not have the space she had promised to our second son (the boo), who will be going to daycare with his brother (the lima bean) when I go back to work. Despite the fact that we

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-47005617535815394362008-04-07T20:45:00.007-04:002008-04-30T23:26:53.872-04:00

Am I the only one who is constantly tweaking my blog, or do others do it too?I started this blog in 2003, thinking I would post reviews of the restaurants that I went to.. at that point in my life, we were dining out at least once a week at different places. We still try and go out now, but it's usually to the same, kid-friendly pub. I never took notes, so if I didn't post right away, I would

Avranoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-46469530432303758202008-04-02T11:00:00.004-04:002008-11-18T20:05:33.507-05:00

What can I say about juicing? Okay, I was inspired to post about our juice adventures by Jen at Becoming a Foodie, because she had written about a not-so-good first experience with juicers. (Plus, she made a comment about people who juice to feel superior, and I just knew that wasn't at all why we juice). Last time I checked though, she had tried again, with help and better results.But here's

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-9303431335475407792008-03-27T21:31:00.008-04:002008-11-18T20:05:33.605-05:00

I was so excited today to go to Chinatown and visit the Kowloon Market. It's not a place I can walk to, but it's the best place to buy shitake mushrooms and that's what I needed for the recipe for dinner tonight - a shitake brown rice pilaf. I love pilafs, and this recipe appealed to me because it used brown BASMATI rice and roasted pecans.The Chinese grocery stores are a true experience. The

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-87170422513538845432008-03-26T21:00:00.002-04:002008-11-18T20:05:33.725-05:00

Family Favorites: Buckwheat Cauliflower BakeBased on: Quinoa Cauliflower Bake in Hollyhock CooksI'm going back in time at the moment and posting recipes I love, but am not necessarily cooking today.My mom bought me the cookbook after we raved about the Oatmeal Bake, a breakfast recipe. In all honesty, "Hollyhock Cooks" is full of delicious tasting food. Most of the recipes use ingredients that

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-67065238792992375392008-03-24T19:47:00.011-04:002008-05-07T22:21:04.560-04:00

There's a debate raging in our household, and we're not sure how to solve it. We drink a lot of milk (probably about 16 litres every 10 days between 3 people). We're concerned about the environment, and we're also increasingly concerned about what hormones and chemicals we ingest. At least my husband and I are. The Lima Bean generally goes along with whatever we decide in that department, as long

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-7803669140879505612008-03-23T21:29:00.016-04:002009-02-02T10:19:29.614-05:00

This recipe was submitted to Presto Pasta Nights!I had a food emergency tonight, and survived. The grocery stores were madhouses yesterday, and I didn't feel like braving the lineups. We had dinner out last night and brunch at my sister's this morning. I'd invited friends over for dinner, knowing full well I had no idea what I was serving.I took inventory of my fridge and my cupboards. Among

Avranoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-23020996189629561142008-03-20T20:43:00.019-04:002008-11-18T20:05:34.241-05:00

In addition to being a chocolate fiend, I am also a dessert fiend. This recipe showed up in the April 2008 issue of Today's Parent (the Canadian Edition). For the most part, I like the recipes I find in this magazine. Simple to prepare, using ingredients I have in my kitchen and, because it's a magazine geared towards parents, the recipes are typically kid-friendly. As long as you don't have a

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-13654647587265144132008-03-19T20:32:00.014-04:002008-11-18T20:05:34.380-05:00

I got Choc-o-lot in my Pock-o-lotLike a large majority of people, I love chocolate. My preference is for dark chocolate (though 75% is about my limit - after that it gets too dry)We've been buying a lot of higher end chocolate bars. By higher end, I mean one that costs more than the basic candy bar which use low grade chocolate (According to Wikipedia, the term is compound chocolate). There are

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-70301273979487194602008-03-09T12:03:00.007-04:002008-10-01T22:33:52.638-04:00

Two days before Valentine's Day, my husband took me to see Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt in concert (a real date with no kids!). It was amazing, and when they jammed together it reminded me of my favorite moments of festivals where they have workshops and members of various bands takes turns playing acoustic versions of songs and jamming with each other.When Lyle Lovett played "Keep it in Your

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-56705985965455477142008-03-08T09:54:00.013-05:002009-02-02T10:20:16.825-05:00

Recipe source: Rachael RayWith two kids under the age of three, meals at restaurants are rare (hence the fits and starts to this blog). But we are experimenting a lot with food and new recipes, and this recipe has quickly become a family favourite. So in lieu of restaurant reviews, I'm offering a look at the recipes we love to cook.My husband came across this recipe while at work. He has a TV in

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-4205286934163655392008-02-28T20:14:00.002-05:002008-05-14T14:33:39.664-04:00

Food-related songs (okay a band): BlancmangeYes, I am a child of the 80s. I remember taping the video below off of MuchMusic, the Canadian equivalent to MTV. And for some reason this song has come back in my head, along with the visual of the band members standing on a pile of furniture. I had the strangest urge to see it again. With the VCR cassette long since taped over, or thrown out, I

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-25866379240164082452008-02-17T20:25:00.003-05:002008-07-14T14:41:24.410-04:00

the red apron - 571 Gladstone Ave - February 2008Well, here I am again, making excuses for being away so long. We have 2 kids now. The Bean is almost 3, and the Boo is almost a year old. The past year has been chaos.But I'm back with a new resolve to try and be more consistent. Especially since in the past year, my appreciation of good food and good restaurants has grown. I've also expanded my

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1145239911670548352006-04-16T22:02:00.001-04:002008-03-28T21:27:09.089-04:00

The Pelican Grill, 1500 Bank Street, April 14, 2006This is the place to go for seafood! I often pick up salmon from the Pelican Fishery (attached to the Grill) and I overheard they would be open for Good Friday. Since we had friends who wanted fish for Friday dinner, we wound up going to the grill. It's a good thing I called for a reservation, otherwise we never would have gotten in. The

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1137860883542340962006-01-21T11:25:00.000-05:002008-02-17T21:05:39.560-05:00

Georgetown Pub, Bank Street @ Belmont (formerly the Fergus Inn)This place has become a bit of a hangout for us since we instituted Pub Fridays. The deal there is that we needed a way to see friends that we almost never see now that we have a baby. And it also means that once a week, I'm guaranteed someone else cooks. It's worked out pretty well, since it's not as crowded as Patty's Pub. Most

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1069038773449821732005-11-06T14:41:00.000-05:002005-11-22T10:10:45.616-05:00

Siam Kitchen, Bank Street - November 6, 2005I guess we don't get out much anymore. Baby is now almost 6 months old! Hard to believe. He's pretty easy to take out though, so we do try and get out as much as we can. As he gets harder to entertain though - it may become more difficult. We did have to leave quickly around 8:30pm as he was fussy to go to sleep.Siam Kitchen has always been a

Avranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1105820327204699382005-01-01T14:56:00.002-05:002008-04-28T20:13:51.882-04:00

New year's at Claire de Lune, Byward Market - December 31, 2004/January 1, 2005.CLOSEDHubby and I joined a group of friends this year at the Claire de Lune. It will probably be the last New Year's Eve out for a while, so we were totally excited to do it up right with a 7 course meal. We chose CdL over Empire Grill because we knew more people, but I'm not sure we had the better meal - although

Avranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1103664823728132772004-12-15T16:18:00.000-05:002004-12-21T16:42:07.290-05:00

Dinner at the Works on Bank Street, December 14, 2004. Well, it certainly has been a while since I posted here. But it's time to start again - and I think this time I am going to try and be more consistent. I love going out for food. And this is a good way to diarize my life as well. So - the Works - I heard about it from one of my colleagues, who loves burgers (what a guy). It used to be a

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1087757416916970342004-07-20T21:41:00.001-04:002008-04-28T20:12:53.847-04:00

The Barley Mow, KanataI go to the Barley Mow every Friday for lunch with work colleagues. They were there on opening day 5 years ago and they have been going ever since.Now that it's been almost 2 years I've been going to the Mow -as it is affectionately know as by the regulars - every Friday, I have a list of things I really like about the place:- Lori: She's the smiley blond featured in one of

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1087757847364115902004-06-20T14:50:00.000-04:002004-06-20T14:57:27.363-04:00

Sushi 88, Somerset Street, Ottawa - June 17, 2004 Hubby and I stopped in here for a quick bite on our way home from one of the pre-election debates. Small, bright, and clean, they offered an interesting selection of sushi, sashimi and other Japanese restaurant standards. We started out with a Japanese beer, and a water. Typically I order tea, but it was a warm night. The tropical sushi (

Avranoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1069038730886298862003-10-19T22:15:00.000-04:002004-06-20T14:40:26.983-04:00

Pho-Lin, Sargent Street, Winnipeg - Saturday, October 18 Yeah - not an Ottawa restaurant. Best darn Vietnamese food I have had ever. Mango rice paper rolls! Need I say more? Go!

Avranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5943719.post-1066180787391447862003-10-14T21:19:00.002-04:002008-04-28T20:13:28.781-04:00

Breakfast at the Fergus Inn Bank Street @ BelmontFERGUS INN is now GEORGETOWN PUBMy hubby likes weekend brunches. It stems from when he was a student, and all his friends got together for brunch instead of dinner because they had no money.Times have changed, and we can afford dinners out now. And since this brunch cost more like $30, instead of the $3 (or $6 per couple) that it might have cost

Avranoreply@blogger.com