No matter what they tell you, always use bread flour.  It just makes a much nicer, chewier bread.  On the other hand, for rolls, always use all purpose flour.  Well, that has been my experience, anyway. 

One more thing, if you don’t own a mixer with a bread hook, get one or tell your family and friends to pitch in and get you one.   You must have a birthday or something coming up.  Otherwise, be prepared to knead by hand for 10 minutes.  It’s work, I’m not going to lie to you, but on the bright side, it’s wonderful exercise for your arms.  I’m lazy.  I have a machine.  Certainly if you plan to bake bread on a regular basis, you’ll need one.  Many years ago I watched my mother bake bread.  After adding sufficient flour to the mix, she would hold the bowl between her knees, grab a big wooden spoon with both hands and proceed to beat the dough into submission.  Every once in a while, she’d have to stop to catch her breath.  She would do this until the dough came clean from the sides of the bowl.  That was her clue that it was ready for kneading. Continue Reading »

(source: putporkonyourfork.com)

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup (125 mL) paprika
* 1/4 cup (50 mL) garlic salt
* 1/4 cup (50 mL) brown sugar
* 2 tbsp (25 mL) ground coriander seed
* 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground black pepper
* 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground cumin
* 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
* 8 back rib tails – about 3 lb/1.5 kg
* 2 cups (500 mL) your favourite BBQ sauce Continue Reading »

No, this is not a recipe for beaver tail.

I would love to know what lame-brain came up with the idea of open shelving in the kitchen. I hate open shelving anywhere, but in the kitchen? Maybe it’s because I’m a clean freak and dusting and wiping etc is what I do. I go ape when I see dust or dirt anywhere.

The kitchen is a busy place. Dust and food particles land everywhere from time to time, especially if you’ve forgotten to put a lid on your blender or your pressure cooker explodes, or on a less benign note, you’re sifting flour and it flies everywhere. Then try cleaning all that goop from those open shelves with the pretty cups and things sitting there.

No, a thousand times no. If you must display your favourite objects, then choose glass inserts in the cupboard doors. That way, your beautiful items are protected and clean-up is a snap.

Tags: kitchen shelving, open, shelving

• 1 large roasting chicken (5-6 lbs), cut into 2 legs, 2 thighs, and 2 breast pieces, each with skin removed; back, neck, and wings hacked with a cleaver into 1 to 2 inch pices to make stock.
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• sale
• 3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 medium boiling onions, peeled and halved
• 6 T unsalted butter
• 6 T all-purpose flour
• 1tsp. dried thyme
• 2 T dry sherry or vermouth (optional)
• 1 T heavy cream (optional)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• Ground black or white pepper Continue Reading »

Tags: chicken, dumplings

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own! Continue Reading »

Tags: bacon, green peas, split peas

Ingredients:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 T butter, melted

Filling:

2/3 cup golden raisins or candied peel
1 (475 gram)container ricotta cheese
8 oz. light cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Splenda or granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup light sour cream
3 T all-purpose flour
1 T grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp salt Continue Reading »

Tags: cheesecake, ricotta

I remember getting up one morning with an insatiable desire to have ox tail stew for breakfast.  No kidding.  And I wasn’t even pregnant.  Without a doubt, this is one of my favourite meals.  I first had it in Jamaica and have loved it ever since.  It takes a long time to cook, so this isn’t something you do in a hurry.  So, without any further ado, let’s get started. Continue Reading »

Tags: oxtail-stew, rum, spinners, wine

3 tablespoons butter
Sliced leek whites from about 3 or 4 leeks
1 tablespoon flour
3 cups peeled, diced Idaho potatoes
1 quart chicken stock (home-made or store-bought)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives

• Melt the butter in a soup pot, add the leeks and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Dust the leeks with the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and stock.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until potatoes are done.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly
• Puree until smooth.
• Line sieve with cheesecloth and ladle soup, one ladle at a time, through sieve using back of ladle to squeeze it through
• Stir in the milk and cream and adjust seasoning.
• Chill for 2 hours and serve garnished with chopped chives.

Yield about 10 8-ounce portions

Definitely not figure-friendly.

Tags: chicken broth, cream, potatoes

Take any chicken you have.  If you have a whole chicken or just pieces of leftover chicken parts like wings and necks and backs, that’s fine too. Never waste food.

There is a store across the street that sells a whole chicken that’s been stripped of its meat. There’s still plenty of meat on the bones and a whole pack is only one dollar. I buy it every time I need to make stock. Continue Reading »

Tags: chicken soup