This spooky project has no base, so battery-operated flameless tea lights can be placed inside to cast an eerie glow through the windows and door. Leave the edges untrimmed after baking to give the shack its run-down look – perfect for Halloween.
These pretty tartlets are brimming with a rich almond-flavoured filling. You can tell Forelle pears apart from other types because of their small size and pale green and red-spotted skin. Create a pear-shaped design on top of your tartlets by fanning out the sliced pears, skin side facing away from the centre, in a symmetrical fashion.
The time you spend and your devotion to detail would make Primo and Secondo proud. You can make each component ahead and assemble and bake just before you put on a Louis Prima recording to set a jazzy mood.
This is an elegant, health-wise version of a Canadian favourite that shows you don't have to sacrifice big taste for health. Bison is a red meat alternative that is becoming increasingly popular due to it's lower fat content and because it is naturally raised, hormone-free, nutrient-dense and tastes wonderfully flavourful. Alberta raises some of the best bison on earth, providing Canadians with a local source of this amazing food. Last year, I made a commitment to myself to live healthier and lose weight. So far, I have lost nearly 80 lbs, and attribute much of my success to being creative and finding healthy alternatives to higher-calorie favourites. In many cases, like with these bison burgers and oven fries, I find that the healthy version tastes even better than the original! I use Yukon Gold potatoes as they give the best result for oven fries, but they are also an inherently Canadian ingredient, being "invented" at the University of Guelph and produced locally all over Canada, including a farm not 5km from my residence here in BC. I love being able to buy local produce, and am often inspired by our delicious, full-flavoured local produce.The salad that accompanies this meal is a low-fat version of the traditional Caesar that is a fraction of the calories and offers a fresh, clean taste.
This entire meal is 598 calories, 20g fat, 43g protein, 71g carbs. Compare this to a conservative estimate of a typical restaurant-style 1/4 lb cheeseburger, fries with herbed mayo, and ceasar salad at 1200 calories and 77g of fat, and you can see that it's a pretty amazing reduction! As well, this meal tastes fresher, more flavourful and delicious than any from a restaurant...it's a win win!
The holiday season is full of traditions, and getting the family together to make an annual gingerbread project is one of the most enjoyable. This vintage truck at the Christmas tree lot will appeal to both young and old, plus it’s easy for little hands to decorate. You can bake and cut out the pieces ahead of time, then put them all together in an afternoon of fun.
Over the Christmas holidays I was lying in bed fretting over what to serve my vegetarian son Matt and his girlfriend Arlie. My passion is cooking and my family luckily loves to eat, but it seems I always spend more time on the carnivores as they are more numerous in our family! I always felt a bit guilty and wanted to really wow them with something they would love! They both enjoy spicy foods and pizza is a favorite. I had some boiled baby potatoes in the fridge...(I thought) what if I tossed them in some olive oil, sambol oelek (a Southeast Asian chili sauce), garlic, paprika, etc. and gave them a quick bake to flavor them? My pizza base would be my tasty homemade sour dough that I keep on hand frozen in the the freezer, topped with a lovely bechamel sauce with shallots, decorated with the now wonderfully flavoured potatoes and then topped with some tasty cheeses..mozzarella, cheddar. Hmmm that could be tasty, I thought! Sour cream and chopped green onions served with the slices would be a wonderful balance to the heat of the spicy potatoes! With this in mind, I rushed with enthusiasm to my kitchen and began creating. This recipe has now become not only a family favorite, but one of which all of my friends enjoy too. This recipe will make 2 large pizzas. For ease of preparation I will use commercial dough for this recipe.
Detailed preparation time: 40 min. the day before making pizzas to boil off the potatoes, and make bechamel sauce if desired; 1 hour to make (the pizza) on the day of; or 2 hours if doing everything the same day.
Roasted and stir-fried vegetables are layered between flavoured quinoa to create a healthy and colourful take on vegetarian lasagna. My middle daughter is the lone vegetarian in a household of meat lovers. I find lately I've been incorporating more and more vegetarian options into our meals. It's easier on the family budget, the environment and our collective waistlines! That being said, I do find it more difficult to find a vegetarian meal that is "company worthy". This recipe, created with local veggies, is substantial enough to satisfy meat eaters and impressive enough for a casual dinner with friends. While I love how nutritious quinoa is, I sometimes find it a bit bland. Mixing the quinoa layers with 3 different sauces adds a flavour boost. Use the vegetables listed or try ones that are in season in your local area. If you select items that are fresh and colourful you can't go wrong. While the ingredient list looks long don't be daunted, most of the work is building the lasagna layers and the preparation is not complicated. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a light green salad for a delicious, healthy and budget-friendly (under $40 including salad) dinner with friends.
