Whether it's freshly sliced, or toasted and spread with butter and jam, this is a fantastic breakfast bread. It's full of flavour, rich in fibre and moist, yet beguilingly light textured.
These galettes are a hybrid between a plum Danish and an almond croissant. They get their unique taste from the almond-flavoured marzipan; look for it in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Serve these doughnuts warm to holiday houseguests and they'll never want to leave. The prune and lemon filling gives these a sweet and sophisticated flavour, but you can substitute whatever jam you have on hand if you prefer. Save the scraps from the second round of doughnuts to fry and roll in sugar as a bonus treat.
A traditional Italian Maritozzo is a soft brioche bun filled with a cream filling. This version is stuffed with a homemade strawberry ice cream, making it a delicious and decadent ice cream sandwich.
Tsoureki, a traditional Greek sweet bread with dyed red eggs nestled on top, breaks the fast of Lent and symbolizes the rebirth and blood of Christ. Rich in eggs and butter, it's sprinkled with almonds or sesame seeds and flavoured with orange, vanilla, allspice or mahleb, a sweet cherry spice. These breads are often saved for wall decorations. The eggs are coloured with dye found in Greek bakeries.
Fish is a staple in our home and I am always trying to create new accompaniments, while at the same time using local foods. I enjoy creating nutritious meals that are diabetic friendly (two of my children have Type 1 Diabetes), heart healthy, and always incorporating as many colours of the rainbow that I can. This dish can be made with any white fish as it looks so inviting with the reds and greens of the sides. Wild blueberries and Halibut - a perfect marriage as opposites do attract! I have (tried) roasted beets before but was always a bit disappointed when they dried out, so I tried this crusting method and it turns out a moist brightly colored beet with just a hint of horseradish! When plating this recipe, layering creates a presentation that is not only eye-appealing, but a superb blend of flavors. Using summers' bounty means delicious fresh menus for friends and family.
We prefer steaming over boiling because it prevents fresh crab from becoming waterlogged—and adding ingredients such as herbs, garlic and citrus during cooking enhances the crustacean's natural sweetness.
I love brunch. This is my favourite meal by far, and I love the ease of having something like a quiche already prepared. The flavours are always richer and more enhanced after the quiche has had a chance to sit overnight as well, which is another benefit to advanced preparation. I thought about my favourite Canadian ingredients and it really has to include crab, chanterelles, and corn. There is just something about the sweetness of the crab, the burst in your mouth juiciness of corn, and the earthiness of sauteed chantrelles with garlic that is just plain perfect. The gouda I love is from Gort's Gouda in Salmon Arm B.C., where my mom lives. It's organic and is outstanding. While the crab and the chanterelles are definitely the bell ringers on this grocery bill, the other ingredients are low cost. I buy my crab and fresh B.C. chanterelles at my local Costco for under $25 combined, which makes it even more affordable. I made this with a potato crust as I can't eat gluten, but a pastry crust would work just as well. I'd pair this with a tangy raspberry hazelnut vinaigrette mixed with fresh, tender leafy greens to round out the meal.
Fresh homemade cannelloni are a cinch to make—all you need to do is cut, fill and roll! Piping the filling onto the pasta makes for a mess- and fuss-free assembly, but feel free to spoon on the filling if you don't have a piping bag on hand. Serve with a mixed green salad.
The inspiration for this dish was a simple seasonal meal with great flavour. I wanted to make a dish that was easy to prepare with at least some components that could be made ahead of time. A Saturday morning trip to the local farmer's market was what inspired the ingredients in this recipe; locally grown asparagus, fresh Ontario goat's cheese, organically raised local chicken breasts and I was on my way! They key to this recipe is simple and flavourful ingredients. Using ingredients that are in season makes a big difference since this is the time when they are at their flavour peak. I decided to serve the chicken with a fresh spring salad using some of the same ingredients from the chicken. It would also be nice with a crusty baguette and a warm bowl of soup. The simplicity of the flavours in this dish make it easy to pair with other foods. The result was a delicious springtime meal that was perfect for a casual night with friends. Buying local and seasonal ingredients allowed me to stay way under my $100 budget and the ease of preparing the meal allowed me to spend time with my guests - which is what entertaining is all about!
