Food + Drink Articles

After trying these Scottish Whipped Shortbreads years ago at a friend's party, my mother promptly fell in love and snagged the recipe.  Now a family favourite that she makes every holiday season, I thought I'd help her out this year and make a batch (plus I was craving shortbread).

It's a super simple recipe.  Here's what you do:

1 lb softened butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup...

It’s a little premature for New Year’s Resolutions, since I typically like to save those until February, but my new life goal is to eat like a real-life grown-up.

After a recent trip to the doctor to investigate what I was convinced was a food allergy (what else can it mean when it looks like a little baby elbow is sticking out of your stomach every time you eat?), it was called to my attention...

Between many friends and holiday tunes, I stirred up a bit of controversy when I asked what the perfect holiday hors d’oeuvre was. In order to keep the peace, I offered to cook whatever the popular vote decided upon – and after much deliberation, shrimp scampi was the consensus. I used The Barefoot Contessa’s version and changed it up just a bit according to which fresh things I could find...

...in which Claire learns that The End Justifies The Means


A friend tipped me off to the delicious cookie recipes on the Gay Lea website, and I immediately wanted to try the Candy Cane Shortbread with my kids.

Now, Baking With Children is fun and brings back warm memories of my own childhood... but it is easier to get fuddled up and bomb the recipe as I was about to learn.  Here is how it...

A good friend passed along this delish dessert recipe, and although we haven't taken it for a test drive yet we certainly plan to this weekend.  After all, any time strawberries and cheesecake are mentioned in the same sentence, it's just automatically a winner.

And even though strawberry season is well over in most of the Northern Hemisphere, we refuse to let a little thing like the...

Ever since grilled-cheese sandwiches made their (very recent) entrance onto my family’s menu, I knew this classic comfort food was due for a gourmet makeover.  Here are my two takes on this simply delicious sandwich:

Cheese and Jalapeno Bread, sliced
2 tbsp butter

Option 1:
2 slices Aged Cheddar Cheese
4 slices Bacon (cooked)
1 avocado, sliced

Option 2:
2 slices Smoked Mozarella Cheese
100 g (3oz)...

Clink glasses on All Hallows Eve with a festively creepy cocktail!

The lurid colour of the Harvest Green Punch is spooktacular (sorry, we couldn't help ourselves...)
1 part Midori Melon Liqueur
1 part Dark Rum
1 part Light Rum
2 part White Cranberry Juice
1 part Unfiltered Apple Juice
1 part Simple Syrup
Juice of one lemon
Add all ingredients and mix well.  Garnish with fresh fruits like apple...

Paying respect to the infamous post-Thanksgiving (Canada) glut, I made my friends a fruity parfait for dessert and skipped the cake and cookies. They were so pleased with the light sweet flavours, turkey and pie were but a distant memory.


(makes 1)

1 pint strawberries (half mashed, half cut up)
1/2 pint blueberries
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup pecans halves, crushed
1 Tbsp sugar

As of recently, my weekend nights consist of planning whimsical bridal showers and fancy wedding receptions. Not because I’m getting tied down, err, married, but because 2 of my best friends are tying the knot next year! One of the tasks I’ve been assigned to is trying new drink recipes that best reflect the couples.

2 parts Red Passion Alize
1 part Absolute Vodka
splash of Lime Juice
Peach...

For the past few months I've made a commitment to scour as many cookbooks as I can to learn new recipes that are nutritious, delicious and importantly, easy.  I don't have all afternoon to get all Julie & Julia in the kitchen.  I have 2 hours tops when I get home from work to whip something up with a glass of Chardonnay in hand (or Shiraz if it's winter). 


I recently...