Month: January 2011

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Food Blog Community

Claudia and I started our food blog back in June. Over the past several months, I have come to the realization that the food blog community is enormous and full of tons of passionate people willing to share their ideas and creations with those who have similar interests. I have been very fortunate to have been invited to share some of our Claudia’s Cookbook recipes on other great food blogs. I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize them here and encourage some of our followers to check their fantastic blogs as well.

Sweet as Sugar Cookies – Lisa has started up a great Sweets for Saturday recipe exchange that she asked us to be a part of it. Every Saturday, food bloggers can post their favourite dessert recipes to her website. We recently contributed our Nanaimo Bar recipe! We encourage you check out all the other amazing desserts posts and food blogs on her site.

Prairie Story – Alison is a fellow Manitoban and food blogger extraordinaire. She also has a great recipe swap on her blog that we have been actively involved called Recipe Swap Thursday.  Same idea as Sweets for Saturday, only these recipes can encompass any food item, not just desserts. We’ve contributed many of our recipes including our Date Squares, Nanaimo Bars, Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters, Cabbage Rolls and Pumpkin Scones. Prairie Story not only has some amazing recipes that we definitely think you should try, we also think that our blogs could be sisters as Alison features many of her own Polish family favourite recipes as well!

Miz Helen’s Country Cottage – Miz Helen is a food blogger from Dallas, Texas. She posts some great recipes that she plans to make over the next week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each week we look at the menu line up and wish we could one day be a guest at Miz Helen’s dinner table! She also does a great recipe swap each Thursday called Full Plate Thursday, where we were invited to feature our Nanaimo Bars recipe on. 

 Thank you to those mentioned above for inviting us to be a part of your communities! We look forward to meeting many more food bloggers as we continue with Claudia’s Cookbook and can’t wait to grow our own online food community as well.

Image above courtesy of Learn Food Photography

 

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Desserts

Nanaimo Bars

Growing up I never realized two very important things about Claudia’s Nanaimo Bars. Number 1 – they are a classic Canadian dessert. Number 2 – they are delicious! Like a spoiled brat child, I didn’t really care for Nanaimo Bars. I’m fairly certain it was the texture of the coconut. I wasn’t a huge fan. Fun fact: to this day I’m still not a fan of Bounty chocolate bars either! However as I got older and my palate became more sophisticated, I learned to love these Nanaimo Bars in all their glory. To this day, Claudia only makes these beauties for Christmas. I think that is part of the appeal. Sweet, creamy and chocolatey rich, they are definitely a once a year treat that everyone should enjoy.

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Desserts

Chocolate Chow Mein Clusters

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “I ate three times my body weight in holiday baking a mere month ago. Why would I want to bake and eat any more – especially when my New Years Resolution is to eat healthy?!” I hear what you are saying and feel the same way. Except when I am faced with these amazing chocolatey treats (like last night when I went over to my parents for dinner) and throw all my good eating intentions out the window.

Claudia has made these little treats for Christmas for as long as I can remember. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I seem to fall further and further in love with them every year. They are probably one of the simplest desserts to make and fulfill even the biggest chocolate cravings. Sweet with a hint of salty, these crunchy gems are a must try.  You will thank me – I promise!

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Ukrainian Dishes

Kutia

This is by far Claudia’s favourite Ukrainian dish. Kutia is always served as the first of the twelve traditional meatless dishes during Christmas Eve. Served cold, Kutia is essentially a sweet wheat soup.  (more…)

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Ukrainian Dishes

Ukrainian Christmas

Ukrainian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on January 7. It is tradition that on Christmas Eve (or “Sviaty Vechir”) 12 meatless dishes are prepared as it mimics the Nativity Fast, which no meat, eggs or milk (including cheese) are allowed during the supper. Only fish, mushrooms and various types of grain are allowed as the main offerings. (more…)

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