Month: August 2011

Dill Pickles

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Claudia and her lovely garden in Saskatchewan. We have had an unusually hot and dry summer here on the Prairies. This has been a welcome change for our vegetables, as the past few summers have been wet and, quite frankly, miserable. The abundance of cucumbers, carrots, potatoes and onions made capturing some of Claudia’s recipes simple and fun. There is nothing like using fresh ingredients from your backyard.

When I walked into the house after the 5 hour drive from Winnipeg, I noticed something on the fridge. I took a picture of it (above). This simple piece of paper is the reason I started this food blog. This is Claudia’s recipe for Dill Pickles. Yes, just the ingredients for the brine. No instructions, no laminated paper, nothing. Just her coveted recipe scribbled on an old piece of worn paper. I knew I had to post this delicious recipe for the best dill pickles you will ever have immediately!

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Grilled Turkey Burgers

Claudia has been on holidays these past few weeks and getting some much needed rest and relaxation in our second family house in Saskatchewan. I will be taking the 5 hour drive out to meet her shortly to spend some time fishing, canning veggies from the garden (stay tuned for recipes!) and relaxing with the family. The house in Saskatchewan is probably one of my favourite places in the world. The house was my grandparents, and growing up I would spend every summer out there. The house is literally in the middle of nowhere. A very small community of 6 or 7 houses make up the town. Actually, the place is too small to be an official town. According to the 2006 Canadian Census,  it is a hamlet with grand total of 15 residents. It is so peaceful and quiet out there. Reminds me of a simpler time, really.

I haven’t been out to the house in Saskatchewan for almost 2 years. The last time I was out there Claudia made these Grilled Turkey Burgers. I believe the original recipe called for Stove Top Stuffing Mix, and since we were in the middle of nowhere, we had none. So she improvised. I personally like these a lot better than the original recipe. They are juicy, healthy, delicious and the simplest dinner you will make.
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Cucumber & Tomato Salad

Before I get into the featured recipe, I wanted to introduce you to our newest addition to the family. I have had my eye on a sleek entry-level DSLR camera for quite some time. As I am quite loyal to the Canon brand of cameras, the EOS Rebel T3i was an easy choice. Therefore, from this moment on all my photos will be captured by this beauty. I hope you enjoy! Moving on…

This featured salad is my all-time favourite. It’s super light and simple to make. Plus the colours are gorgeous. My boyfriend makes this salad regularly for potlucks and it’s always a huge hit. Tomato, cucumber, onion and parsley. Perfect use of all your garden vegetables!

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Blueberry Ice Cream

I frequent food blogs a lot. Some people zone out in front of the television after a long day at work. I zone out in front of my computer reading my favourite websites. Other people’s creations almost always inspire me to experiment in the kitchen. (more…)