My favourite time of year to bake is early summer, when rhubarb and all kinds of berries are fresh and in season. I have so many sticks of rhubarb that I don’t know what to do with it. I often make crisps or crumbles, but this time I wanted to adapt an awesome cake recipe that my Mother-in-Law gave me into muffins. (more…)
I am a huge fan of ice cream. When somebody asks me if I could eat one thing for the rest of my life what would it be – I always respond “ice cream, hands down”. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there is nothing better than homemade ice cream. The ice cream attachment on my KitchenAid mixer was by far the best food making decision I have ever made. Mainly because I literally live within walking distance from a Dairy Queen and I’d be flat broke by now from ice cream purchases. Making your own ice cream, sherbet or sorbet is so easy and cost effective. Plus, it seriously tastes fresh and amazing without the artificial preservatives. I have convinced Claudia that making your own ice cream is the way to go and she has become a believer. Finally, I actually taught my Mom something in the food department!
I had a ton of berries in my fridge so I decided to try this Fresh Raspberry and Buttermilk Sherbet. I am so glad I did. You can use any type of fresh berry, but I decided to give the raspberries a whirl. I have already received requests to make this recipe with blueberries and cannot wait to do so. The buttermilk in this recipe gives this sherbet a creamy rich taste but does not overpower on the freshness of the berries. It still remains a light and tasty snack perfect for our current hot summer days.
Wow – it’s hot out there! I hope the weather has been as good to you as it has to us here in Winnipeg. It’s been sweltering over the past week. And trust me, I’m not complaining…especially after our frigid winter we experienced this year. (more…)
Claudia came home this week from a stint in Saskatchewan. Of course, she couldn’t come back without bringing me something delicious from the garden. Yes, I received a huge delivery of ripe rhubarb. I love early summer for this reason alone. Rhubarb is so versatile and yet I often make the same recipe over and over again – Claudia’s delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Cake. That recipe is often served as a cobbler, warmed up with ice cream. I wanted to do something a little different with my latest delivery of rhubarb so I searched the Internet for inspiration. I found this recipe from Pink Parsley and immediately fell in love with it. These pie bars are absolutely amazing! The fruit filling is sweet and the crust is buttery and crumbly. Like most recipes I feature on the blog, it’s also extremely simple! I can’t wait to make more of these pie bars, as I still have a ton of rhubarb left!
June is my favourite month. Summer is in full swing, dinner and drinks on the patio, and my birthday. Yes, my birthday. It’s truly my favourite holiday. I even take the day off work and treat myself to a sleep in, guilty pleasure TV and perhaps even a spa treatment if I’m able to get in. In my friend group there are three of us who have June birthdays, and we had the opportunity to get together last night to celebrate. I figured it isn’t a true birthday celebration without cake, so I decided to poll my friends to see which flavour cupcake they wanted me to make. Well, with a tie between chocolate and red velvet, I decided to mix it up and make these delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cupcakes! I chose right – they were a total hit! There were even a couple loud statements claiming they were “the best cupcakes I have ever had!” You can’t get much better than that. These cupcakes are rich, decadent and moist. A total treat for birthday’s, holidays or any day of the week!
It has been very hot and humid here in Manitoba over the past few weeks. Even with the air conditioning running, there is nothing I’d rather do less than use the oven and stove in the house. That’s why I absolutely love BBQ season. You can enjoy the heat where it belongs – outside. You also have minimal dishes. It’s a perfect combination for me.
This recipe is very quick, simple and light for summer. Not to mention, super healthy! You can use any of your favourite veggies in the recipe. I happen to use sweet red onion and pineapple along with red and green bell peppers.
Strawberry season has arrived here in Manitoba. I love picking strawberries. As a kid, Claudia and her Mom (my Baba) would often take us strawberry picking outside the city. I had so much fun. Mainly because I ate more than I placed in the basket! There is nothing better than the taste of fresh fruit straight off the vine. When Claudia told me she was returning from a trip to Saskatchewan and was going to pick up some baskets of strawberries, I knew we immediately needed to make her recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam that evening. This is by far my favourite jam on the planet. Friends who have tried it also agree. I actually learned while making this with Claudia last week that it’s no family secret – it’s literally the recipe from the Certo package! Regardless, it’s beyond delicious. I much prefer the freezer no-cook jam version as opposed to the cooked version. It’s also a lot easier to make.
Blueberries are everywhere right now. As I mentioned in my post a few weeks ago, I know it’s summer when blueberries are in abundance in the stores and are cheap! I’ve been trying to keep up with the supply in my house before they spoil. That’s how these cookies came about. I wanted to bake something different from the typical blueberry muffins, coffee cake and bars. I was so happy when I found this recipe from the blog Hot Polka Dot. These cookies are moist, rich and soft. Not to mention, the juicy burst of blueberry make them absolutely delicious.
To me, blueberries are the epitome of summer. I know it’s finally summer in Canada when blueberries are being sold by the truckload at the local grocery store and don’t cost an arm and a leg (like they do during the winter season). (more…)
Like most people, summer is my favourite time of the year. The weather (for the most part) is warm and restaurant patios are a buzz with tons of people in great moods. I particularly love summer because of the selection of fruit in season. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are in abundance in grocery stores, farmers markets are open, and U-pick fruit farms are everywhere. Some of my favourite summer memories growing up were when Claudia would take me and my brother to U-pick farms outside the city and we’d pick pails and pails of strawberries (and fill our bellies just the same).
I also find baking to be much more enjoyable with fresh in-season fruit. One of my favourites to bake in the early summer is Strawberry Rhubarb Cake. This recipe is another gem of Claudia’s. There are a lot of strawberry rhubarb recipes out there. This one is more like a cake, but still has the same delicious flavour as a crisp.