This dip is an experiment gone right. Really, you can't go wrong with yummy herbs, a rich base, and creamy cashews with a punch Thai chilli sauce. The herbs you must have are cilantro and mint,  the basil is optional. I had some Thai basil in my fridge so it was perfect for this dip.

I learned how to make this dessert because my aunt has a birthday mid August and cannot eat gluten. We are often together on her birthday as we have cottages beside each other. Unlike other gluten free desserts, this one is one everyone loves. Crackly and chewy on the top and bottom with a gooey middle, you can't go wrong. A New Zealander gave me this recipe and the only thing I have altered was the amount of sugar. It's a beautiful, gluten free, light dessert that can be topped by anything that looks good. It's foolproof......that's right.....foolproof. I'm not a baker, so I appreciate a recipe that allows me to tailor it to my tastes (fruits of choice) and guarantees me a wowser.

This is where it all begins. The meringue. There are specific instructions here but anyone can follow them. I've also made this exact recipe with six small meringues. This allowed me to create a sort of "meringue bar" where everyone chose their toppings. Some of the fruit was cooked with a little sugar while some was fresh depending on what is in season.  

Add whip cream before the fruit. I just add a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla to my whip cream. I layer it on thick but don't do this until just before serving. My daughter doesn't do well with dairy so coconut milk whip cream is a delightful alternative.

I found this recipe at Pinch Me I'm Eating. We use this spice blend for so many things, it is now our go to. It takes my turkeyballs to a better place. I just roll them in the spice before frying and they get a beautiful colour and taste fantastic. Barbecued or pan fried chicken is better when sprinkled liberally with this blend. It's great on fish, of course, which is it's original intention. So, I recommend making some of this to keep in a airtight container in your spice cupboard and find a few more uses for it. 

The Best Blackening Spice

4 tbsp paprika sweet, smoked, or a mixture
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp of cayenne

Mix everything together in an airtight container. Enjoy!

How many variations of curry do I have you may ask? So, so many. This one is a comforting deliciousness made with shredded chicken and sweet potato. The other veggies can be whatever you have in the fridge making this a great way to use up leftover chicken and veggies.

This salad is so delicious and unlike other salads, gets more delicious as it sits in the fridge. The downside is that finding jicama in Canada is not always easy. Jicama is a versatile tuber that is somewhere between a turnip and an apple. I have replaced the jicama, when unable to find it, with crisp Granny Smith apples. They are a very good substitute.

Jicama Salad

1 medium sized jicama (or 2 large Granny Smith apples) julienned
1 large carrot julienned
3 shallots thinly sliced
2 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
1 large handful of cilantro roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves cut into thin strips
1 long red chilli, seeded and cut into thin strips 

Dressing:
1/4 cup of lime juice
3 tbsp of fish sauce
4 tbsp of brown sugar
1 large clove of garlic minced

Combine dressing ingredients. Toss everything together. I like to make this about an hour before eating to let it marinate.

This recipe is adapted from Made in Vietnam by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl.

I know it's not tomato season but it is still soup season with winter nipping at our heels, a warm rich soup with a gooey grilled cheese is just the thing. This is really easy to make and you can use any tomatoes you have around. In this post I used plum tomatoes but last time I used giant hothouse ones that were on the "last life shelf" at the grocery store. The roasting process forces the flavours to break out making it hard to not be delicious. The amount of tomatoes is flexible, I used 8 plum tomatoes here, last time I used 4 large hothouses quartered. 

Roasted Tomato Soup
- a bunch of tomatoes quartered or halved (~8 plum or 4 big hothouse)
- 1 big onion quartered or 3 small ones quartered
- 5 - 7 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- a large can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of broth (chicken or veg)
- 1 cup of cream or half and half
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- 1/2 tsp of dried oregano
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- 1 tsp of brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of butter
salt and pepper

Turn your oven to 300 and spread the tomatoes, onions and garlic onto a large sheet pan. Toss with the olive oil, lots of salt and pepper, and spread in a layer on the sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes. When done, squeeze the garlic out of their skins into a pot along with all the tomatoes, onions and juices and place over a medium heat. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, dried basil and oregano and half the bunch of fresh basil. Let simmer for ~20 minutes stirring occasionally. 

Take the pot off the heat and using an immersion blender (or food processor) blitz everything together. Once everything is well blended, add the cream and sugar and return to a low heat. After it is gently heated, add the butter and serve, using the rest of the basil to garnish. 

I highly recommend serving this soup with a grilled cheese of some sort. Adding a little basil inside the grill cheese is something we love to do but really any kind of grilled cheese for dunking is heavenly. 

I've always loved creating veggie burgers and this is one of my favourites.  I geared it towards my daughter's favourite flavours - cumin, a little spice and fresh cilantro. It's great topped with an egg and some salsa for breakfast or as a fully decked out burger for supper.

After draining and rinsing the black beans, let them dry out before placing them in the oven. Dab them with a paper towel if you are pressed for time. This helps the burgers from getting too mushy.
​The food processor makes this quick and easy but you can chop everything and give a little mash by hand if you don't have one. This recipe makes 4 burgers.

I found this recipe when looking for a simple to bake snack for a meeting. I have since made them 6 times and twice with my students. They are that easy. There are very few ingredients so very possible to throw together during this time of quarantine. 

2 Bite Lemon Poppyseed Scones

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup of flour
3/4 cup of icing sugar
2 tsp of baking powder
2 tsp of poppy seeds
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of whipping cream
1 lemon (zest and 2-3  tbsp of the juice)

Heat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the dry ingredients together but only use 1/4 cup of the icing sugar! Mix the zest in as well. After it is mixed well, add the cup of cream. Use your hands to form into a dough and flatten into a circle. Cut the circle into thirds then roll those into circles and slightly flatten. Cut those circles into 6 pieces and place on the parchment. Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Mix the rest of the icing sugar with the lemon juice to form a glaze. When the scones have cooled, drizzle the glaze over. Enjoy!!

Original Recipe: https://www.budgetbytes.com/lemon-poppy-seed-two-bite-scones/

Video made by Link and I to teach math while making these scones:
https://youtu.be/GSyCkp1urqU

I first decided to make tortillas because I needed small ones for 2 bite shrimp tacos that I was making for a party. I couldn't find any the right size at the grocery store so I decided to try homemade ones. They are fun to make, foolproof and really delicious so now I am hooked. 

You will have everything you need in your pantry:

1. ​​​- 3 cups of flour
2. - 1 tsp of salt
3. - 1 tsp of baking powder
4. - 1 cup of warm water
5. - 1/3 cup of olive oil

​That's it!!! 

This recipe comes from https://thecafesucrefarine.com/best-ever-homemade-flour-tortillas/. All the instructions are there in detail (along with pictures of perfectly round tortillas!! Not sure how she does that) but really you simply mix the dry ingredients, then slowly add the wet ingredients while combining. Let it go for 2 minutes in the mixer or knead for 2 minutes on your counter. Divide the dough into 16 pieces then roll each piece and let sit, under a towel for 15 minutes. Heat a pan to medium-high heat. Roll out each ball using a rolling pin and extra flour then place in the hot dry pan. Cast iron works best. When it starts to bubble, flip it and let cook another 2-3 minutes until colouring happens. If you freeze some, place a little parchment in between to keep from sticking. 

They are great for tacos, quesadillas, or just as a wrap for some beans. A great activity while you are stuck in the house!! 

I originally found this steak rub recipe as part of my husband's Father's Day dinner, hence the name. He loved it and my son loved it and continued making it every time they had steak. So now they make large amounts and we keep a jar of it in the cupboard. The original recipe can be found here: https://iowagirleats.com/2015/06/17/perfect-grilled-steak-with-herb-butter/ and she uses small amounts. So, if you are interested in just making a small amount, head to her blog. 

Father's Day Steak Rub 
6 tbsp of rock salt
4 tbsp of peppercorns
4 tsp of dried minced garlic
4 tsp of dried onion
2 tsp of fennel seed
​1 tsp of chilli flakes

Put everything in a mortar and pestle and grind/pound. You can also use an electric grinder if you have one. Pound ingredients until the peppercorns are all broken. It takes about 10 minutes to pound this amount, you want some texture but not too many chunks. Keep in a airtight container.