A Million Marvelous Loaves

A million cakes with one recipe.  Years ago, I found this cake in an one of my old Fine Cooking magazines. I couldn't count how many times I've made it. With infinite variations depending on the season or taste of the moment, it is simply a great loaf cake recipe, finally now posted. Hooray!!Our most recent...

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Five Spice Duck, Mandarin Noodle Salad and Peanut Sauce

This is such a fun and scrumptious dinner, light and bright! The key is to use "duck confit" ( so, already cooked sous-vide) which you whip into a fabulous base for thid crunchy sweet and savory meal.Duck prep: cook the duck per instructions. Usually a boil in the "sous -vide" bag, then baked for a few minutes....

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Barb's Glorious Gingerbread Cookies

I have no idea who Barb is, but this is her recipe in my sister-in-law's recipe book. What can I say, over the holidays we keep making more as they don't last long. THE BEST!!!Pre-heat oven to 325F.3/4 c. softened butter1 c. white sugar1 egg1/4 c. molassesCream the butter and sugar, add...

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Playful Poke Bowl

This is one of those super satisfying, extreme flavour meals, especially if you are a sushi lover. "Hey! Let's make a poke bowl!" is always a good idea!! I could eat this every day...no kidding. Use a high grade salmon or tuna, but you can make this dish with shrimp or really any protein you...

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"Vij's" Comfort Family Chicken Curry

 Thanks to Canadian Indian Chef Vikram Vij for all of his delectable treats loved by our family and many. This cozy chicken curry dish has graced our table over a hundred times. And, it never tastes exactly the same, so it's magical and open to moods and variations.No exaggeration...

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Fabulous Fudgy Chocolate Cake

I am not a cake person, UNLESS it is gooey, or dense and super moist. My daughter (the incredible baker) found this ultra dewy chocolate cake, and honestly, I think I ate half of it myself. This is a fabulously fudgy delight. The recipe itself is so interesting which is why she decided to try it in...

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Sumptuous Salty Buckwheat Choco Chip Cookies

We are so crazy about the fabulous taste of buckwheat flour! That nutty, yummy flavour, great in both sweet and savory dishes...these cookies do not disappoint. Add the salty factor, and they are off the hook! Semi-sweet chocolate chips are awesome with the saltiness,...

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Captivating Carrot Cake

Credit must be shared on this one, Rita and Tassie, the unequivocal Cake Queens! Imagine...with glee, I sent this incredible Tassie Cake Queen recipe to the other Cake Queen, my mother-in law Rita only to be reminded by Rita that she made this exact cake for our glorious pre-wedding party (all...

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Eggplant Parma Extraordinaire!

Eggplant...Salted? Breaded? Floured? Naked? We've tried many renditions, such a family fave. Now we've discovered that none are as fabulous as this one. It has that specific NYC salty flavour with sweet eggplant layers. The earlier recipe in this blog is also great, but this one beats it.For...

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Gorgeous Homemade Gravlax

WOW, talk about easy! I had a craving for Gravlax. I just love it and prefer it over smoked salmon. For my palate, Gravlax is a clean, more pure flavour of this supreme fish. I have tasted a few versions and find that the challenge is determining the right salt/sugar ratio. Well, we found it!! Timing also...

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Japanese Cod Soup Creation

No real recipe... humbly, just some noodles, broth, cod and other stuff. I know there is a secret complex homemade Chinese chili sauce in there too!Beautiful...My son's curious creation. Y'ia sta xeria so...

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Vibrant Vodka Pasta

What a fabulous little cook! My daughter has an idea, and it comes to life on the plate and the palate. Along with baking, her pasta dishes are becoming a specialty around here. This deeply delicious vodka sauce has the perfect balance of salty, spicy and tomato creaminess. What a satisfying treat! Before...

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Super Simple Fresh Bean Salad

Over 20 years ago, my brother in law served this bean salad with dinner. It was fabulous then, and here we are still making it all the time! For posterity, here it is...super simple and colorful!Canned beans, rinced and drained. We love any and all beans in this salad. One kind or mixed, depending...

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Orange- Scented Cardamom Coffee Cake

In the mood for a "breakfast" sweet but not too sweet treat? This is a really delicious orange- scented and spiced cake, perfect friend to a good strong coffee. Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine: 1 3/4 c. flour 1 tbsp. baking powder 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp. ground cardamom1/2...

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Mom's "Throwback" Tuna Casserole

Our Mom made this casserole many times when we were kids, and my sister and I just loved it! I was telling my own kids about it and they just about gagged. No way, tuna schmoushola!! I was out to prove them wrong. With one, there was no convincing, the other took it on as a challenge, and WOW, what...

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Perfection! NYC Style Chicken Parma

In our top 5 family fave repertoire must be Chicken Parma. I always thought I made a really good one as my family told me so. Oh, so sorry!!! Not as good as this new version. The taste reminiscent of the Parkside Chicken Parma we enjoyed with our Dad a hundred years ago in...

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"Club Med" White Chocolate Bread

Dreaming of a fabulous holiday with tons of sun and a turquoise sea? Dreaming of that other-worldly white chocolate bread share with best friends at the secluded Club Med Columbus Isle? Make it at home! Thankfully, my daughter has inherited her Yiayia's deft hand for baking and her Gran's...

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Golden Savory Granola

This is such a welcome idea for a crunchy addition to salad or soup. A salty, spicy, herb-y twist to a homemade granola. Incredibly easy and truly delicious! More fun than a crouton. Be creative and add combos you think will be good together. Really anything goes! Heat oven to 325F. You need 2 egg...

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Blissful Buckwheat Pancakes

A Mother's day treat! Nothing beats this pancake with its nutty yummy buckwheat "galettes au sarrasin" flavour. 1 c. Buckwheat, or half buckwheat and half flour of choice1 tbsp. Sugar1 tsp. Baking powder1 tsp. Baking soda1/4 tsp. Salt1 1/4 cups buttermilk (make your own, milk and lemon juice or vinegar,...

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Awesome Almond Flour Brownies

We've been making these beautiful cushion- y, oooooey-gooey brownies for years. Time to share!Heat oven to 350F.3 steps: wet, dry and melted chocolate.Wet: in a medium bowl, hand whisk 3 eggs, 3/4 c. white sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.Dry: in a small bowl, mix 3/4 c. Almond flour, pinch of salt, 2 tbsp....

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Southern Comfort Feast

Anyone for Southern crunchy fish fry, okra casserole and sweet and savory corn muffins?! Of course! Who would ever say no to that! I love cod for this dish because it is dense enough to hold up to the light fry without falling apart and stays super moist. With the 1-2-3 dip method, here we go: 1- seasoned...

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Terrific "Tandoori" Marinade

My friend Jackie makes the most delicious BBQ fish on skewers with a yummy "Tandoori" flavour marinade. So, I decided to mimic this on a whole piece of salmon filet. I would actually use this delicious and light marinade with any type of firm fish, or poultry, and for BBQ or baking.  It is that good!! Mash...

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Succulent Spices and Secrets

When my son cooks, don't expect or look for a recipe to attempt to re-create the dish. The end result is always a wonderful taste sensation, and you will never have a "step by step" of how he got there (unless you sit and watch!!) Here are some of the spices he says he used for this fabulous...

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Beloved Quick Bernaise Sauce

If you love Paris, and you love steak, you probably love Bernaise sauce. This luxurious sauce just takes you there. That buttery, tangy, tarragon lemony sensation that is dipping heaven for steak. I dream of it...So finally, tried a quick homemade version that worked with dried tarragon. Who knew...

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PLEEEZZZE! Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

Ridiclulous times call for ridiculous desserts. This is where a decadent peanut butter chocolate pie comes in. A few quick steps, a long chill and a little sliver at a time. This pie can feed a troop...VOILA! Make a regular graham cracker crust in a pie dish. Add some cocoa powder to the mix for...

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Chinese Orange Chicken with Crispy Noodles

I'm not really sure how this Chinese inspired dinner came together. I can only say that under these "C" confinement times, we were craving the flavours and crispiness of some of our favorite Chinese  dishes, Orange beef and Crispy noodles with vegg. Since we had chicken thighs, not...

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BA's Shockingly Fabulous Focaccia Bread

I admit, I have never made any recipe with "yeast" due to sheer fear. This recipe crossed our eyes from Bon Appetit with one of our fave foodies, Samin Nosrat, and just sounded too good to be true. Should we dare? Beloved focaccia... so we hovered over my daughter...

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THE BEST Oatmeal Muffins

My daughter wanted to make these muffins and went onto the blog only to ask, "where's that recipe Mom"? We can't believe it isn't on the blog, we've only made this recipe about 1000 times! It is simple, the moistest, best tasting oatmeal thing. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 1 cup of large...

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Fantastic "Reuben" Frauds

Looking in the fridge for lunch in these crazy "C" word times. Seeing sauerkraut and cold cuts...thinking rich Reuben sandwiches! Swapped corned beef for whatever meats we had, (turkey, capicolli) havarti cheese for swiss, milti-grain bread for rye, and made homemade Russian dressing. 1.5 cups...

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"Creuset" Beef Ragu and Pasta

When we say, let's have a "Creuset" around here, we are likely speaking about this dish! Again, comfort food for the ages. You need a large piece of fatty beef, affordable cut, chuck or similar. "Bon, pas cher", cheap and cheerful. Bone in or out, doesn't matter. Brown the beef in the Dutch...

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Savoury Slow Cooked Pork and Chickpeas

Another winner in the comfort food category, so succulent braised in white wine for a velvety "zumi" (sauce) with the creamy chickpeas.  Just delicious. The fennel seeds and bay leaves lend a very aromatic sense to this dish.   I made this with a large pork shoulder, but I can also imagine how...

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Super Duper Double Cream Cheesecake

I know I already have the world's best cheesecake recipe somewhere in this blog, but this Double Creamer beats it.  As is is my husband's absolute favorite, as decadent as it is, we've made it a few times! And, it has been revived from the archives by my Mom, so it's even better!!  This...

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