winter archive

citrus wallop fruit salad

This was my kitchen counter earlier and it was a sight for sore eyes, indeed. Is there anything more beautiful and colourful than this? Hues of pink, purple, yellow, orange – how bright and cheery for a January grey morning! I…

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coconut lime cake: a birthday cake for cornelius

I love my husband most of all, but I think coconut comes in a close second. When I was trying to figure out what kind of cake to make for his birthday on January 2nd, I pulled out three different…

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west african groundnut stew

Vancouver is going through a cold spell and when I stepped outside today, the frost on the ground was thick and full of sparkles. It’s the kind of cold where you can see your breath and I’m amazed that there isn’t…

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cranberry rum shortbread cookies

I know, I know…you probably don’t want to look another cookie in the mouth for at least another little while. Maybe you’ve been spending your mornings gobbling crispy candy cane bark and stuffing your cheeks with spicy-sweet pretzels & nuts…

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happy christmas to you: candy cane crisp bark

One of my favorite Christmas traditions to make is candy cane bark. White chocolate + candy canes is a cinch to make, very festive-looking and it’s always appreciated. This year, I decided to shake things up a bit…

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worth the wait: welsh cakes

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your well-wishes during my time of extreme craft craziness. To those who I met at the various fairs and shows, thank you so much for coming out and saying…

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a taste of home: chicken, sausage and vegetable stew

Chunks of squash, baby eggplant, onion, mushrooms, purple potatoes, red-skinned potatoes, carrots and tomatoes mingled with a good glug of riesling for a perfect supper. It’s simplicity and it was the perfect welcome home meal made with lots of love.

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old fashioned ginger apple pandowdy

Apple pandowdy not something I grew up eating, but it’s similar to a crisp or a crumble or a grunt: rich biscuit topping and a spicy fruit filling. But the twist with a pandowdy is that molasses and lemon juice are mixed in with the apples so the flavour is deep and dark.

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