Sweet

Somedays you just aren’t meant to bake. Of course, those days are often when you have no choice. Take Easter weekend for instance. When you’re in charge of desserts and the only two items you are asked to bring involve meringue. And it’s wet and...

I often have a box of phyllo in the fridge - “just in case” I “need” to make appetizers. When I do,  I fold them into triangles, roll them into logs, and even stuff them into muffin tins for little “bundles”. When I’m too lazy to...

I've decided to change the idiom from "watching paint dry" to "waiting for sugar to caramelize". It doesn't roll off the tongue, but it's a fair description of the process. This recipe for Burnt Caramel Nut Brittle calls for deeply caramelized sugar. While it doesn’t...

Spring arrived this week, slipping in quietly when we were distracted by the wind. Winter dragged its ungracious feet as it shuffled out the door.  As the last of the snow melted, a bland, brown, monochromatic world emerged outside my window. The lawn was brown. The...

These are Mutsus, also known as Crispins. They’re firm and semi-tart, and have white flesh. They’re also Ontario’s only truly green apple. I learned this last weekend while I traipsed about the orchard at Nature’s Bounty  on a tour. In the drizzle. On the other side of...

Growing up, there were always muffins in the kitchen. They were usually buttermilk bran dotted with golden raisins. They needed a smear of butter and a cup of tea, but my dad loved them, so they made appearances again and again. And again. At some point,...

No-churn cranberry ice cream. Try saying that three times fast. Or four. Because that’s how often I’ve made this in the past couple of weeks. I’d have gained weight had it not been for my selfless family and friends who came to my waistline’s rescue by grabbing...

Last year my garden burst with lavender. This spring, only a few leggy plants survived. Too little snow. Too much thawing. Too  much freezing. Or maybe the plants sensed my neediness and fled. I need lavender this summer, and lots of it. For the esthetics,...

I feel this is cheating. Healthy nuts, good-for-you seeds, and a whack load of sugar. This nut and seed brittle recipe was vegetarian chef Nettie Cronish’s compromise with her kids. Nettie is all about healthy eating. Kids? Not so much. I used to beg for store bought...

If you’re lucky, TV gives you five minutes. Five short minutes to put together a dish under bright lights and a bit of pressure. These Mini Icebox Cakes are perfect for television cooking -- and for anyone wanting to put together a Mother’s Day treat. I’m on...