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Easy Orange Buttercream Icing

Easy Orange Buttercream Icing

Easy Orange Buttercream Icing I’m a big fan of citrus. If a dish tastes flat in almost any way, my first thought is to add lemon juice, orange zest or a hint of lime. Most of the time this small adjustment delivers big results. While 

No-Egg Spice Cake

No-Egg Spice Cake

No-Egg SPice Cake This week, my grocery store had flour aplenty, but not a single tin of baking powder. Of course, for the first time in a decade, I was out of baking powder. And when I can’t have something, I crave it. The second I 

No-Knead Semi-Sourdough Rye Bread

No-Knead Semi-Sourdough Rye Bread

No-Knead Semi-Sourdough Rye Bread In true Gemini-fashion, I’m following the rules and breaking them at the same time. I observe pandemic protocols — I practice physical distance, wear gloves when grocery shopping, wash my hands frequently, and go out only when necessary. But once in 

Roasted Squash Soup with Sage and Hazelnuts

Roasted Squash Soup with Sage and Hazelnuts

Roasted Squash Soup with Sage and Hazelnuts This Roasted Squash Soup with Sage and Hazelnuts started out as a straightforward concept. Thanks to an impulse buy, a kabocha squash landed in my grocery cart along with a packet of fresh sage. I figured I’d sort 

Sunday Story: Good Bones

Sunday Story: Good Bones

No recipe today. Instead, a story about chicken stock and teenage attitude. Save the bones. Always save the bones. 
 For as long as I can remember, the remains of a chicken dinner found new life in Mom’s stockpot. She took an entirely utilitarian approach to 

Bev’s Best Banana Bread

Bev’s Best Banana Bread

Bev’s Best Banana Bread I’m not a banana fan. They’re so pushy. They will smother every ingredient in a fruit salad — except for obnoxious cantaloupe. They leap from peanut butter sandwiches just to annoy you, and will slime-up a perfectly decent cream pie. Banana 

Easy Black Bean Soup

Easy Black Bean Soup

Easy Black Bean Soup Back in 2000, I lived in Australia for a year. I craved this Easy Black Bean Soup. Really badly. I’m not sure if it was a classic case of wanting what you couldn’t have or merely a tasty way to make 

Black Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Black Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Black bean and Roasted Red Pepper SOup Yesterday, I looked at cooking dried legumes at home. I mentioned that beans could lose their colour if soaked too long. I should add simmering them too long will have a similar affect. This soup proves my point. It’s quite 

How to Cook Dried Beans and Legumes

How to Cook Dried Beans and Legumes

How to Cook Dried Beans and Legumes Pre-pandemic, the main objection I heard regarding cooking dried beans was, “But it takes soooo long!” Well, now that many of us have a bit time, I thought I’d revisit the topic with an updated post. Even if