I think anyone who has had a great fish taco, and the decadent Baja fish taco in particular, has fallen in love with the complex interchange of simple flavours, crunchy textures, the dialogue of sweet and tangy, and the pure comfort of food that pleases the soul. Recreating it home without pulling out the deep-fryer, though, is a…
Tropical Banana-Pineapple Burgers
What gave you the idea to put bananas in your burgers? That’s what Anne asked after she figured out the mystery to what was in her mouth. The truth is I don’t really know what deviant brain cell in my head concocted the idea. I know I was looking at a half-eaten banana in the fridge…
Beef Sliders with Barbecued Bacon and Cheddar
What’s better than burgers and beer? Well, little burgers … and beer. Enter the beef slider, the little burger that could …. I know they’ve been all the trend for awhile, but there is good reason for it. Firstly, in an ethical and more conscious world, we don’t need to be eating 16 ounces of…
Roasted Corn Salad
What’s the difference between a salad and a salsa, besides the language? The difference is “sauce” (which is what salsa translates). With the end of summer and the end of fresh corn nearing, I was craving corn to form the basis of salad number four in my five course salad night … and I wasn’t looking…
Maple-Lemon Mint Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini and Dried Cranberries
What do we name our creations? It’s not like naming a newborn where you can easily choose a family member or favourite character in a novel. My ability to choose the right name will determine whether you’re reading this right now or have passed it over, dismissing this as another trendy quinoa recipe. Recipes so…
Vegetarian Tacos with Grilled Zucchini
When four more beautiful, firm yellow zucchini showed up in last week’s CSA share, the challenge was on. What else could I do with them that would not only be delicious but would push my envelop. Inspired by the success of my Grilled Salsa a few weeks ago, I thought, hmm: tacos. I knew from…
Barbecued Ribs with Root Beer Sauce and Baked Apples
There are certain things I’ll almost never order in a restaurant: steak, pasta, chicken … and pork ribs. It’s not that I don’t like or even, in the case of ribs, love these foods … it is because I’m appalled at what restauranteurs will charge for fare that I can, in almost all cases, make…
Baked-Barbecued Apples
Growing up with apple orchards all around me, little in life is more comforting than anything with apples. Taken crisp and fresh off the tree, I’m a thief among the leaves and branches. But baked with sugar and cinnamon, the apples become the thief of all life’s problems. Truly, almost nothing goes better with pork…
Root Beer Barbecue Sauce
Mmm, root beer. How many wish it came in more forms than just a drink or the occasional candy or sometimes even ice cream? And how many of you love to grill ribs? Here’s something I put together in a bid to infuse the essential herbaciousness of the root beer into a barbecue sauce in…