Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario part five...

Evenings in the campsite... Families gathered to unwind after a long day of activities, dinners being made and campfires being built. I love it!
I wanted us to have a great meal every night we were there. I carefully planned everything out weeks in advance, so it would be perfect and I must admit, it was! Even our first rainy night supper of hot dogs and Kraft Dinner Deluxe was wonderful! In my trusty cast iron pan out on that campfire, I pulled off some great tasting stuff! One night, we had sauteed onions, garlic, mixed peppers and mushrooms, with hot Italian sausages. We enjoyed it with toasty garlic bread and a green salad. Another night I made us burgers (my 'Basic Burger Mix' (with old Cheddar), found on my 'Recipes' page), with sauteed onions and mushrooms, accompanied by potato chips and dip. The last night we were at Grundy, I made us the show stopper! Steaks, from Kev's fave butcher shop, pan seared, topped with a skewer of campfire grilled shrimp, bruschetta (from my 'Recipes' page) and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil and roasted in the hot coals. I told you it was the show stopper! It was delicious! We washed down dinner with a bottle of yummy red wine and enjoyed every last sip. After dinner, we sat at the campfire for hours and watched the stars, while the loons sang us their haunting song from down on Grundy Lake.

Our last morning I felt sad, I didn't realize how much I would enjoy camping. While Kev started to slowly pack up, I decided to do my cooking experiment, Bannock bread. I've always wanted to try it, I swear I saw it once being made on Sesame Street or somewhere when I was a kid! Some say it's a traditional Native recipe, others say it was brought over by the Scots. Well, whoever made it first, I'm grateful, cause it was yummy!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Bannock Bread

1 cup A.P. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp lard, shortening or vegetable oil (plus more for frying)
1/3 cup water

.in a bowl, mix the dry ingredients
.pour in the fat and work it through the flour mixture, it will look like crumbs
.pour in the water work it through to form a dough ball
.in your hands, either form one large round or into smaller rounds
.add more fat to a pan an medium low heat and fry the bread for about 10 mins a side, it will be slightly puffed, cool slightly, enjoy!

We loved our Bannock, it was surprisingly good! Sprinkled with a bit of extra sea salt and enjoyed with a mug of tea, it gave us the strength to close down our campsite. Sad! Well, I love camping and I love Grundy Lake! I've never been much of an outdoors kinda girl, but I think this trip has won me over and I can't wait to go camping again! I hope you've enjoyed my week of camping blogs and next week I will be back with more culinary adventures! Bye for now!

Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario part four...

After our morning hikes around Grundy Lake Provincial Park, we would be ready for lunch! We would either make a quick sandwich and canoe over to the beach or to a rocky shore to eat, or we would make something at the campsite. Luckily, our campfire pit would stay in the shade for most of the day, making it possible to cook lunch over the fire. Our campsite was situated on top of a hill, over looking the lake. Kevin remembers years ago, when the sites on the hill had a clear view. Well, since a decade ago, the forest has grown in a bit, but we still had a lovely view through the trees and a constant breeze. For one of our lunches I decided to go all out! Why not?! I made us grilled brie and bacon sandwiches with onions and tomatoes. Heaven! The best part is, that not only did I butter the bread to grill it but I also left some of the bacon fat in the pan! Hello! Pure indulgence... They turned out fantastic and of course, I washed mine down with a cold, hard apple cider.

After lunch, we took the canoe down the hill to the launching area and went for a big canoe adventure. Kev guided us to the top of Grundy Lake, to find a path that the beavers swim through to get to their damn. He wasn't sure if it would still be there, but sure enough, hidden behind the tall reeds and bull rushes, there it was! We were quickly surrounded by lily pads, water lilies and other beautiful plants and flowers. We got right up to the damn, marvelled at it's size and engineering for a little while, turned around and came back out again. Wow, now that was neat! On another canoe trip, we took the the small river link from Grundy Lake to Gut Lake (kind of a weird name, don't you think?). This lake is smaller, but much deeper and there are cliffs in which people can jump off of. Kev and I stayed in our canoe and watched while dozens of dare devils launched themselves off the different heights. Kev's Mum told us that she did it once years ago, and loved it! How fun! On every canoe trip we went on, it became a tradition that Kev would bring a beer for himself and a cider for me. We would paddle out to the middle of the Grundy Lake and would enjoy our cold bevies. Looking back, we must have spent hours out there... Basking in the sun, enjoying the cool breeze and listening to nothing except the for the occasional bird and the water lapping up the sides of our canoe. Can it get any better than that?

Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario part three...

So, after our big campfire brekkies, Kev and I would go hiking (before it got too hot!). Grundy Lake Provincial Park has a lot of trails and we did three of them! They range in difficulty and in length, taking 1 to 2 1/2 hours to complete. Kev's favourite from when he was young was the Swan Lake trail. It's the shortest of the the trails we did. The hike takes you around Swan Lake, through the woods, across spans of smooth rock surfaces and finally along a boardwalk over a marshy area. There are beaver huts and a tonne of water lilies, frogs, turtles and dragon flies. Now, you must be asking, 'Sarah, would you bring an energizing snack along for your hikes?' Of course I did! Anyone who knows me, knows that I love snacks! For this camping trip I actually brought two types of snacks: healthy and not so healthy! For our hiking adventures I would bring along some fruit and my homemade trail mix. You see, Kev requested I pick some trail mix from the grocery store, but when I looked at what was in the stuff and how much it cost, I decided not to! Instead, I went to the Bulk Barn and made my own yummy mix for a fraction of the price! Here's what I put in it:

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Trail Mix
(preheat oven to 350)

raw almonds
raw walnuts
roasted cashew pcs
roasted sunflower seeds
dried cranberries
dried blueberries
dried cherries
Thompson raisins
dark chocolate chips (cacao 70%)

.roast the raw nuts at 350 degrees for 8 mins, allow nuts to cool
.mix everything together in an airtight container
.store in a dry place for up to a month

Super easy and super tasty! Kev loved it and says he'll never want the store bought trail mixes again! Of course, you can add whatever you want and let me tell you, the Bulk Barn is amazing for a recipe like this! I was afraid that the chocolate chips would melt on our hikes, but in my trusty little back pack, I would put a cold bottle of water on either side of the mix and it was just fine! Wow, just writing about our trip makes me wish we were still there! More tomorrow, my followers!

Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario part two...

When we woke up, we were both surprised that our backs weren't killing us! Yee ha! Kev started up the fire again and I made us tea on the Coleman stove inside the screen tent. The weather was looking up and we were excited! Now, I had planned some big, yummy breakfasts and I was ready to get cooking! I brought up a large cast iron pan which my Mum gave me years ago, but I had never seasoned it until I decided to bring it camping (don't worry, I'll tell you how I seasoned it a bit later!). I had a half of a cooler dedicated to breakfast ingredients and we ate just about everything! I had a pound of bacon, both streaky and pea meal, steak, eggs, mushrooms, old Cheddar cheese, hash browns, English muffins, whole wheat bread and my fave, crumpets! I figured these ingredients would give us about a million different breakfast combinations! Believe me, they did not disappoint! And get this, I ended up cooking over the campfire each morning!! That's right, I cooked over the open flames and really enjoyed it! It's true what people say, food tastes better when it's been made over a fire! So, all week long we started each morning with a big brek and a huge mug of tea. It certainly gave us the energy we needed to spend our days canoeing, hiking and swimming... Perfect!

So, for those of you who don't know, cast iron pans need to be 'seasoned' before you use them (unless otherwise stated on the label). If not, your food will stick. This is how to avoid that! First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Next, scrub your new cast iron item (it will have a sheen to it and will be smooth), with hot water and soap to remove the smooth coating. I use industrial steal wool and scrub every centimeter, including the handle. Dry thoroughly with a cloth and cover the entire vessel with a thin coat either vegetable shortening or oil. Put a little extra fat on the direct cooking surface and put it into the oven. Leave in the oven for an hour (warning: put on your hood fan or open the windows, it will smell a bit weird!). Carefully remove from the oven and put another thin coat of fat onto the direct cooking surface again and place back into the oven for another hour. You will notice a colour change, that is normal! Once done, carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature. If you were to add cold water to your vessel while hot, it could crack! Now your pan has been 'seasoned.' To maintain your cast iron vessel, do not scrub, or use soap. To clean my cast iron items, I add hot water right after use, let it sit for a little while, pour out the water and gently wipe it down with paper towels until dry. Every time you use your cast iron item, it will get darker and work better for you. Cast iron items are a great investment! They hold heat extremely well, last forever and actually increase the iron levels of the food prepared in them! Good to know! Alright followers, I will be back with more photos, stories and a recipe tomorrow!

Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario part one...

Helloo followers, I'm back! I missed you all very much!
Yes, we survived our camping trip and no, not one bear was seen! I'm kinda happy about that! Now, this week I am in Hamilton painting the front porch for my Dad, so instead of blogging about paint fumes, I've decided to dedicate this week to Grundy Lake and all of the culinary adventures we had while in the great outdoors! I have a tonne of pictures, a lot of stories and some great quick and easy, camp friendly recipes to share! Let's get started!
So, we set out on our journey early Sunday morning. We had a three and a half hour trip in front of us and we were excited! Kevin and his family used to vacation at Grundy Lake when he was young, but he had not been back in about a decade. When we got north of Canada's Wonderland on highway 400, memories began to wash over me... You see, my family used to have a cottage in Muskoka, that we built in the early 70's and I had not been back in about a decade myself. We spent so much time at our cottage while growing up, I loved it so much! We would usually arrive around nightfall and my Grandparents would always be waiting for us. We would clamber into the cottage to find a meal waiting. Macaroni and cheese with ham, borscht or my Grandpa's famous pea soup were the usual suspects! All delicious! Then, with full tummies, my brothers and I would go to bed, ready for our fun to start in the morning. Ahhh, good times! Anyhoo, back to the present... Through the Holland Marsh we drove (I remember it would smell like V8 juice at the end of summer!), until the farmland disappeared and we were travelling into Barrie. A quick pit stop for a late breakfast and we were off again. We drove the 400 the entire way, which was a bit disappointing for me, since our cottage was off of number 11. I wanted to show Kev 'Weber's' and all the other landmarks that would trigger my memory again, but that's okay. Instead, it was Kev's turn to tell me his stories and memories about the area. As we kept driving north, we were surrounded by the rocky Canadian Shield, beautiful lakes, rivers and streams, and kilometres of forest until finally we saw the sign for Grundy Provincial Park! Yippy!

We set up our campsite and had a few hours of sun before for the rain and chilly weather eventually showed up. No worries, though! We had a great time playing board games in our kitchen tent, while listening to an easy rock station out of Sudbury on our newly purchased hand cranked/solar radio (the same one my Dad owns, that only seems to play country music while up at the land...). I had a lovely steak dinner planned for us, but that was going to have to wait. Instead, with his rain coat on, Kev started a small fire and roasted us up some hot dogs while I made us the emergency box of Kraft Dinner on the Coleman stove. That's right, we had a box of good ol' K.D.! But not just any old K.D., we are talkin' the Deluxe kind here! Oh come on followers, stop judging me! We were camping! So, after our dinner did it's job of warming us up, we cracked open a couple of beers and ciders. With easy rock in the background, loons calling out over the lake and the pitter patter of rain on our tent, we had fun playing Clue and Monopoly for hours until it was time for bed... What a lovely way to begin our trip!

Heading to Grundy Lake Provincial Park, Ontario

"Camping: nature's way of promoting the motel industry." Dave Barry

Photograph courtesy of 'The Katelyn Story'

Happy Friday, my loyal followers!
Well, me and me sweetie Kev are going camping this weekend! Yippy! The only part of me that doesn't want to go is my back... I'll definitely be bringing my yoga mat for some good stretchin'! We are heading up to Grundy Lake Provincial Park at the crack of dawn on Sunday. It's a three hour drive north from Georgetown, in the Sudbury district. Kev and his family have been there many times and they all love it. As a matter of fact, Kev's parents were up there last week. They told us there were a lot of bugs and black bears. Great. I can live with the bugs, but bears?! I've never seen one outside of the zoo, so this should be interesting!  Now, don't you worry my followers, the culinary adventure will continue!! We are going to be stopping at local markets and roadside stalls along the way up to buy fruit and veggies. I've planned some great meals to cook around the campfire and I even have a cooking experiment that I'm looking forward to trying! Tee hee! We are bringing up a canoe and hope to do a lot of hiking (there will be quite a few calories to burn off, that's for sure!). I think we are going to have a great time! As for the good ol' blog, I will not be back until Monday July 26. Kinda sad. While I'm gone, please review my recipes and try something out! I swear, you won't be disappointed! Bye for now my followers, I will be back soon with great stories and some fun recipes!

Ontario Golden Plum, Rhubarb and Sweet Cherry Sauce

"People came from miles around for their cider." Jayne Berger

 

Mmmmm, cider... I have always been a huge cider fan, that's for sure!
The first time I was in England visiting the family, I tasted 'scrumpy' cider (cloudy cider) and loved it! The next time I was back in England, my cousin Terry and I visited London and his best mate Dan took us on a day trip to Oxford. It was a sunny Sunday and after a long morning of strolling and punting along the river, we officially declared it 'Cider Sunday' and got down to business. Dan took us on a whirlwind tour of just about every pub we could find and hurray, at one of them, good ol' srumpy cider was on tap! Yippy! Needless to say, we had fun in Oxford! A couple for years ago, I hopped the pond once again with my cousin Terry and my youngest brother Jordan and his girlfriend Jen. We took a trip to meet up with Dan once again and though it was unofficial, it certainly turned out to be 'Cider Thursday'! 'Magners' hard apple and hard pear ciders were everywhere and we loved it!
So, now that you know a bit about my longtime affection for cider, you'll understand that when I spotted a sign along a country road that read 'Cider Estate', I was elated! The hard cider at 'The Spirit Tree Cider Estate' in Caledon is delicious! Kev and I have been enjoying it all week! Kev loves his 'Ice Cider,' while I am loving my 'Cider Reserve.' And, of course, I had to try cooking with the cider as well! Yum!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Golden Plum, Rhubarb and Sweet Cherry Sauce
(makes about 2 cups)

1 Tbsp butter
1 onion, small chop
1 clove garlic, fine chop
1/4 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup 'Spirit Tree Cider' (hard)
1/2 cup golden plums, pits removed and sliced
1/2 cup rhubarb, sliced
1 cup cherries, pits remove, quartered
2 Tsp brown sugar
pinch of sea salt

.in a pot on medium low heat, add butter, onions, garlic and thyme, cook until soft, 8 to 10 mins (do not colour)
.add in the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 mins, until the rhubarb is soft (add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce)
.adjust seasoning (add a bit more sugar if you want a sweeter sauce), serve this sauce with grilled pork chops, enjoy!

This sauce turned out lovely! I liked it a bit tart (Kev thought found it reminiscent of cranberry sauce.), but please feel free to sweeten up the sauce if you prefer! It makes a great accompaniment for pork and of course, this recipe is completely local and of the season!

Crispy Cheese Biscuits

"Love thy neighbour..."

Hello followers! Well, this week I've been at home in Hamilton painting for my Dad. I was asked to work the PGA Canadian Golf Tour in Oakville next week, but Kev and I are going camping. So, as a freelancer, I gotta make money some how! I actually don't mind painting... Really!
I grew up in the same house my parents still live in now, in West Hamilton. For the entire time we have been there, we have had the same next door neighbour, Nina. She is in her 90's and is still baking up a storm! It is her hobby and she is extremely good at it (her cheese and onion buns are to die for!!)! Every few days, we get the phone call to come over and pick up her freshly baked goods. Yum! She bakes savoury and sweet items, and just this past Monday, she baked whole wheat bread. When I went over to get our loaf, it was still warm! I love the smell of freshly baked bread... Is there anything better? The loaf was so lovely, that I put down my paintbrush for a little while (sorry Dad!), picked up my camera and started shooting. Once the bread had cooled, my Mum and I ate a slice each, enjoyed with butter of course!! I phoned Nina to tell her how good it was and she invited me out for lunch the next day! Nina is carefree and is always up for fun! For instance, she frequents the many casinos in the area (remember when Nina gave me 20 bucks and told me to play in Niagara? I won almost $400 and we split the winnings! Nina said her horoscope told her I was going to win!). She is always off for dinner at one of her many friend's or family's houses, hosts a bridge night and has a sleepover once a week with one of her best friends! I love Nina and like to think of her as my 'Japanese Grandma!' So, yesterday we went out for lunch to a new Japanese restaurant in Hamilton. It was a buffet and we way ate too much! It was delicious! On the way home, Nina told me how her and her husband Sam moved here from B.C. in the forties and decided to settle in West Hamilton. Nina and Sam ended up buying a lot from a lady named Doll Flaherty. Mrs. Flaherty owned our house at the time and sold them a part of her property. They built their house in 1947 for $12,000. Wow! My parents moved in in the 70's and right away, made friends with their new neighbours, Nina and Sam. Unfortunately, Sam passed in the 80's, so what started off as a neighbourly friendship became stronger and Nina has become a part of the family. Now, there is one treat that Nina makes that is my Mum's absolute favourite! They are quick and easy to make and I am so happy that Nina gave me her recipe, for me to share with you today!!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Nina's Crispy Cheese Biscuits
(makes 36 pcs)

1 tub Imperial Cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use safflower)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup AP flour
1/2 to 1 tsp mustard powder
pinch of sea salt
2 cup rice crispy cereal

.preheat oven to 350 degrees
.in a bowl mix the cheese, oil and Worcestershire sauce together with a fork
.stir in the flour, mustard powder and salt until well combined
.gently stir in the cereal
.measure 1 Tbsp, roll into balls (Nina says the size of a walnut),
.evenly space (they won't spread out), on a tray lined with parchment paper, or lightly greased
.press balls down with the tines of a fork (if sticking, wet the tines with water)
.bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes, cool on rack, store in an airtight container for up to a week, enjoy!

My Mum can eat these by the dozen! Now, if you don't know what 'Imperial Cheese' is, it's found near the cream cheese in the grocery store (it's the Cheddar cheese spread in the red container). It's one of my favourites!! I'm thinking this recipe is a great base and can be played with! Change the mustard powder to grainy Dijon, add a good amount of cracked black pepper or cayenne for a kick, add fresh chopped chives or thyme, etc... Please try them, they are super tasty!

"There aren't enough days in the weekend." Rob Schmidt

 Part two...The culinary adventure continues!
Alrighty, so on Sunday morning we had some fruit and a big mug of tea for breakfast. A bit of a detox from Saturday's good eating and besides, we were meeting Kev's friend at 'The Mill St. Crossing Pub' in Acton for an early lunch. And we all know what that means... Alcohol consumption and enjoying at least one deep fried item! My sweetie and I had been to this particular pub before and we liked it. We had been on an early spring hike to Limehouse one Sunday afternoon, when it was still quite chilly out. We both agreed that the best way to warm up after a long hike was to wonder in to a cozy pub and enjoy a pint or two! Anyhoo, we found Ken on the patio and after some pleasant conversation, we ordered beers and lunch. I was happy to find that my souvlaki was in-house made and really good ( which I enjoyed with fries, of course!)! Kevin and Ken's lunch were also a hit (a steak sandwich and a burger), you could tell the kitchen staff knew what they were doing! After lunch, we drove just outside Georgetown to a shop called 'The Apple Factory.' They offered quite the selection of locally grown produce, a butcher's counter and a lot of pies! Tonnes of pies in fact, of all different types! Unfortunately neither Kev or I have much of a sweet tooth, so instead I bought some field rhubarb, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. Yum!!

A quick pit stop back at the apartment and we were off again! This time to our final destination, Kevin's nephew's 3rd birthday party and BBQ! When we got to Rob and Crystal's, Kev's youngest brother was showing off his new prized possession... A huge 'Cuisinart' gas BBQ! Fancy! I can understand why Rob loves it so much, it is glorious! With the weather cleared up and about 20 guests to feed, the new BBQ was fired up and hot dogs and hamburgers were on their way! Crystal gathered up all the fixin's, made coleslaw and a salad chocked full of veggies and topped with grated old Cheddar cheese (now that's my kind of salad!). Everything was delicious! After dinner, we enjoyed an ice cream cake. I had never had one before and was soon laughed at, since I was wondering where the cake was! There's actually no cake in an ice cream cake... Who Knew?! After our dessert, we watched Mathew open up his many presents and then left to go back to our place to relax! We had a busy, busy weekend, but a wonderful weekend, filled with culinary adventures galore! And tell me tell yah, I loved every minute of it!!

"There aren't enough days in the weekend." Rob Schmidt

Well, as my observant followers will notice, I have used this quote a few times now! I love it!
As usual, our weekend was cram packed with adventures... Let me start off where I left you all on Friday: my brother Jordan's apartment. The dinner party went swimmingly! Jordan and his girlfriend Jen prepared chicken in a teriyaki style sauce, cooked in the slow cooker, that was accompanied by sticky rice. I provided the green salad and curry dip appetizer. It was all dish delish and I am certainly looking forward to the next dinner party! On Saturday, Kev and I started our day with a filling brunch... Pita bread stuffed full with scrambled eggs, Old Cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and peameal bacon (I had mine with Frank's, of course!). Along with a big mug of tea, our brunch gave us the energy to begin our culinary adventures! First, we set out to the Georgetown Farmer's market, established in 1993. Running on Saturday mornings till 1 pm from June to October, the town shuts off the main street of downtown for the market. Stall after stall featuring anything from locally made pottery, to butchery, to organic produce. One stall, belonging to the 'Whole Circle Farm,' had the most beautiful baby carrots I had ever seen! What an array of colours! Unfortunately they had already sold out of the purple variety before I got the shot, but wow, they looked like a rainbow!

We ventured up and down the stalls until we decided upon dinner. BBQ steak and baked potatoes with salad would do us just fine! Red new potatoes for me and organic sweet potatoes from Norfolk county for Kevin. Perfect! We dropped off our local market goods at the apartment and continued our adventure. We drove to Caledon, to the 'Spirit Tree Cider Estate,' to sample some hard apple cider. Situated amongst the apple orchard is a large environmentally friendly building which holds a food shop and cafe. The shop solely features locally grown and made goods and has a wood burning oven that bakes all of the breads and baked goods for sale (it gets up to 1200 degrees!). The cafe offers up light meals made from local ingredients, fresh baked breads and of course, features apple cider! Kev and I wasted no time and headed straight for the cafe for the hard cider. You see, the last time we were there, we were told that that the hard cider would be ready in the summertime. We had been waiting for months, so we were ready! And let me tell yah, we weren't disappointed! We had a tasting. First up, their 'ice cider.' Yes, I said ice cider! Sweet in flavour and quite similar to ice wine, it was absolutely delicious! Next, we sampled the 'cider reserve;' refined apple cider aged in oak barrels. Again, delicious! We ordered a glass of both unique ciders and headed outside to the patio. So peaceful out in the countryside, we sipped our chilled drinks and watched dozens of swallows playfully soaring through the sunny sky. After a quick chat with the owners, Tom and Nicole, and meeting their adorable son and Nicole's father, we bought a bottle each of the different ciders and vowed to be back when the 'pub style cider' is bottled and for one of their Friday night wood oven pizzas. Yum, can't wait! Once back in Georgetown, we chilled our cider, took a glass each outside and reflected upon our fantastic day. Wow, I think slowing down this spring and summer is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel like I am involved, like I am living a dream. I am living the culinary adventure I wanted to find. It is a wonderful feeling and I'm so glad you are along for the adventure with me! Oh geez, I've spent all my time just talking about Saturday, what about Sunday?! You know what that means, my followers... Part two tomorrow!

Here are a few links I wanted to add...
http://www.downtowngeorgetown.com/4farmers-market-special-events
http://www.wholecirclefarm.ca/
http://www.spirittreecider.com/

Creamy Curry Dip

"Among the liveliest of memories are those of eating and drinking..." Mary Antin

What a fantastic quote! I have a feeling that Mary Antin and I have a lot in common, for most of my memories involve food somehow or other! In that respect, I suppose I was always destined to become a Chef...
So, this evening my best friend Mary and I and our friend Jeff are off to Dundas to attend a dinner party hosted by my youngest brother Jordan and his girlfriend Jen, at their new apartment! It will be our first of many, I hope! For the special occasion, Jord and Jen have asked me to prepare one of our fave items... yummy curry dip. I'll fill you in on why it is one of our favourites! A couple of years ago, the three of us and our cousin Terry went to England. Our Mum's family is there. While in England, we did a lot of travelling and eating... We visited Liverpool, Manchester, London, Stonehenge, Chester, York and Northern Wales. Not bad! We drove along the North shore of Wales on a sunny day, spotting castles in the hillsides and admiring the views of the Irish Sea. We ventured out to Caernarfon and spend the afternoon roaming through the ancient castle in which Prince Charles was appointed, 'The Prince of Wales.' What a day!! We then set out along the winding roads until we found a fabulous pub in which to quench our thirst and steadily growing appetite! I can't remember the name of the pub, but I remember that it was 500 years old! We sat outside on a picnic bench, with the town wall running behind us and a view of the castle, up the winding cobble stone road in front of us. Soon, we had pints of ale and cider in front of us and we were ready for food! Bangers and mash, a couple of steak pies, a big brekkie and bowls of chips to share, were soon ordered. Along with our chips, we ordered a curry dip. When it arrived, I was surprised to find that the dip was a cold, mayonnaise based dip, not the traditional hot, gravy like curry sauce you would expect. Oh well, might was well taste it... Hello!! Or 'Hylo!!,' as they would say in Wales! It was absolutely delicious! Now, call us crazy, but my brother Jord and I obsessed about this dip until we got back home! Soon, it was time for me to crack the code (a pretty easy one to crack, actually!), and figure out how it was made! I did it! Since then, I have made it time and time again for our family functions. Here's how to make it!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Curry Dip
(makes about 1 cup)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp of curry powder (make it heaping if you want!)
1 garlic clove, chopped
or
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.in a small frying pan, heat the oil on medium low heat, add curry powder and garlic
.stir continuously and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is sizzling and the spices are aromatic, set aside to cool (be careful not to burn the garlic or curry powder)
* if you are using the garlic powder, you must still fry off the curry powder
.mix together the mayo and sour cream (and garlic powder if using), stir in the fried curry powder and garlic
.season with salt and pepper, enjoy!

Allow the dip to sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, to allow the flavours to develop. If you don't fry off the curry powder, the spices will be gritty and their flavours will not be released. Serve the dip with veggies, breads, corn chips or good ol' chips (fries!)... Use low fat or light mayo and sour cream for a lighter alternative. Whenever we eat this dip, we are taken right back to that wonderful day in Wales! Oh, the memories... It's going to be a fun evening at Jord and Jen's, I know it already!
Well, my followers, another week done and it's time for the weekend! I have a lot of culinary adventures lined up, but you are just going to wait till next week to find out what they were! Hee hee! Until Monday!!

Ontario Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Mushrooms and Herbs

"A thriving household depends on the use of seasonal produce..." Olivier de Serres (1539 - 1619)

Good morning followers! Rain is on it's way today and I'm happy! Don't get me wrong, I've been out swimming and sunning myself everyday this week, but the gardens really need it! My Dad and my brother Adam are heading up to our 10 acres in Norfolk county to do some work. I hope our vegetable garden is still alive!!
So yesterday I was on a bit of a detox, considering the fish and chip celebration Kev and I had the night before. Heck, if you have a craving, I say go for it!! I wasn't sure what to make for dinner, so the usual sifting through the fridge and freezer until inspiration strikes, took place. I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and lovely produce in the fridge, some Ontario Foodland, some from our land. And of course, there are lots o' herbs growing in the garden! I just had to figure it out... Et voila! We would enjoy a grilled stuffed pork tenderloin, boiled new potatoes and a medley of fresh peas from our 10 acres! All seasonal, all local (well, except for the sea salt and grainy Dijon form France, olive oil from Italy and black pepper from most likely, Vietnam... Ah, close enough!)!! I was a bit worried, but it turned out delicious! Here's how I made the pork tenderloin (note: you will need butcher's twine)...

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Mushrooms and Herbs
(serves 4)

1 pork tenderloin (whatever size you want, just add to the stuffing if you need to...)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus some extra for later...)
5 or 6 cremini mushrooms
1/2 onion, chopped
1 or 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 green onion
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
a small handful fresh chives, chopped
1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

.put the olive oil on a pan on medium heat, add onions and mushrooms, fry for 5 mins
.turn down to medium low add the garlic, green onion and fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper, fry for 5 mins more
.turn off heat, stir in Dijon, set aside, meanwhile... heat your BBQ, one half on high, the other low
.slice the tenderloin lengthwise about half way through and open it up on the cutting board
.pound slightly to flatten and even out, season the surface with salt and pepper and a drizzle of the olive oil
.place the mushroom mix down one side and fold over the pork, make sure the stuffing won't fall out
.cut about 8 lengths of string, long enough to tie in intervals down the tenderloin
.securely tie the loin up, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on the high temp grill
.turn the tenderloin often until all sides are evenly grilled (about 5 or 6 mins), move the tenderloin to the low side and close the lid
.open the lid and turn the loin every so often to ensure even cooking (about another 10 to 15 mins)
.remove the pork and allow to sit for a few minutes on the cutting board, snip the strings with scissors and remove, slice and enjoy!

Please don't be intimidated by this recipe, the preparation of the tenderloin is very fast and easy, I swear! And remember, it's okay to eat your pork a bit pink!! I grilled ours to medium well in the middle and well done on the ends. Pork tenderloins are very tender (hence the name...), but they tend to dry out quickly, so do not over cook! Please, please try this recipe out and let me know how you like it!

"How much is the fish? How much is the chips? Does the fish have chips?" 'Buffalo' by Stump

Might I suggest everyone watch this song's video on youtube! It will bring back some good memories, I swear! Well, at least I remember this song...

So, as you can guess, today's blog is a bit of an 'ode to fish chips.' My love affair with this comfort food started late in life, but at least I found it! Now, I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but the first time I travelled back to England as an adult in 1995, I didn't want the fish... I know, it's terrible! It was my first evening visiting the family with my cousin Mel, when our aunt Susan took us up to the local 'chippy' to pick up our dinner. Everyone else got fish and chips, except for me. I opted out for chips, a cheese and onion pie and the classic English mushy peas. Don't get me wrong, I loved the pie, but looking back I can't believe I passed on the fish! Since then, I have smartened up and have enjoyed fish and chips (with mushy peas, whenever available!), all over! My first cooking exam at Stratford Chef School was fish and chips! Isn't that funny? It's not as easy as it sounds and I was super nervous! But my batter ended up being bang on and my chips were perfectly cut batons! Yee ha! While in Australia, I noticed that people loved their chips and battered prawns.Very good, but I still had to have my fish! The last time I was in Ireland visiting my friend Kelley, she took me to Dublin's oldest 'chipper', Leo Burdock's, established 1913. Big time yum! We got our fish and chips in a paper cone, ate them while walking around the old city and eventually ended up at the Guinness factory. What a day that was!! And it's true, Guinness tastes best in Ireland! So rich and creamy! While in Toronto, I would get my fix at 'Chippy's' on Bloor. Very, very good! Well, last night I had that craving again...  My sweetie Kev and I ended up getting our take away dinner from Georgetown's fave 'chippy', H&J Family Fish & Chips. It's the second time we've had them and they are pretty good! I love fish and chips so much and I'm so happy Kev does too! We do have a disagreement though... He likes his fish with tartar sauce, but I am a straight up malt vinegar and salt kinda girl! And yes, believe it or not, H&J's has mushy peas! So delicious and eating them always takes me back to that evening England all those years ago... 

Photo courtesy of 'hitzone.com'

Greek Inspired Bruschetta

"When in Rome..." Proverb

Wow! I'll say it again... Is it ever hot out there!! Yikes!
Yesterday I went to the grocery store to pick up some things and was so happy to see that our fresh Ontario fruits and veggies are slowly infiltrating the produce department. How exciting! Lettuce, new potatoes, hot house tomatoes, green onions, etc... This might sound strange, but the local green onions I saw yesterday are the most beautiful green onions have I ever seen! The prices on our local goods are also fantastic, so cheap! I saw peaches, plums and nectarines from the States, which means that ours will be along soon! I cannot wait until our same is fruit is ready, I haven't enjoyed any of these delicious treats since last year!! Anyhoo, back to dinner... We had pork chops on the grill (marinated in a little chopped garlic and olive oil), a huge salad with my 'House Vinaigrette' (on my 'Recipes' page) and a Greek inspired bruschetta. Yum! I love bruschetta and before he met me, Kev had never tried it! Don't worry, I've won him over! I absolutely love the diversity of bruschetta. You can throw just about anything on there and it's fantastic. I remember when my best friend Mary and I were in Rome 10 years ago, we fell in love with a little restaurant close to our hotel. Our first night in Rome, we ate at the restaurant and ordered the bruschetta that was done three ways. That's when I realized that the 'bruschetta' is simply the grilled bread rubbed with fresh garlic, drizzled with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper, the toppings can be whatever you like! The toppings for our bruschetta were black olive tapenade, chopped and sauteed mushrooms and the most common, tomato basil combo. It was so good, that every night after that, we would order two servings for take out and bring it back to hotel room for a late night snack! Bellissimo!! Heck, bruschetta has been enjoyed in Italy for over 500 years, we had to do our best to catch up! 'When in Rome...!'

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Greek Inspired Bruschetta
(serves two)

1 large ripe tomato, diced
a handful of kalamata olives, halved, pits removed
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1/3 tsp dried)
feta cheese, crumbled
4 slices of bread
extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.combine the tomatoes, olives and oregano in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle in some olive oil, set aside
.grill the bread until it's toasty, rub with the garlic clove and drizzle with some olive oil
.top your bruschetta with the tomato mixture, crumble over some feta cheese, enjoy!

This bruschetta topping turned out fabulous! I cannot wait until more local produce is available to experiment with! Don't worry followers, you will be right there with me on those culinary adventures as well! Bye for now!

Ontario Sweet Cherries in Liquor

"Life is a bowl of cherries" Proverb

Mornin' followers! Oh, hold on, the kettle's boiling. Time for a huge mug of tea! Ahhh, much better, let's get started!!
So, how was your weekend? Mine was good! Low key, but very good! Man, has it ever been boiling hot out there! So hot in fact, that I decided to move all of my culinary adventures outside to the BBQ for the weekend! Spicy Italian sausages on Saturday night, with a foil package of sliced red and green peppers, fennel, onions and garlic, sprinkled with a little Parmesan when done. Accompanied, of course, by a crusty loaf, Extra Virgin olive oil for dippin' and a bottle of Riesling!! Delicious! Last night we had beef burgers topped with fried mushrooms and onions, with potato chips on the side and a cold beer. I used my 'Basic Burger Mix,' ( on my 'Recipes' page).  To kick it up a notch, I grated some old Cheddar cheese into the mix... Yummy!! Since it was so hot out there, we decided upon ice cream for dessert last night. We had some French vanilla in the freezer. Hmmm, what could liven it up? How bout some sweet black Ontario cherries and cointreau? Hello! What a great idea! I halved and pitted the cherries (gotta love pink fingers!), and threw in a bunch of stuff that I had lying around the kitchen. A half an hour in the fridge and we were good to go! Here's what I did!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Ontario Sweet Cherries in Liquor

1 cup sweet Ontario cherries, stemmed, halved and pitted
1 navel orange, juiced
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 to 1/2 cup Cointreau (one can never have too much!!)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

.combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover, place in fridge until needed (up to 24 hrs), enjoy!

We had our yummy cherries served over our ice cream, but you could do anything with it! Try dark chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. Use a different liquor: Kirsch, brandy, creme de cacao (yummy chocolate!!), etc. Serve your cherries over a slice of pound cake, angel food cake, sponge cake or even meringues, yum! Certainly a quick and easy way to enjoy our delicious Ontario cherries! Go for it!

Happy Canada D'eh!

Isn't this the best picture you've ever seen?! It was taken two summers ago at our first Canada Day celebration, up at our 10 acres in Norfolk county. As you can see, my Dad and brother Jordan were having some fun with lighter fluid! Behind them is the R.V. I've blogged about so many times. Isn't it glorious? We love that R.V.!! Anyhoo, I'll fill you in on the last couple of days!

On Tues evening I visited my Nanny with my Mum. I slept over at my parents and waited for my sweetie Kev to come pick me up, so we could go up to the property and get ready for the big camp out. We got up there mid afternoon and it was beautiful! We had a quick sandwich for lunch and got out the chainsaw. We dragged a few dead trees out of the woods, cut them up and made a great pile. We pitched our tent, did a bit of weeding in the garden and waited for everyone to show up. Sure enough, car after car came driving through the tall grass until there were about 25 of us ready for a camp fire and treats. Up went about 6 more tents and the R.V.'s tables were made into fold down beds for my cousin Emily and her two friends. It was a perfectly clear night for star gazing and to search for satellites racing across the sky. A few of us saw falling stars (two myself), as we chatted the night away with a cold drink in the cup holders of our camping chairs. I decided to drink mead and cider for the night. A deadly combination with resulted in a Happy Canada Day 'dance' around the campfire at about 2 am. Not too pretty! Snacks around the campfire were varied. Smores and marshmallows for some, hot dogs for others, chips, cookies and candy all around. My brother Jordan is the expert snack maker and with both of our 'Grill-a-Dog' sandwich makers going (pictured below, bought at the fall 'Cottage Life Show'), he had us eating hot dog sandwiches, breakfast sausages and toasted 'Roma pizza'. All delicious! Most of us were in our sleeping bags just before the sun came up, but a few insisted on staying up til sunrise. The next day, after a Tim Horton's run into Norwich town, we felt good enough to shut down our tent city and find our ways home to continue our Canada Day celebrations...

 I hope you all had a fun time yesterday and shared it with family and friends. We live in a pretty darn good place, don't you think? We are at peace within our borders. We have rights and privileges a lot of other people in this world can't even imagine. 'The True North strong and free...' Happy birthday Canada, I am grateful to live in our beautiful country! Till Monday, my followers!