One of the reasons I’m planning to go all-out for my big 5-0 next year is that I know that the decade after that will be chock-full of engagements, weddings, babies, and other big life markers (not necessarily in that order LOL) from my own daughters, I’m sure, to my younger friends such as my…
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Are you a menu-planner, or a wing-it kind of person?I’m definitely somewhere in between – I start out all plann’y, but always end up winging it. Sometimes it works, but sometimes I could have used a little more planning LOL. There was no rhyme or reason for Sunday’s dinner for 10 – just things I…
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It isn’t every night a world-famous Artist of proud Mexican heritage offers to teach you an authentic dish! Ok, so it happens this is our third such meal, but who’s counting?! Bring.Em.On. After the lovely Miriam Aroeste had led previous dinner crowds through Tortilla Soup (and yes, we crisped all the tortillas ourselves!) and Pozole,…
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Some days you just KNOW you need as much iron as possible, and this was one of those days. I’ve learned over the years to listen to my body – to when it’s extra EXTRA fatigued and tired, especially. I tend to be low in two things – hydration (DUH) and iron (also duh). I…
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Who here loves a good theme party?! Ok, now tell me if your hand was up… Friends (who hosted) and I had such a great time at last summers private garden “Diner en Blanc” party, that – after much wine – by the end I had offered to host a “la Nuit Noire” counterpart, 6…
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Seems a bit repetitive to show you pics now that I’m going to post with later, but I’m just tooooo danged excited! It was about high time to get fresh shots for here, and for my products over at Alison Kent HOME. For the record, these are my own (crappy) outtake shots, NOT the beautiful,…
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WTHECK is ‘Activated Charcoal’, and why would I EAT it?!Those were my first thoughts… BUT in prep for my Feb ‘Dîner en Noir‘ dinner coming up with some of my fave foodie friends, I started scouring the internet for ‘black-coloured food’ and this particular gem came up repeatedly. APPARENTLY, Food Grade Activated Charcoal is coconut…
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I mean, not to brag or anything. BUT I’m not a Ramen person, so it literally was the BEST Ramen I’ve ever had! LOL. Ramen noodles tend to be too heavy for me – I prefer the lighter vermicelli noodle in Pho, but that said, last night I SLAYED on a table for 10, hot-pot-style…
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HAPPY New Years 2020!!Who else is excited for a whole new decade?! My 2019 ended with another e p i c a l l y delicious NYE dinner with fellow cook, El Jefe Chef Fong, and our “sous-chef’s” May and Jenny. The “NYE Cookathon” tradition began when we had small boys at home and didn’t…
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Things shifted this Christmas, and I’m totally ok with that. With the loss of my beloved Nana, it was also an opportunity to renew traditions that had been on for decades. And this year, that meant my sister and myself taking over Christmas Dinner! Tired of turkeys since Thanksgiving and other meals (including our 50-60+…
Read MoreWE wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our HOME to yours! It’s been a fun ride the past few months trying out this whole ‘kitchen notes’ journey (I still can’t handle the word BLOG, even though I previously had one for years LOL). I can’t believe how many of you are already…
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Like I needed another “thing” in my Kitchen, btw… What’s Aquaponics, you may ask? That’d be a mighty fine question. One I asked years ago when it was introduced to me and the kiddo’s back when I was still homeschooling w the boys. We all thought it was SO.FREAKIN.COOL.!!! What the heck is AQUAPONICS?! BASICALLY,…
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Did you know you can dehydrate JUST ABOUT ANYTHING?! Challenge Accepted! I bought this Salton Vita Pro Dehydrator off Amazon and, honestly, it works just fine. A more expensive one might work the food a bit differently, but I’m good for now. My Kid Tt started dehydrating steak as jerky, with all his fancy seasonings,…
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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… OK, it wasn’t THAT bad, but when trying a new dish – especially a slightly technical one – with guests is always a bit of a dice roll. I DID warn them all that we might end up ordering pizza by the end…
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NEMESIS! ‘An inescapable agent of one’s downfall’. Quail eggs – and my obsessive desire to master them – will ultimately be my downfall, as I can’t see how I’ll possibly ever succeed against these maniacal little beasts… *sigh* I’m not even sure how I was introduced to these insufferable little ovals of madness, but now…
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Guess what? LIFE IS BUSY! I can’t always do fresh ingredients in the moment. Can you? That’s why I love a good BASE – anything I can make in big batches, that can be frozen/canned and used anytime as a base ‘ingredient’ for a quick meal. This Leek + Cauliflower Base is great for massive…
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Do you find you spend more time in the Kitchen while guests are over, than actually sitting with your guests? I often do! I’m constantly trying to figure out perfect menus where I can pre-prep 95% of the meal, and simply finish off and serve once guests start arriving, so I can be sitting, relaxing,…
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A real treat, personally and foodily!!Yeah, ok – that’s not a word… This photo of my elder son, Kid Tt, just watching the Ocean go by as he waits for his crabby catch of the day makes me SO VERY HAPPY! This boy has loved oceans, sharks, fish etc since he was a wee lad.…
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Do you love to make Stocks? I freeze food bits for months, then do a “stock day”. It’s the best for great Pho!
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We LIVE for Taco Tuesdays – somehow my family never tires of it, although perhaps that’s because I switch up the ingredients often?
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