French Garlicky White Bean Newlywed Soup

It seems that my invitation has been lost in the mail. Yours has too I assume, or, perhaps you are reading this from your suite at a London hotel awaiting the festivities at Buckingham Palace. It would be very un-British of me to not at least mention the upcoming wedding here on these pages. On the day, I will be on a bus with 42 other women en route to Seattle. I am sure that there will be plenty of news coverage and I will be able to watch the wedding from start to finish once I return back to Canada. Canada's wedding gift will be a $50,000 donation to the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary. The organization was chosen by William and Kate to be the Canadian beneficiary of a special charitable fund set up to celebrate their wedding.

While others contemplate the dress, the guest list and the venue I am much more interested in the food from start to finish!!! If I were at home I would have gathered a few friends for a dinner "fit for a King" and made an event of it in front of the "tellie" as I am sure many Brits and royal watchers will be doing. The menu for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is a closely guarded state secret, but one thing for sure it will be "very British." Over 300 guests have been invited to the meal on the evening of April 29, hours after the couple wed at London's Westminster Abbey.  Food is a key ingredient to any great wedding, and when the wedding also happens to be royal, no expense will be spared for a wonderful meal that will be enjoyed by the couple and guests alike in a large elaborate seven-course meal ...or will they go for a buffet?

Tuscan Lemon Muffins for a Spring Pick Me Up

Tuscan Lemon Muffins

If dreary Spring weather is getting you down, lift your spirits by adding bright, zesty lemons to your every day cooking. Today I've featured this recipe from Cooking Light magazine for some aromatic muffins that include a splash of sunshine with every bite.  A name like Tuscan Lemon Muffins could not be more fitting for a Spring pick me up!

When I think of Tuscany I think of golden yellow? It always reminds me of  the movie "Under The Tuscan Sun." The movie had plenty of images of Tuscan villas bathed in golden yellow sunlight. Imagine walking amongst rolling hills lined with cypress tree soldiers, surrounded by ancient vineyards, olive and lemon trees with nothing but the sounds of  birds singing to interrupt your dreaming.

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Ricotta

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Ricotta

Pasquetta, Easter Monday, is a holiday in Italy, and is traditionally an occasion for those who live in the cities to head out into the countryside and enjoy a picnic. With Easter coming late this year the prospect is even more inviting! I have one foot firmly planted in Spring but my mind, and kitchen, have already moved over to summer. Summer means plenty of salads and fresh plucked garden ingredients. Our local farmers market opened this weekend but with a late Spring I didn't expect to be enjoying lightly sauteed fiddleheads, morels or the pop of a fresh garden pea just yet. Without these longed for ingredients salads are looking a little wilted and tired so far this season.

To the rescue comes an inspiration from Cooking Light magazine where fresh local asparagus, roasted tomatoes and baby spinach become the star. The original recipe uses arugula and goat cheese but around here I use what I have on hand if at all possible. I love it when I am able to spend a leisurely afternoon at home with very little effort in the kitchen to get a light supper on the table. The bonus...no need to head to the grocery store either. This recipe would be perfect for a picnic on a sun dappled Spring day!

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust

and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Happy Easter!!!!! Every family celebrates these holidays with different traditions and celebrations. Whether you celebrated yesterday, today, tomorrow or even Monday or simply don't celebrate at all, I hope you are creating unforgettable memories this long weekend. I had a small gathering yesterday and perhaps it is the heady scent of the forsythia, the flowering apricots and magnolias, the warmer days, the gentle buzz of a honeybee or the lengthening hours of light that have made this holiday season what dreams are made of.

Whatever is in the air Spring won't let me stay in this condo any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again!!! I will head along the greenway to exchange my funds for my weekend in Seattle. As always I will have my camera in tow to capture the day and I will dream of exciting adventures to come. For anyone who follows me on Facebook you will know that I won a sponsorship from Canadian Beef to attend the Eat,Write, Retreat event in Washington D.C in May!!!!I can't wait to tell you all about it!!!

One a Penny, Two a Penny Hot Cross Buns for Invite a Blogger to Your Table

 

Hot Cross Buns

As seen at the Huffington Post

 I love everything about spring! Spring is a time of renewal when everything seems to come alive!!!!! The days are longer and the markets begin to burst with the colours of  bountiful fruits and vegetables of the pending season. It will soon be time to enjoy fresh rhubarb, the pop of a fresh garden pea and lightly sauteed furled fiddleheads. Spring is the season for asparagus and escarole and a wide variety of lettuce hand plucked from the garden for the perfect green salad. The delightful fragrance of chives, mint, chervil and tarragon fill the air to season our dishes. The forsythia and magnolia are in full bloom so all of these tastes of Spring will soon be bursting from our gardens, forests, markets and window boxes.

Chicken Rolls with Oka, and Wild Rice and Spring Mushroom Risotto

Rolls of Chicken with Oka

I should have known when this recipe inspiration came from a cookbook called Autumn in Ontario's Wine Country that this recipe would not have that "taste of Spring" that I was looking for, even if I did use fresh green chives and served it with asparagus. The wild rice, red wine, earthy mushrooms and the fragrant thyme had this recipe one foot firmly in another season.

I was Crushed by Lamb Kofta Appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce

Lamb Kofta Appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce

As writers and budding cooks we get our inspiration from many different sources. This recipe idea came from an on-line magazine from South Africa....Crush! Kofta is a minced meat kabob, typically molded into the shape of a sausage and wrapped around a skewer. The texture of the kofta comes from grinding the meat into a paste-like consistency and mixing it with herbs and spices of your choice.

Kofta is nothing new here on these pages but what I loved about this particular dish was the idea of serving these as an appetizer with olive-shaped little meatballs. With Easter coming up it seems only fitting that I share a few of my favourite lamb recipes. I like to use lamb for my koftas and serve these tasty morsels canapé fashion with fresh local crudités, tzatziki for dipping and a cool glass of rosé!

The Secret to an Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Oka and Chipotle Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I was going to post this photo for Wordless Wednesday since I think it speaks for itself, but when am I ever wordless:D Instead I will make a recipe out of a non-recipe.

What is your favourite comfort food? For me it would be a toss up between my homemade macaroni and cheese from the Beechers recipe or my quest for the ooey, gooey ribbons of delectable melted cheese of the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. The latter I would make most often since it is the satisfying, back-up meal that anyone can throw together with zero time and a practically empty refrigerator. In my humble opinion the grilled cheese sandwich is the epitome of comfort foods and simplicity in cooking. It's astounding to see what can be done with the basic staples of bread and cheese. This post is perfectly timed to coincide with National Grilled Cheese Month but then again I am willing to celebrate cheese anytime!!!

Chicken South Indian Style from Bal Arneson for Our Canadian Chef Series

Chicken South Indian Style

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that a while ago I started a feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do.

There will be some chefs you have heard of and adore and some lesser known who are "up and coming". Some are not even chefs at all, but just Canadians who are passionate about what they do!!For the past year I have been featuring one of our Canadian chefs or personalities periodically and will continue to do so. As the seventeenth installment in my Canadian Chef Series I introduce you to:

Bal Arneson

Vanilla-Infused Icewine Pain Perdu

Vanilla-Infused Icewine Pain Perdu

My recipe as seen on Maple Syrup World.  where you will find an exclusive 10% Off coupon code: MORETHANBURNTTOAST, valid for 20 orders on all their products

So perhaps it is the crocuses, the slightly warmer days, the lengthening hours of light that makes April a month that dreams are made of. Why not dream of starting your day off at a sidewalk cafe in Paris and watching the day go by. In France you won't find French Toast on the menu, just order Pain Perdu.

Spring won't let me stay in this condo any longer! I must get out and breath the air deeply again. That's when I turn to quick and easy dishes like French toast to start a sun-filled relaxing Sunday off to perfection. With it's caramelized buttery exterior and a custardy interior it makes for a sinful Sunday morning treat. As we follow the natural course from winter into spring, our bodies welcome transitional recipes like this one that warm us to the core and prepare us for a fresh start now that Spring has arrived!

Ottolenghi's Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Icing... an Ode to Spring

Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Icing

When April finally arrives, I’m ready to move into summer food and barbecuing but my mind is still clinging on to the comfort foods of winter. While spring may be in the air, it hasn’t exactly reached our markets yet. Spring is when everything seems to come alive!!!!! The days are longer and the markets begin to burst with the colours of the bountiful fruits and vegetables of the season. This is the time to enjoy fresh rhubarb, sweet garden peas and furled fiddleheads. It is the season for asparagus and escarole and a wide variety of lettuce hand plucked from the garden for green salads. The delightful fragrance of chives, mint, chervil and tarragon fill the air to season your dishes. All of these tastes of Spring are bursting from our gardens, forests, markets and window boxes...but not yet...

So while we are anxiously waiting for fresh garden peas, rhubarb and asparagus I continue to celebrate this "inbetween" season.  What do you do when you’re itching to cook Spring, but the market is stuck in winter?  Bake a cake that will give you the best of both worlds!

Fallen Chocolate Cake with Cherry Red Wine Sauce for 100 Miles of Flavour

Fallen Chocolate Cake

with Cherry Red Wine Sauce

We are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We are now in our second year and continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! Every month millions of readers turn to Cooking Light for recipes, advice on nutrition and fitness. This months theme "100 Miles of Flavour" was chosen by Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants to highlight local ingredients from each of our corners of the world.

Canada is a relatively new country and our cuisine is still in its youth. Wineries, craft breweries and artisanal cheese makers are emerging and adding a new dimension to our native cuisine, enriching it and extending it well beyond it's traditionial boundaries. West coast salmon, New Brunswick lobster, Ontario cheddar are all being paired with wonderful Canadian wines and locally harvested fruits and vegetables. Foodies are in heaven and locavores are finally coming into their own.

Chicken Saltimbocca with Shaved Lemon Fennel Salad to Celebrate Spring

Chicken Saltimbocca with Shaved Lemon Fennel Salad

My recipes as seen in Honest Cooking....
In the fall when we attended Jennifer Cockrall-King's Food and Wine Writers Workshop in Penticton, British Columbia one of the many highlights of  the weekend was attending a dinner at Bogners . The sous vide lamb and smoked beet tart are one of my top 5 "best food memories" of all time!! Heading the culinary team at this world class community institution for the last five years is Chef Darin Paterson, armed with techniques acquired in European kitchens. He has reinvented the heritage manor’s menu to boast refined French-inspired fare to match the changing seasons and local produce available in the stunning Okanagan Valley. Right outside their kitchen door the Bogner’s team nourishes herbs and greens and even operate a two-acre farm just outside of town to bring the best the valley has to offer to their customers.

Say Goodbye to Winter with Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms

Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms

When a person works six days a week out of sheer necessity weekday meals need to be quick or at the very least can be prepared ahead. This "faux lasagna" comes together in a matter of minutes and only requires you to cook the sausage and assemble layers of premade ravioli for a filling dish that is a perfect ending to winter fare!! As we follow the natural course from winter into spring, our bodies welcome transitional recipes that will warm us to the core and prepare us for a fresh start when Spring arrives.

Salmon "Cup"Cakes and the Latest in Technology

Salmon "Cup"Cakes

Today is the first official day of our taste test and launch of a new innovative product. I am so honoured to be able to bring this technology into your homes. A few weeks ago I was contacted by BlogTech as part of their Blog in Draft program to be one of the very first food blogs in the country to reveal their revolutionary new technology which allows your computer screen to emit "the world's first flavoured on-line pages". We have worked diligently together over the past few weeks to get this "show on the road" so to speak. The new technology uses "hydrocolloids," which in the simplest terms means that the neutrons "collide with each other to spread over your taste buds".

Yes this makes licking the screen completely possible!!!!!

 To test to see if your screen is working properly lick the photo above. Each day for the next two weeks I will be testing a new photo with a different flavour. If you don't care for salmon, please check back tomorrow for my favourite chocolate cake recipe.