Celebrate Canada Day with Canadian Whiskey and Brown Sugar Flank Steak with Garlic-Chive Mashed Potatoes Remake

Canadian Whiskey and Brown Sugar Flank Steak

 with Garlic-Chive Mashed Potatoes

Canada's 144th birthday is fast approaching tomorrow on July 1st. For many this is just another long weekend but Canada Day is an opportunity to gather in every community from coast to coast to coast to celebrate the vision of our ancestors. We celebrate with community events, backyard barbecues, family picnics and plenty of fireworks in each and every community across the country. Canada is a melting pot of cultures, sights and sounds which holds true for our culinary diversity as well.

This year not only will we be wearing red and white T-shirts and sun hats at the MTBT household (the colours of the Canadian flag), but, we will also be enjoying red and white dishes... from appetizers to dessert. I have dreamed up a red and white menu that would make our ancestors proud and one that celebrates the Canadian spirit. After all what is a celebration without food!!! And what is Canada Day without red and white somewhere in the picture, or as in this case the star of the show!!

Summer Fresh Red Pepper Hummus Sushi

Red Pepper Hummus Sushi

 This year not only will we be wearing red and white T-shirts and sun hats at the MTBT household (the colours of the Canadian flag), but, we will also be enjoying red and white dishes... from appetizers to dessert. I have dreamed up a red and white menu that would make our ancestors proud and one that celebrates the Canadian spirit. After all what is a celebration without food!!! And what is Canada Day without red and white somewhere in the picture, or as in this case the star of the show!! Last years patriotic menu consisted of a Tomato Salad with Pickled Shallots and Goat Cheese Crouton , Spanish-inspired tapas of Romesco with Grilled Bread and Shrimp, Baby Scallops Ceviche in Radicchio Cups,  Red and White Potato and Radish Salad,  Halibut with Grilled Red Pepper Harissa and a finale of Raspberry Tiramisu.

 Of course you don't have to be Canadian to enjoy these summertime favourites. You just have to have a love of good food which as bloggers I know you do!!!Each recipe uses fresh local ingredients and celebrates our local producers and farmers. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Canada or any country in the world than to take pride in what we have to offer from coast to coast.

Is My Face Red (and White) Rhubarb Lemonade for Canada Day Celebrations

Rhubarb Lemonade

Normally when your face is red you are feeling bashful or embarrassed. But today, and for the next week as a lead up to Canada Day, my face will be wearing very patriotic red (and white) from licking my lips while enjoying a myriad of red (and white) dishes. I am resurrecting my challenge of last year where I created a menu from start from to finish using red and white ingredients. I am always up for a challenge and creating a menu based on a theme is a blogging challenge I relish. My friend Joan of FOODalogue is always cooking in colour too. I challenge you to come up with a menu using the colours of your own countries flag. Let's show some national pride here! What menu would you come up with using the colours of your own flag?

Fanny Farmer's Raised Waffles with Strawberries

Fanny Farmer's Raised Waffles

Thank you for joining me once again as I travel along with Mary of One Perfect Bite on a culinary journey.  Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. You could certainly add or detract women from this list, but no matter what these women have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today.Follow us on this journey while we take an in depth exploration of these women's lives and what makes them who they are.

Follow the British Columbia Food Trail Beginning on the Coast with Grilled Spot Prawns

Grilled Spot Prawns with Lemon Fennel and Baby Arugula Salad

As seen on Honest Cooking...Here in the interior of British Columbia we herald in Spring with tender local asparagus, freshly shelled peas, and crimson stalks of rhubarb but on the coastal waters of British Columbia nothing ushers in Spring better than fresh live Spot Prawns. From May 1 until July 1, we have the opportunity to devour some of the freshest and best-tasting prawns in the world here in British Columbia which are one of the most tantalizing things to be found in our coastal waters. Sweet, firm, peachy-pink and tender, these alien-looking prawns are sustainably harvested by local fishermen. This means we are able to enjoy eating them well into summer and still feel good about it. The summer has been sneaking up pretty quickly with the window of opportunity to enjoy this delicacy being relatively short but rest assured we have rolled up our sleeves and feasted on local Spot Prawns often.

Grilled Brie and Ciabatta Topped with Slow-Roasted Sunblushed Tomatoes for Dad

Grilled Brie and Ciabatta Topped

with Slow-Roasted Sunblushed Tomatoes

As seen on Honest Cooking...Happy Fathers Day to all the adoring men in your life!!! I know you are all reflecting on the past and remembering all the good things about your dad and letting him know how much he is loved in your own small way. Almost every morning I speak to my dad (and my mom) on MSN, except of course during ski season when dad is on the slopes or when they are on holiday.  Even if we have nothing exciting happening in our lives, and very little to say, we support each other and listen to our daily routines as if we still lived under the same roof. They live in the East so with over 3,000 kilometers between us the Internet connects us and is a valuable and much needed start to our day. If we don't speak in the morning the stars seem misaligned and all is not right with the world.

Dad in Naramata/Dad and I

Influenced by Alice Waters Traditional Gazpacho

 

Alice Waters Gazpacho

This is the second installment of an extraordinary culinary journey with Mary of One Perfect Bite who has invited bloggers to travel along on this gastronomic challenge . Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. For the next 50 weeks we will experiment with dishes from each of the 50 influential women on "the list". Whether you agree or disagree with the authors chosen fifty it will be an enjoyable and creative outlet to cook from the masters who have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today. All the while I have been researching each of their lives and different culinary styles and teaching this "old dog" a few new tricks.

Lemon Ricotta Souffle Pancake with Marionberries

Lemon Ricotta Souffle Pancake with Marionberries

When I saw this recipe from Laura Davis, a talented contributor of the Honest Cooking Network that I am a part of, I knew it would show up in my kitchen soon. I always seem to have leftover ricotta cheese so looking for ways to use it is a monthly quest. Having a special treat on the weekend for brunch is a way to treat yourself for being a control freak in the calorie department all week.

Ricotta is traditionally made from the whey left over from cheesemaking, ideally from the whey of buffalo mozzarella or sheep's milk. But if you're like me you have no access to cheesemaking by products. But delicious fresh ricotta can also be made by using readily available cow's milk, or as I did a blend of cows milk, buttermilk and cream. (The recipe will be forthcoming in a subsequent post). You will be surprised at how easy it is!!!!

On a Stick a Book by Matt Armendariz

Deep Fried Ravioli (On a Stick)

In Matt Armendariz new cookbook On a Stick he takes it all one step further and implores us to release our "inner child" and creativity by presenting just about everything on a stick. Dishes like Bratwursts with Sauerkraut Relish, Cheese Fondue, Deep Fried Mac and Cheese, Fried Mushrooms with Roasted Onion Dip, Potato Chips on a Stick with Spicy Ketchup, Cake Pops, Chocolate Covered Cheesecake, Frozen Elvis and Margarita Jello-O Shots take us to a whole new level of enjoyment. Thanks to the ingenuity of creative cooks like Matt, who make our food appealing and fun, meals can be healthy as well as having that WOW factor. In his cookbook he offers almost 300 recipes each with a stunning photo from this talented professional food photographer.

On a Stick has Matt sharing his many delicious recipes for creative standards like Lamb Souvlaki with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, Red Curry Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers, Spicy Cajun Skewers with Spicy Buffalo Dipping Sauce, Pinchos de Gambas, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce and Dak Sanjuk. But within these pages he releases his imagination and enters the stage of whimsy where everything is fare game to be skewered, grilled, baked or frozen.

Do You Eat Caesar Salad with Your Hands?

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure.

In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."

~ Julia Child

I first of all want to thank you for your patience while my IT friend rid me of the nastiest computer virus yet. I think I will recommend him for Sainthood. A writer without Internet or access to their blog for a few days is like being a chef without any ingredients. I literally felt like someone had strangled my voice and hid my keyboard in a black hole. I know I am being over dramatic. I don't know if it is possible to catch up on all your wonderful posts, but I will do my best. I am more than happy to say..she's back......

There’s something so wonderful about cooking from a recipe. By following the directions, ingredient for ingredient, you are channeling the culinary spirit of the chef that created the dish. When the dish is complete and you sample the flavours, you are able to sit back and take an objective view. You can marvel at the genius that married those singular flavours together but by cooking dishes created by the masters, you begin to understand the inspirations of a chef from the inside out. The recipe is a starting point and a guideline since from there you are on your own and limited only by your imagination!

And so to honour the masters Gourmet Live brought out a list of the 50 most influential women in food...Fifty women game changers. Some are chefs, some are food writers, and some are women who are passionate about the creative process. You could certainly add or detract women from this list since it is one persons opinion, and biased from an American point of view, but no matter what these women have all influenced us in one way or another. Being a woman and passionate about food myself I wanted to explore and not only learn from the masters but recreate some of their dishes to better understand what has shaped and molded them into who they are today.

I Have a Virus...Down Till Further Notice

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

Spinach Kiwi Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing for Kitchen Play

Spinach Kiwi Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

A short while ago I was asked to participate in a Progressive Party over at Kitchen PLAY for the month of June. Who wouldn't want to wear their hostess hat and contribute to a blow out affair with 5 other talented food bloggers each assigned wildly different courses. We were all challenged to create one of 6 courses incorporating kiwifruit from ZESPRI®.

This month my assignment was to bring you a delicious salad course for this culinary challenge sponsored by ZESPRI® Kiwifruit. First grown in China and a nutritional powerhouse, the furry little kiwifruit is full of surprises!! When I was a little girl growing up in Southern Ontario kiwifruit were considered an exotic specialty. My mom would cut one in half and with spoon in hand I would consume several of these tropical jewels in one sitting. Kiwi fruit has always been immensely popular especially during the past two decades, and deservedly so!!!

Lucky Penny Wines Paired with the Epitome of Spring Risotto

There's a new kid in town with an "Aussie" accent and a flavour that will jump out of the glass!!!! A little while ago I was invited to attend an event in Vancouver that my schedule would not allow. I was honoured to still be a part of the excitement of a new wine label being introduced to British Columbia by the makers of Australia's famous [yellow-tail] brand. Lucky Penny is set to inspire our cooking and social scene and stimulate the senses of wine lovers across the country. Of course British Columbia produces many world class wines, but it is good to explore other options.

Crafted by southeastern Australia's Casella Wines, each Lucky Penny offering is a blend of three grape varietals. First on my radar is the Lucky Penny White made from 65% Chardonnay, 20% Viognier, and 15% Pinot Grigio. This combination denotes the flavours of pear and honey with a touch of apricot. The blend achieves the perfect balance of crisp, fresh fruit flavour with a creamy well rounded mouth feel. Approachable, unpretentious and bursting with flavour, the company invites you to discover Lucky Penny, which is a thoroughly enjoyable wine experience.

This young and unique white blend inspired me to create one of my favourite comforting Spring dishes. This was the perfect opportunity to incorporate some of the Australian wine I was lucky enough to receive both as an important ingredient and as an accompaniment. What's my Spring comfort food you ask? That Italian classic...risotto.  Italy's most famous rice dish, is enjoyed the world over. It's utterly delicious and nutritious, versatile and economical and the best part it can be prepared in only 20 minutes. Making a good risotto is rather like riding a bicycle.  It takes a little bit of practice to begin with, and a certain amount of concentration thereafter. Risottos are very sensitive to timing, so there is nothing better than one made in your home kitchen. The dish is simple to prepare so there is no need to be intimidated by this classic dish.

Cooking Light Gets Out of the Kitchen and onto the Grill

Barbecued Chicken Sliders with Pickled Onions

(photo from Cooking Light)

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, Canada and the United States, 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 "Get Out of the Kitchen" was chosen by Sandi of The Whistestop Cafe.

 Lets see what we have cooked up for you with this months theme. If you would care to join in either link your light barbecue recipes or add your link to the Linky tool below.