The Yum Yum Factor

This recipe is one of my most requested in real life and I just realized I have never out it up on the blog. I did post in on my other blog,  NoReEats  , a few years ago but it's time to repost it here. I don't always do it with a spatchcocked chicken and it works the same with skin on, bone in chicken pieces. Today I am making it with a couple lbs of thighs, for instance but if you are using a whole bird, spatchcock it. The olive oil really gives he lemony sauce a silky texture that is worth the effort just on its own but thankfully the potatoes and the chicken are equally addictive.  One word about about the amount of water added- I have heard from many people that the amount needed varies due to different cooking vessels, oven temps etc so I would suggest starting with 1/2 cup the first time you make it. Just keep an eye on it and if it looks like it starts drying out , add more, 1/4 cup at a time to ensure that there is always a bit of water in the pan. Yo...

As we all know, we are knee deep into holiday baking season and I wanted to make all new cookies this year and I get sick of making lime meltaways and gingersnaps year after year, even if that disappoints some of my people. I had great success with   Chai Tea Cookies , Cardamom Quince Layer Cookies  and Chocolate Dipped Gingery Pecan Shortbread and wanted one last cookie to round things out. I guess it's because my kid is no longer little that I am gravitating towards more grown up flavours and away from just sweet and easy. After a wine fueled pinning frenzy, I found these cookies on Rock Recipes and couldn't get them out of my mind. The basic cookie dough looked great but I detest chocolate mint chips with a white hot passion. Actually, I only like fresh mint and have never found any sort of food item that contains any sort of mint extract that I would want to eat. I also really prefer chocolate to anything else so I used his basic cookie recipe and then changed it to s...

Not into making a huge turkey dinner this year but still want all the flavours and kind of feel like you had turkey dinner? This blast from the past was posted on my other blog, NoReEats back in 2011  and it's something I make when we are craving turkey dinner at other times of the year. Making a huge turkey for just the three of us is kind of ridiculous even though if we could, we would have a big turkey dinner once a  month all year round. If you think about it, I should have had five more kids just to justify more turkey  but it's too late now. I have to make do with this tasty turkey meatloaf and one, measly kid. I alway freeze some turkey stock after christmas and thanksgiving dinner so I use that to make this but chicken gravy works fine in a pinch. I think you can buy turkey stock from Kitchen Basics if you really want to use turkey broth and don't have any handy.  Just make sure you use all the same herbs and spices that you would use in your stuffin...

I have been searching for this recipe for days, knowing that I made them and that I wanted to make them again. I have not lost my mind, it just seems that this ten year old recipe was supposed to auto publish and it never did lol! So, here you are, a tasty cookie recipe from the past. Chocolate Dipped Gingery Pecan  Shortbread 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter, room temp 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped 1 tsp vanilla approx 100 grams dark chocolate (I used 70%) 2 tbls butter another 1/4 to 1/3 cup pecans, more finely chopped than the first 1/2 cup 2 tbls finely chopped crystallized ginger 1/2 tsp fleur de sel or some other coarse finishing salt Preheat the oven to 325F Whisk the flour, baking powder in salt together in a bowl and set aside. Cream your butter and sugar together with the paddle attachment until nice and creamy - I like to do this for a good five minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the vani...

For the last couple of years, I have been in charge of making dessert for The Neighbour's annual Xmas dinner. They throw a big dinner party for out of town friends and their in town sister with other people added to the guest list each year. We are fortunate enough to be included because it is always an impressive feast and tons of fun. Every guest gets a stocking filled with homemade cookies and a beautiful, hand painted ornament. Last year I made two desserts because it is always a crowd of at least 11 or 12 people but they were both a lot of work and both required slicing and plating and felt too formal for this type of gathering.  This year I wanted to make one dessert that would be substantial enough to feed a big crowd, easy to serve and not require pretty plating. Since this is basically three desserts in one, big bowl and requires nothing more than a big spoon and a shallow bowl, it fit the bill. At first, I was going to just make my Rum and Eggnog Tres Leche...

Come in the back door and exit through the front! Don't let the door hit you on the way out! It really is the most wonderful time of the year. It's the time where we all gather with our loved ones to enjoy each other's company, share good food and drink, spreading good will to one and all in the spirit of Christmas. The one day where we cast all of that aside is the day of Dianne's Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Party. On this day, a group of us gather to try to one up one another and create the most fabulous gingerbread house of the year and be crowned Queen of the Beach. Actually, some of us are basically self proclaimed Queens of the Beach, but no matter. If you're not first, you're last. Don't get too close. He bites. I came dangerously close to missing this year's festivities as I was booked to work on that very day but, as luck would have it, a Christmas miracle occurred, my job was cancelled and I was free to attend. Oka...

The Neighbours always set a festive table Holy crap, the holiday season is upon me. The week started off with a bang when I joined a big group of friends for wings at our favourite neighbourhood pub, Mike's Place, on Queen St. Saturday night, The Neighbours threw their annual Xmas dinner for the same group and we feasted on two types of lasagna (a classic bolognese and another Michael Smith rig that was filled with little meatballs, lobster and a bechamel sauce) and maybe a bottle or 8 or prosecco. Even the penguin enjoyed a flute, as you can plainly see. They always throw a great dinner complete with stockings for everyone filled with treats, a reading of a classic christmas book, carolling and general merry making. Sat annual xmas dinner at the bonds my contribution to the dinner was this Rum and Eggnog  Tres Leches Trifle- recipe coming soon beef with white bean stew to stick to our shivering ribs On Sunday we went to Kensington Market for th...