The Kitchen Operas

Sundays to me are a perfect baking day. You get a baked treat for one of your meals or snacks, and you have leftovers for the rest of the week. There’s nothing like waking up on a dreary & rainy Monday morning and having homemade muffins waiting for you. These are savoury muffins, and a [...]

Dear Soup, How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways. 1) You are magic.  Somehow, soup as a whole is always better than the sum of its parts.  You put veggies in a pot with some water, and they come out tasting incredible.  Magic. 2) You make me love winter.  Because who doesn’t [...]

As delicious as the Chanterelle Tortellini Aglio e Olio were, Louise and I decided that we wanted a second stuffed-pasta option.  And so, Butternut Squash Tortellini in a Sage Butter were born: This is a very traditional combination of flavours, and for very good reason.   Butternut squash + sage = heaven. And on a side [...]

So we’ve been eating out a lot due to some schedule craziness around here, and last night I wanted a really nourishing and delicious dinner.  But all I had in the house were some really weird odds and ends (tomatillos, alfalfa sprouts, red lentil stew, rhubarb, mushrooms), and a whole bunch of squash. I’m saving [...]

On Thanksgiving weekend we were lucky enough to get an invite up to our friends’ cottage — perfectly situated on a lake surrounded by beautiful falling orange, yellow, and red leaves, and smelling and feeling like Fall. I was in charge of dinner one night, and wanted to make something “Thanksgiving-y” that wasn’t traditional Thanksgiving [...]

Sometime last year, I lent my copy of Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates to my fabulous foodie friend, Louise.  And then I forgot about it. Louise then brought me one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted: pumpkin butter!   Oh my word, similar to apple butter, but made with pumpkins, this is a spread perfect for [...]

So now that you know how to roast squash, I’m sure you’re dying to know what to do with it… right? Well.  How about an amazing pasta dish?  If you’ve already got squash roasted, you can have this ready in the time it takes to boil a pot of pasta.  Oh yes, it is delicious. [...]

The very best part of Fall?  Squash! Pumpkins!! Roasted Veggies!  (And ignoring the bloggers from the Southern Hemisphere who are posting luscious spring/summer fruit finds!!! — Katey and Kate, I’m looking at you!) I love roasted squash, and acorn squash is no exception!  You don’t need to worry about adding any sweet stuff (although you’re [...]

The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home [...]

Another “keeper” recipe from Bonnie Stern: roasted butternut squash. First of all, how can you not love these colours?  Just looking at this platter makes you want to eat squash.  And it’s so good for you.  I think I’m into orange food right now… (Thai Roasted Veggies?  Carrot Koshambri?  Baked Falafels?  Roasted Parsnip & Carrot [...]