appetizer recipe

Easy Roasted Garlic Recipe for a Gourmet Charcuterie Board

September 25, 2017 by Kathryn 5 Comments

When my husband and I are having lunch at home together during the week, we have a few favourite meals we like to make. And a charcuterie board is always one of our top picks. Meat, cheese, crackers and a few garnishes combine to make a lunch that feels like a gourmet treat.

Roasted garlic is one of our all-time favourite additions to a charcuterie board. For months, we bought it by the spoonful from our local grocery store’s deli section. But then we tried making it ourselves, and I was thrilled with how easy it was. If you love garlic, you’ve got to give this simple oven roasted garlic recipe a try! [Read more…]

Gourmet Tomato Bruschetta and Chocolate Mousse Ready in Minutes with the Braun PureMix Blender

October 19, 2016 by Kathryn 28 Comments

For the last few days, I’ve had a blast testing out the Braun PureMix blender. From smoothies and milkshakes to soups and sauces, there’s so much I can do with this versatile machine. I especially love using it to crush ice; the special pulsing setting for crushed ice gives perfect results every time!

But as much as I loved using the blender for basic recipes, I really wanted to get a little more gourmet with my Braun PureMix recipe creations. So I decided to create a gourmet appetizer and dessert with the blender: Tomato Bruschetta and Chocolate Mousse!

[Read more…]

Ring in the New Year with Parmesan Crab Stuffed Mushrooms #shop #cbias

December 23, 2013 by Kathryn 100 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

While I love the big main meal on Christmas day, it’s always so large that we don’t eat much else for days afterwards. After the heavy feasting and celebrating on Christmas, I like to keep things a bit lighter when New Year’s Eve rolls around. That’s why for the last few years, New Year’s Eve has been a time to relax at home and enjoy an assortment of homemade appetizers.

But with the boys taking up so much of my time, I still want appetizers to be quick and easy. That’s why one of my favourite recipes is stuffed mushrooms. They take just minutes to prepare but are always a hit. And as a seafood fan, my Parmesan Crab Stuffed Mushrooms are always a top pick during New Year’s celebrations. So recently I headed to my local Sobeys store to pick up the ingredients I would need to whip up a batch. [Read more…]

Holiday Entertaining Just Got Easier with New Black Diamond Cheese Spread

December 5, 2013 by Kathryn 151 Comments

With Christmas less than a month away, holiday entertaining is on my mind. I’ve been spending the last week baking up some tasty goodies for the freezer, but I like having savoury snacks to offer as well as sweets. I adore using appetizers for entertaining and cheese is one of my top choices, simply because I love it so much. Recently Black Diamond asked me to create a few recipes perfect for holiday entertaining using its new Black Diamond Cheese Spread and I couldn’t resist the chance to test out the cheesy goodness for myself.

I decided to make the Bacon Cheddar Salsa Dip featured on the Black Diamond website. My boys and I are huge fans of Mexican food and this looked like a great easy way to enjoy our favourite cuisine. I made the recipe even easier by substituting our favourite store-bought salsa for the freshly made version and the results were perfect. [Read more…]