recipes

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

October 19, 2016 by Kathryn 27 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!

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Add a Gourmet Touch To Food and Drinks with the Braun PureMix Blender

October 18, 2016 by Kathryn 14 Comments

When it comes to cooking, I’m a bit of a nut for having the newest and best appliances to create the perfect culinary creations. Whether it’s a small accessory like a milk frother or something bigger like a waffle maker, great food is easy with great tools on hand. And that’s why I couldn’t wait to test out the new Braun PureMix Blender! With the ability to pulse, blend and liquefy both cold and hot ingredients and bonus Smoothie2Go cups for busy mornings, it sounded like the perfect addition to my kitchen arsenal.

One of my favourite features on this sleek blender is its Crush Ice setting. Margaritas and other crushed ice beverages are a favourite in our house, but properly crushing ice for those beverages is something I’ve never been able to figure out. The Braun PureMix Blender uses a pulsing cycle to ensure ice is properly and evenly crushed, minus the large chunks and melted cubes I’ve sometimes encountered in the past. I tested it with a handful of ice cubes and in less than a minute, I had crushed ice worthy of a fancy restaurant cocktail!

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Gluten-Free Turtles Brownies Made Easy with Enjoy Life Baking Mixes

January 19, 2016 by Kathryn 115 Comments

One of the biggest downsides of dietary restrictions is missing out on tasty treats. I have an allergy to raw mushrooms and even though I discovered it in my tween years and haven’t eaten them since, I still miss the delicious marinated mushrooms my mom used to make for potlucks. I can only imagine how much harder it is to find tasty snacks and treats with an allergy to gluten, dairy or nuts!

That’s why I’m so happy Enjoy Life baking mixes have come to Canada. This line of mixes and gluten-free flour lets those with dietary restrictions or allergies indulge in some of the tasty foods that most of us take for granted. From pancakes to muffins to pizza, these mixes help make restricted eating fun!

I recently received an assortment of Enjoy Life products to test out and I couldn’t wait to get cooking. I’d just tried a scrumptious Caramel Nut Brownie on a press trip and wanted to recreate it in a gluten-free version using the Enjoy Life Brownie Mix. And so my Gluten-Free Turtles Brownies were born! [Read more…]

Bake Up a Decadent Holiday Cookies and Cream Cheesecake-Giveaway #BakersSecret

December 7, 2015 by Kathryn 79 Comments

With Christmas just a few weeks away, I am baking up a storm getting ready for the upcoming holiday. And whether I’m making cookies, candy, squares or slices, my Baker’s Secret pans are a must in my kitchen. I recently received the Baker’s Secret 5 pc. Easy Store Bakeware set, and it’s been an absolute must-have in my kitchen for holiday baking. The 9×13 cake pan is my personal favourite in the set; not only is it a great size for all kinds of squares, it’s ideal for my very favourite Cookies and Cream Cheesecake.

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Festive Mexican Layered Dip Makes a Perfect Holiday Appetizer #whatscooking

November 28, 2015 by Kathryn 46 Comments

I am a huge fan of holiday food and while I’ve got a special place in my heart for Christmas sweets and treats of all kinds, I have to admit that as an adult, there’s another type of holiday food that I love even more…appetizers! In fact, our family’s Christmas Eve tradition is to put out big trays of assorted appetizers in the late afternoon and snack on them all night long until bedtime.

Considering how much I love appetizers, it goes without saying that I’ve got quite a few recipes that are favourites not just with me, but with everyone that samples them. From decadent crab and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms to homemade oven-baked hot wings, there’s no shortage of appetizer options in this house! But one of my all-time favourite recipes, both because of its ease and its popularity, is this Festive Layered Mexican Dip!

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Trying Three Delicious French Recipes Perfect for a Classic Dinner Party

July 24, 2015 by Kathryn 44 Comments

I love to cook and I especially love mastering new cooking styles and techniques from around the world. But, until recently, I’d never really delved into French cooking. Broil, braise, sauté, flambé…the techniques seemed a little too intimidating for me! Luckily, that all changed when I took part in Motrin’s #MakeitHappenMonday challenge! I set myself a goal of mastering a dinner-party-worthy menu of 3 classic French recipes and then spent the next two weeks turning my dream into a reality!

Now my menu has come to fruition and, thanks to a lot of preparation and some great advice from chef friends and others, it was absolutely spectacular. The three-course meal was everything I hoped it would be, and I loved learning so many new things along the way. [Read more…]

Cook Up Something Delicious with Celebrity Chef David Rocco and Barilla

June 15, 2015 by Kathryn 214 Comments

I love to cook and if there’s one thing that I’ve learned over years of trying different recipes, it’s that quality ingredients make all the difference when it comes to taking a recipe from good to great. Pasta has always been one of my favourite meals to cook because it’s perfect for both quick and easy dinners or gourmet creations and for great results every time, Barilla pasta is a must in my house.

Recently, Barilla sent me a fantastic package containing a variety of pasta, some fun recipe ideas and a copy of the cookbook Made in Italy by David Rocco! As a huge fan of Italian food, I couldn’t wait to try out a few of the recipes, and this Pasta Al Forno was one dish that the entire family loved. [Read more…]

Join the @CanadianTire #CuisinartBBQs Twitter Party May 13 at 8pm EST

May 8, 2015 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

I love cooking at any time of year but I have a special fondness in my heart for barbeque season. There’s nothing I love more than firing up the grill after a long winter and cooking up a delicious cedar-plank salmon, tender sauced ribs or a juicy steak. In fact, when the weather does get warm enough to barbeque, it’s sometimes the only cooking method I use for weeks at a time!

This year, Canadian Tire and Cuisinart have teamed up to help take barbequing to a whole new level with a new line of Cuisinart BBQ accessories available in Canadian Tire stores across Canada, perfect for creating gourmet dishes on your grill. Personally, I can’t wait to try this fabulous Salmon Asparagus & Grilled Pineapple recipe. My youngest son absolutely loves pineapple, so I know he’ll devour this tasty meal! [Read more…]