Food Challenges

Scalloped Turkey Casserole

At Thanksgiving, I had the butcher debone the breast and thighs. I used the breast to make the turporko and the thighs in another casserole. I took the carcass, wings and drumsticks and boiled them in a huge soup kettle with bay leaves, carrots, celery, onion, pepper corns and water to cover. I let them simmer for about 4 hours. I removed the meat and bones and reserved the broth. My mother helped me take all the meat off the bones and save it for other meals. I strained the broth, and chilled it in the pot over night. I threw away the mushy vegetables. The next day, I skimmed the fat off the broth and divided it into packages to be frozen for later use. Today, I used some of the turkey and broth to make the following casserole. Continue Reading…

Blueberry Ginger Bars

I recently tried gluten free rolled oats, for the first time, in my cheesecake base and the entire family were pleased with the results. I enjoyed the taste and didn’t react adversely, so I decided to try a fruit dessert bar. This is one of the variations I made. I’ll post other versions separately, because the bases and fillings are different. I hope you and your family will enjoy them as much as we have. Continue Reading…

Waste Not,Want Not…

I winced as the butcher tossed me a frozen package and said, “Lamb’s neck. See what you can do with that.” “Sure!” I said in reply, with no idea, whatsoever, of what I would do with this meat. However, always one for a challenge, I was certain something would come to me sooner or later. Continue Reading…

There’s a New Kid on the Block!

I was inspired to create something new for our Thanksgiving dinner this year. Normally, the clan would have arrived and we’d have celebrated with a Turducken. This year however, people were working and only a few family members could get together on the appointed day. I knew a Turducken would be much too large. I wondered what I could serve that would be different and very special, but smaller. Gradually, over a period of weeks, a new vision emerged. Continue Reading…

Spanish Rice with Lamb Kabobs

2 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup green pepper, finely diced
½ cup red pepper, finely diced
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
28 fl oz can (796 ml) diced tomatoes, drained – reserve the tomato liquid
1 ¾ cups tomato juice (reserved tomato juice + extra to make 1 ¾ cups)
¼ cup red wine
Sea salt and fresh cracked mixed pepper corns


Use a large frying pan that has a lid. Sauté the onions and peppers in the oil until the onions are almost translucent. Add the rice and continue to sauté until the rice becomes aromatic. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, thyme and the crumbled bouillon cube. Continue to stir constantly. Add the drained tomatoes, the tomato juice and red wine. Mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer, add the mushrooms, stir one last time and cover. Continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (15 to 20 minutes). Adjust taste with salt and pepper. Fluff with a fork and serve hot.


Add your favourite lamb kabob. I use lamb steak that has been marinated in oil, garlic and Herb de Provence. I add mushrooms, sweet peppers and purple onion to the skewer with the lamb. Brush the kebob with olive oil. Grill it about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare lamb.


Serve over the Spanish rice.

Tortilla Style Flatbreads

The longer I spend experimenting in the kitchen, the more some old favourites change. Last week, I began working with a new flour blend and got fantastic results with my unleavened flatbread recipe. The old one is still good, but this one has a more pliable dough that is easier to work with. I’ll let you decide which one you prefer. This one tastes like whole wheat and is very easy to cook. Continue Reading…

Mini Blueberry Cheesecake

My husband, Paul, is not a pumpkin fan, so he asked me to create a cheesecake that was suitable for a fruit topping. We used blueberries because they’re in season and are delicious with cheesecake. I used a blueberry preserve, but you could use fresh blueberries with a fruit glaze. Continue Reading…

Beef Stroganoff

This is an old favourite and adaptation of one of my mother’s recipes. It’s great for those cool fall evenings or cold winter nights that are quickly approaching. I particularly like it as a vehicle for using up left over prime rib roast, which is too delicate and flavourful to use in a soup or stew. Continue Reading…

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

I found some cute little miniature spring form pans when I was out shopping recently. Their base is 4 inches in diameter. I decided to pick up a couple to use for smaller projects. I felt they would be perfect for my cooking experiments in general and our very small family in particular. How often do you have a large cake or dessert that’s just too much for your household to consume before it “passes its rotting date”, as my youngest used to say? So when I decided to try making a gluten free pumpkin cheesecake, I gave my mini pans their maiden voyage. I’m going to use it to replace pumpkin pie at my Thanksgiving dinner!

The resulting cheesecake is rich and tangy, with a velvety smoothness and sweet, crunchy crust. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did. Continue Reading…

Tortiere Medallions

My husband, Paul, is French Canadian and enjoys a traditional meat pie called Tortiere. My mother has an excellent recipe, which we bake on Christmas Eve for dinner. Tortiere has been a favourite in our family for many years, but I have had to forgo this savoury pie when it’s served, because of the pastry.

Recently, while watching “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri, on the Food Network, I saw a cook wrap a meatloaf in bacon. (Please don’t ask which episode. I have no idea!) That concept gave me some ideas which lead to this recipe. The results were fabulous and gluten free. Now I can enjoy all the flavours of Tortiere without the crust! Continue Reading…