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Dilly Beans
I love canning, and pickling is one of the easiest kinds of canning that you can do. It takes very little prep, it’s easy, and it’s one of the safest kinds of canning because of the acidic environment created by the vinegar. Which is why it’s great for beginners – especially Dilly Beans, which are cheap and easy to do. And who doesn’t love pickles? I took a trip down to the St. Lawrence Market‘s weekly Farmer’s Market this past weekend to pick up pickling dill, beans, and pickling cukes – I meant to grow my own dill this year, but due to poor pot placement in the pocket garden,…
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Guacamole
Making Avocados are kind-of a major staple of my diet these days; I don’t eat a lot of meat, ((though I’m not a vegetarian.)) and they make a good stand-in for the hearty part of a meal. Though they are annoyingly finicky, ((Not ripe, not ripe not ripe Ripe! Too late)) I usually have them around for sandwiches and things. Lately, I’ve been really craving salty, savoury things, and discovered Los Cantores Tortilla Chips at our local deli, St. James Town Steak and Chops. Normally I don’t shill for companies, but these are freaking delicious, and I totally recommend them. I’ll also note that if you’re in the market for…
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Jalapeno-Cheese Dip
A delicious, spicy, cheesy indulgence! My sisters and I made this Jalapeno-Cheese Dip for the first time last February, when I’d just moved to Toronto for a new job and was feeling quite lonely in the big city. They came up to visit, and we made and ate this while mostly-ignoring the Super Bowl in my big, weird empty condo sublet. It’s definitely comfort food, definitely not an everyday dish, but a good warming appetizer for special occasions (like sister nights!). 2 8-oz packages of cream cheese 1 cup of mayonnaise 4-6 jalapenos, chopped and deseeded 1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/4 cup diced green…
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Spiced Pickled Beets
There’s a restaurant in Peterborough called St. Veronus, where I was first introduced to the deliciousness of the spiced pickled beets. Beets on their own, boiled and served with butter, are terrific, and pickled beets are fine, but spiced pickled beets are something else altogether. My sister Sammi found this recipe a few years ago, and while it’s not exactly the same as the beets they serve at St. Veronus, I might believe that these beets are better. I think I’ve said before that I’m not a proponent of specialty gadgets and tools for cooking, but some things I do endorse. A kitchen scale is excellent, and if you’re canning,…
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Vegan-Friendly Lemon Herb Dip
Normally I shun pre-mixed spices, but oddly, Montreal steak seasoning is awesome in this dip.  I may or may not have noted before my recent obsession with thyme in my food, but it may spring from having a front yard full of creeping thyme.  When I make this, it usually goes pretty fast, and since a can of white beans holds about 2 cups, you might as well double it. I’m also not a fan of requiring special kitchen tools for recipes, but coffee grinders are great for all kinds of things, and I’m sure ingenious non-coffee-grinder-owners will find some way to mill your nuts. As dips go, this one is actually pretty…
