Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

Yes, this is a post about infusing alfredo sauce but I would like to add a little context as I was visiting with my friend Detta, a culinarian of Sicilian hertiage. Pasta is in her genes and she has just finished remodeling her kitchen, so we decided to mess it up a bit. Egg noodles […]

With weeks of cool gray weather it is hard to believe it is officially summer. But I am hearing rumours of hot weather on the other side of Canada, so somewhere popsicles will be appreciated. This is essentially a recipe posted several years ago but I wanted to focus on the Sweet Cicely added to […]

Spotted Dog may be the most well known soda bread with “extra bits”. It has added raisins or currants, a spoonful of sugar and an egg as the budget allowed. Often served as a special Sunday treat in Ireland it was also made to support and encourage men in days gone by, who were working hard […]

Hummus is a tasty spread made from chickpeas with ground sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Originally from the Middle East it is now also popular in North America.  The other day I was teaching a “Playing with Herbs” class and we whipped up a batch along with some fresh dill mayonnaise and some […]

There are so many lovely ways to use fresh herbs in the spring and summer months. Yesterday’s post was a simple chop and mix into salad option. This infused recipe is for the dessert end of the meal or maybe treat time. Mint can be found growing wild in one form or another on all […]

Tabbouleh is extremely popular in several countries of the Middle East. It is also gaining popularity in the West as it is a healthy, vegetarian food that is low in fat and still offers fiber, minerals and complex carbohydrates. It is a salad made from a combination of finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur, […]

With Canada Day this weekend and the 4th of July soon thereafter, here is a cooling, soothing option that you and your guests can enjoy. In folk remedies lemon balm is believed to have calming effects. Check further into the aromatherapy/Alzheimer’s connection if that holds a place in your life. Lemon Balm, also known as Melissa, […]

Most of us grew up with a family brand of mayonnaise and nothing much tastes better than what we are used to. If Hellman’s, Miracle Whip or something similar are your automatic choices, opening the door to exploring can be a big adventure. One of the considerations is that fresh made mayonnaise is best kept […]

Yum, Yum, Yum,! It is rhubarb time and this is a change up on rhubarb crisp because the weather here the last week has been too hot to bake one. So instead of a crisp served with ice cream, we have frozen rhubarb yoghurt and a crisp topping and a little extra sauce. Yum, Yum, […]

Yesterday I posted a popular summer time recipe in our home. It is a cottage cheese and chive mixture that can be used as a veggie dip and cracker and sandwich topping. I also use it sometimes as a quiche or tart filling when working with savoury pastries. Chives can be found around the world […]