Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

Looking for a play day in the kitchen with the kids? I took a trip to my local bulk foods store and spent under $3.00 for all the trimmings needed to make a batch of cupcakes that most people would relate to as something for Easter. Ostara may be behind us but with the weather […]

My intention was to create something deliciously wicked for my step mother who loves nuts and seville orange marmalade and as I only had a 45 minute break between things on the to do list, it had to be a quick something. I think these would be great for lunches, they will pack well and […]

The other day I was watching a bit of a BBC special, Tudor Monastery Farm and picked up a couple interesting facts. The average diet in Tudor England was 2 pounds of bread and about 9 glasses of ale a day. The ale was made as a way of ensuring water was safe for drinking. […]

When I was in high school, the Cooking & Catering Club made doughnuts from scratch and you could tell exactly who decorated which doughnuts. What can I say boys love colour! With that in mind, be careful who has control of the food colouring. You will need: 2 Tbsp. butter 2 1/2 cups mini marshmallows […]

St. Patrick’s Day is on it’s way. An opportunity for everyone to claim their Irish connection, even if you or your ancestors and their ancestors before them have never set foot on the emerald isle. Patrick was an Englishman, doing a very early rendition of 12 Years a Slave. He escaped after six years, returned […]

            Do you remember Maxine? She gave backbone to being a battleax and was the inspiration of cartoonist John Wagner. My friend Ann loves her and was generously willing to share her recipe for gluten free cheese buns so I included her Maxine Cookie Jar in the setup photo instead of a Kitchen Wand. […]

Coming this Tuesday is what in Britain is called Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday also known as Mardi Gras ( Fat Tuesday ). Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent but the practice of pancakes at this time of the year, like many things, is traceable to pagan traditions. Pancakes being […]

Not so long ago & in a place not so far away lived a bustling little pixie we’ll call Merry-Belle. It’s not her real pixie name but then you & I couldn’t pronounce it anyway. On this particular day Merry-Belle was neither merry nor belle. She was tired & more than a little worried & […]

Hansel & Gretel is from the Brother’s Grimm, a story that does little for the reputation of witches but has advanced the cause of gingerbread houses everywhere. Even though the crumbs did not help get Hansel & Gretel home immediately. They did represent quick thinking, resolve and fortitude in the face of obstacles, something we […]

I always wondered how this recipe got it’s name. Raisins are the largest addition but that is what we called this recipe at home, Pineapple Nut Bread. I am looking at the recipe, in my mother’s handwriting 50+ years ago, shared by Louie Hemphill, my grandparents neighbours and that is what she called it too, […]