Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

After posting a recipe for a whole wheat soda bread in connection with the coming celebration of Imbolc, last week (http://mykitchenwand.com/?p=1230),  I received a question about a gluten free alternative from France. I had been thinking about it myself and wondering what might be a good way to get that whole grain experience into a […]

Can you believe we are half way through January already!?!? The time is flying for me and it is a good reminder that reaching my goals means staying on track. Imbolc will be here before you know it. Imbolc happens at the same time as Candlemas and they have many connections as traditions from one […]

There seem to be as many origins to the Yule Log as there are web pages that mention them. Yule Log beginnings are traced back to almost every country in Northern Europe and I would not begin to suggest that any page is incorrect. The Yule Log is a symbol of prosperity and protection, usually […]

One of my Scottish heritage traditions is lemon curd, so not good for the arteries but soooooo good served just out of the fridge in freshly baked warm flaky tart shells. This recipe is a negotiated middle ground for friends who are not so fond of the pucker a real good lemon curd gives your […]

If your schedule is like mine at this time of the year, finding any free time is a blessing. Cookie exchanges are events that I have the best intentions about when scheduled in November but the realities of mid December send me running to things that can be quicker and easier to produce than cookies […]

A tool to help hold the focus of your goals in 2015. Dream big and include your energy in the magical equation. Give yourself and your friends the gift of abundant creation. Fill out each cheque on the new moon, mark it “Paid in Full” or something specific. Add your goals for the month on […]

This is my third attempt at writing this post. Somehow it always seems to turn into a master’s thesis on cookie symbolism and that is likely to put anyone to sleep, especially little ones with the attention span of a busy bee. Cookie decorating is supposed to be a fun time. Lots of icing and […]

Stolen you say? Not quite…Stollen, also called Klabben is a German Christmas Fruit Bread that has been recorded as being around for about 700 years and looks very different today from it’s much more humble “official” beginnings. If there was only one thing I could bake at Yule, this would be it. Stollen recipes are […]

We are going to blink and Yule will be here, quickly followed by Christmas morn’. Since Yule falls on a weekend this year, the possibility of brunch comes to life. This recipe brings colour and flavour to the table. The sourness of the cranberries, the crunch of the toasted walnuts in a sweet orange batter […]

As the days get cooler, it is nice to have nibblies that have a little extra substance to them. This is a lovely cake for cutting. It is moist and will freeze well ( I often put half in the freezer for short/no notice visitors ). Full of the flavours of fall and easy to […]