MissWattson

I bought 12 sweet potatoes. 1 for each expected potluck guest. I knew it would be way too much, but I did it anyway. Sweet potato fries go fast, and besides, they're SO easy to make. Really, all you need are sweet potatoes, salt and a bit of cayenne. Others would say skip the … [Read more...] about Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Every good potluck needs a salad. A good salad. Not some greens served besides bottles of Kraft dressing. Not something coated in oil. There are two appropriate kinds of potluck green salads - ones with the dressing on the side (where only the unobservant fools who are too in a … [Read more...] about Arugula Salad with Shrimp and Grapes

Traditions are wonderful. When my family started having a Christmas party two years ago, I immediately started calling it 'annual'. Traditions need to start somewhere, and they certainly need a little bit of help sometimes. A longer tradition in my family is my dad hosting a … [Read more...] about Masters Potluck

I know, I know. This is my third rice post in a short period of time, but if you want something just a touch fancier than a plain basmati rice, this is a nice, easy recipe. 2 cups basmati rice water 2 tsp oil 1 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/2 tsp garam masala a … [Read more...] about Spiced Basmati Rice: Masaledar Basmati

For my dad I made regular mashed potatoes as a rabbit bed. For myself, I threw in a sweet potato. Sure the colour is not quite what you'd expect, and it's not particularly attractive since the sauce for the rabbit is already kind of orangey-red, but it tastes like something a … [Read more...] about A Sweet Touch: Mashed Potatoes

Slow-Cooker Rabbits with Fennel and White Beans (from Canadian Living's Slow-Cooker Collection) I only put "rabbits" in quotation marks because the frozen meat that constituted two rabbits' legs and bodies certainly did not resemble the animal. Still, in Belbin's Grocery in St. … [Read more...] about $11 “Rabbits” – Lamb Shank Replacements with Fennel and White Beans

I have an everyday salmon spice rub. It's mostly salt, which is all the fish really needs to taste good, but it also includes paprika, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, chili powder and cayenne. You can adjust the seasonings as you see fit, but generally I add them in that … [Read more...] about Spice-Rubbed Salmon: “A La di Stasio”

I have two recipes for mango chicken. This is not my favourite, but it let me work on the insane task of chopping vegetables and meat into properly-sized pieces. This stands in opposition to my slice-and-dice method that usually wins out for meals that are cooked in a wok. It's … [Read more...] about Mango Chicken: “Simply Thai Cooking” by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu

Put your hand in a bowl of rice grains and stir. Follow the rules. Carefully move the grains around with your chilled fingers until the water is milky. Drain it. Add more water and stir again. I do it all six times. No skimping. What reason do I have to rush? There's comfort in … [Read more...] about Rice for Mango Chicken

Back when I was living in a shack in Northern Ontario, I met a Québecoise who told me about the wonder of frozen grapes. Simply pop some grapes in the freezer for a few hours or a few weeks (they don't get any MORE frozen...) and enjoy the pleasure of biting into the best … [Read more...] about From Montreal With Love, Sweet Conclusions: Grapes Soaked in Port