Life Archives - Page 183 of 195

The Closet Shrink: Hanging In There

March 10, 2011 by Tracey

I've been giving some thought as to what makes a closet look great. And I don't mean celebrity closets like Oprah's, though while certainly desirable, it probably unattainable for dull-normals such as ourselves. (Ms. Winfrey's space may or may not be about the size of my whole house - I'm just … [Read more...]

Grilled Pinwheel Lollipops

March 8, 2011 by gmartell

I recently had some friends over and cooked up some smoked-meat filled hamburgers. They were as delicious as I'd hoped, and I was busy boasting about it on twitter when Deerhurst Resort chimed in with a bit of a throwdown:Not being one to shy away from a challenge, I came up with homemade steak, … [Read more...]

I Just Want It To Look Clean

March 8, 2011 by Tracey

There are various levels of tidy I try to maintain in my house. It isn't a large place, and I just need the clutter to be out of my sight as much as possible. Hence tidy.This is not the same as clean. There are always dust-bunnies in corners. There are always crumbs on the kitchen floor, and road … [Read more...]

Feeling the Feelings

March 4, 2011 by Tracey

My kids are home for March Break this week, so on Sunday we made the 3.5 hour drive to visit Martin's parents in deep cottage country for a few days.During the drive as the children slept, and Martin and I enjoyed some silence in the car, I felt a bit weird. Not sick or anything... just very... … [Read more...]

Shiitake and Scallion Lo Mein

March 3, 2011 by gmartell

You already know I'm a sucker for freshly made Chinese food at home. When I came across this recipe in a copy of Food & Wine Magazine, I knew it was a must-make.The dish looks and tastes so delicious. The savoury sauce coats the noodles, tender mushrooms and crisp green beans in flavourful … [Read more...]

There’s Always a Silver Lining

February 25, 2011 by Tracey

This morning before school, the man on the radio said, "...aaaaand gas prices have shot up again... it's at a dollar thirty-one..."Ava Scarlett put her hands to her mouth and made round, surprised eyes."Mummy!" she gasped, "Did he say shuddup?"WTF?And then I get it. "No, no... he said shot up... he … [Read more...]

My Grandmother Would Not Be Impressed

February 18, 2011 by gmartell

I was really in the mood for some homemade chicken soup the other night for dinner. Seeing how I wasn't up to cooking a start to finish soup over the course of a few hours I needed a quick hack.Now, while I know my Grandmother would not approve - sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta … [Read more...]

Kung Po Chicken

February 15, 2011 by gmartell

Marinating a recipe's protein in cornstarch and sake is a Chinese technique known as silkening. It gives food a tender, velvety texture like the awesome Orange Beef recipe I posted over on Grill Interrupted. I made this delicious recipe for Kung Po Chicken for my wife on Valentine's Day. In … [Read more...]

Be the Valentine You Want

February 10, 2011 by Tracey

My feelings about Valentine's Day have run the gamut over the years - from loving it as a child, and wanting to wear pink-and-red things to school to celebrate... to loathing it in my teen years, when no matter how much wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' I did, it just didn't get me into … [Read more...]

Grilled Savoury Lamb Chops

February 8, 2011 by gmartell

These lamb chops are melt in your mouth delicious. The simple, sweet and savoury baste really make them irresistible. The flavours are subtle enough to accent but not overpower the delicious chops.My kids devoured these, and asked me if I'd make them for dinner again tomorrow night. Give them a … [Read more...]