Life Hack: Emergency Cookies For The Rookie Chef

Easter is this weekend, which means sugar consumption levels are going to be through the roof - just the way we like it. Marshmallow candies, cupcake, stale chocolate eggs that taste like they were made last Christmas...ah, a joyous time. Sidenote: parents with kiddies who are expecting the annual egg hunt, this is your friendly reminder to both purchase and hide the eggs.

Creative ideas for organising group meals at the cottage

Last week I was at a friend’s house for dinner, where we shared a delicious spread of enchiladas, homemade chips and guac that we had prepared together. As we mashed up the avocados, diced tomatoes, and experimented with different seasonings, it made me think of all the times I helped my mom make dinner when I was a kid. Well, I thought I was helping anyway. In reality I was licking spoons and getting my fingers slapped away from the meatballs every 5 seconds. Still, I felt proud to be contributing to the family meal and making them together are still some of my fondest memories.

Taking a group trip up to the cottage for a relaxing break full of oodles of meals together?  What a great opportunity to have a bit of fun with it ...

How to Transition from Hibernation to Rejuvenation

If I were to print out an itinerary for my weekends these last few months, they would look a lot like this:

FRIDAY NIGHT:
Stretch out on the couch. Watch bad reality TV. Order pizza.

SATURDAY NIGHT:
Stretch out on the couch. Pretend to read a book for 2-3 pages, then watch movies. Order Chinese.

SUNDAY NIGHT:
Call my mother, tell her I’ve been so busy my butt hasn’t touched the couch in a week. Wipe crumbs off couch cushions. Order pad thai.

Syrup without maple is Like Pancakes without Syrup

This past week was “Fat Tuesday”, or “Pancake Tuesday”, or as I affectionately refer to it, “every day of my life”. Any excuse to devour a stack of pancakes is a good excuse, am I right? So of course I did just that! Some friends and I got together bright and early for a homemade pancake breakfast, complete with what we call “the Tower of Power”. Read: a whole lot of pancakes stacked so high it becomes a physical challenge to eat them. We had all kinds- blueberry, banana, chocolate chip, weird experimental fusion flavours...it was delicious! As we sat down to eat, my friend asked me If I wanted some maple syrup. “Obviously!”, I chirped in reply.

And then something scary happened. Something truly shocking, that rocked me to my very core. I don’t know if I can even say it.

(Deep breath)

Winter Warm Up: The Art of Drinking and Staying In

If there’s anything as essential as staying active during the winter months, it’s definitely staying warm. It’s a sentiment I sometimes forget, like that one night I stayed at a friend’s house in the city and decided I absolutely needed a buffalo chicken taquito from 7-11 at 10:00 pm. I thought a quick jaunt down the street would be fine in a pair of sneakers without socks, no scarf, and my winter coat unzipped. As I stepped outside and instantly felt a wind chill so biting it nearly knocked me off my sock-less feet, two thoughts entered my mind: “Snowpocalypse is upon us!” and “...I’m an idiot”.

But enough about my wardrobe blunders. The important lesson I learned is to dress appropriately for the weather - and appreciate the warmth of my home! Is there anything better than wrapping up a day of vigorous outdoor activity with some well deserved down time and a hot cuppa?

After the skating and tobogganing, it’s always nice to head back and get comfy with some fun board games and a hot drink. Speaking of which, here are a few of our favourite winter warm-ups:

Just in Time for Maple Syrup Season, This Cookbook Puts Canada on the Global Map While Boosting Canadian Pride

Did you hear about the Canadian cookbook containing only maple syrup recipes which took top honours in the Cookbook of the Year?

Chef and author Martin Picard, author of Cabane a Sucre Au Pied de Cochon,
with the book that took an international cookbook competition by storm