Heather Young

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

I like being able to find a way to make a “fancy” recipe more approachable. This one seems to be pretty safe, and Hollandaise sauce is a family favourite with eggs and peameal ham. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and drop the yolks into a mason jar (save the whites to make meringue!).Continue reading “Easy Hollandaise Sauce”

Quick-ish Chili

This is an easy weeknight chili that you can adapt however you might like. Replace the beef with mushrooms, change up the beans, add more vegetables – it’s flexible. It’s a bit of a cheater with pre-seasoned tomatoes but I do love the Aylmer brand. This is how we had it recently and it wasContinue reading “Quick-ish Chili”

Brunkager

Brunkager are traditional Danish Christmas cookies, and the word translates to “little brown cookies”. They’re much more delicious than that makes them sound. I love them with my morning coffee, afternoon tea, before bed – you get my drift. They’re yummy and easy to keep on hand – dangerous combination! 1 cup softened butter 1Continue reading “Brunkager”

Irish Cream

Otherwise known as Homemade Bailey’s, Irish Cream is made by a number of brands. Some are better than others, but none of them taste like this. 1 and 2/3 cups of Irish Whiskey – I use Jamesons, you can use other kinds or rye whiskey but I think Jamesons is the best 1 cup heavyContinue reading “Irish Cream”

Party Mix

Bits and Bites, Nuts and Bolts, this snack has a lot of names but my Nanna always called it Party Mix so I do too (even though that phrase could mean a LOT of things – trust me, that’s not lost on me). Warning: party mix is addictive. I make double batches on the regularContinue reading “Party Mix”

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

I can’t resist the giant crates of sugar pumpkins / pie pumpkins at the farmers markets and outside my local grocery store. I don’t like pumpkin pie, but still find myself roasting at least a couple. There’s something about the process of harvesting and preserving that’s almost instinctive. I created this recipe as a wayContinue reading “Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins”

Pasta with Leeks, Chard and Sausage

We love pasta dishes that start with onions or leeks and don’t have tomatoes. More posts to come. For tonight, this is one we just made recently and it was a hit. I like La Molisana pasta, I buy it on Amazon (don’t judge me) because you can get this really cool shape called MafaldaContinue reading “Pasta with Leeks, Chard and Sausage”

Mushroom Beef Barley Soup

This is almost a stew, but not quite. It’s rich and satisfying but also easy to put together. Good ingredients are important here, since you’re relying on the flavours of the beef, stock and mushrooms. I like to use pot barley as much as possible. The alternative, pearl barley, has the outer hull and theContinue reading “Mushroom Beef Barley Soup”

Red Ribbon Date Squares

These squares won first prize at a local fair, which is quite a feat given the established bakers in our rural community. My amazing mother-in-law inspired me to make them the first time, she is an inspiration in so many ways – not just when it comes to date squares. This is one of thoseContinue reading “Red Ribbon Date Squares”

Crème Brûlée for 12

This is the dessert we had at our last dinner party before COVID. Before so many things changed. What hasn’t changed is that crème brûlée is one of my favourite things ever. Ever. Just ask my husband (I’m terrible at sharing). Crème Brûlée for 12 Heat oven to 300 degrees. Bring a kettle or potContinue reading “Crème Brûlée for 12”

Rice Krispie Granola Squares

These aren’t granola bars, but aren’t Rice Krispie squares either – they’re my attempt to create a quick and easy homemade granola bar that doesn’t have a thousand steps and isn’t really a dessert either. You can change the fruit, nuts, etc, but if you change the cereal, it may not turn out quite rightContinue reading “Rice Krispie Granola Squares”

Apple Crisp

This apple crisp is healthy enough for breakfast and indulgent enough for dessert – especially with cream or ice cream. I only bake with Cortland Apples, and I often add blueberries, pears, or a few cranberries. Change it up based on what you have and what you crave! I’ve used demerera sugar here, it’s myContinue reading “Apple Crisp”