Mom, the Lunch Lady

 These Easy Homemade Kaiser Rolls are so simple to make and are perfect for grilling season and sandwiches throughout the year. They have a wonderful crust and pillowy soft center.  Jump to Recipe We are aching for warmer weather here in Ontario Canada, dreaming of BBQ burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, grilled peameal bacon. Winter seems to last longer and longer every year, making us crave summer and cookouts.  I have made  Burger Buns  at least a dozen times last summer, but sometimes I like to try something new. Since we are now in 2nd winter here in Ontario, I took advantage of the latest snow storm and baked up some yummy rolls to go with our peameal bacon. Peameal is a cured pork loin, which is crusted in corn meal. That is what us Canadians call, Canadian bacon. We love eating our peameal in sandwiches, so I decided to look for a Kaiser recipe that I could make at home. I found  this recipe  over at Fleichman's Yeast's Bread World. I liked th...

 Turkey Sliders are a healthy alternative to traditional beef sliders. Top them with a chipotle ketchup, for a spicy kick! Jump to Recipe I've never been a fan of ground beef. I was traumatized growing up, being forced to eat any dinner with ground beef. Back then there wasn't any lean ground beef. It was all medium ground beef and it was a budget friendly meat to purchase. Plus my dad loved it. My mom had several recipes she would make with ground beef and I was forced to suffer through them all and clean my plate. It's not the taste I dislike, it was the fact that anytime I would eat ground beef, I end up biting on a piece of chewy or crunchy grizzle. I'm the type of person who can pick out grizzle in a heart beat. Even when cooking with pork, I trim all fat off my chops. I just don't like the texture. So imagine trying to enjoy dinner, and biting down an a piece of grizzle. It was game over for me, but wasting food was a huge no no. Over the years my Mom took pit...

 This traditional cookie recipe, is packed with tart dried cranberries and buttery pecans. A few changes in ingredients helps make these cookies a bit healthier, but just as delicious. The perfect cookie to have in your cookie jar! Jump to Recipe Cookies, those delicious little gems of goodness. There are so many different types of cookies around the world, that it sometimes is hard to choose a favourite. I love making cookies because they only take 8-10 minutes to bake. That means I can have a sweet treat in under 30 minutes!  Oatmeal cookies have always been one of my favourite cookies. I just love the hardiness of the oats, and you can throw just about anything in them, and they will still taste great. Sometimes I add raisins and chocolate chip, sometimes chocolate chips and walnuts. This time however I decided to add dried cranberries and pecans.  My family really loves dried cranberries. Not only do they taste great, they are packed with amazing health benefits. Drie...

 Creamy Brie is topped with a savoury sweet mixture of mustard, brown sugar and a nutty almond crunch. Baked until ooey gooey and served with toasted baguette, this appetizer is sure to be a total hit! Jump to the Recipe I first made this recipe back in 2013, when I was a Pampered Chef Consultant. I remember I had only had brie once before, and it had not been a pleasant experience. I'm not sure if it was the type of brie, but it smelled moldy, which totally turned me off. So, when my PC director asked me if I liked brie, on the way to a team meeting, I wanted to fake sick and duck out. Once we got to our destination and started making the recipe, I was still reluctant. Until it made it's way into the oven. Then the smell hit me. It was a combination of sweet, savory, cheesy heaven. Absolutely intoxicating. I was still hesitant when it was time to taste it, but if it tasted anything like the aroma coming from the oven, I was sold. And you know what? It totally did! It was cream...

 These sinful dark chocolate cupcakes are made with cauliflower puree. So decadent and chocolatey, no one will ever know the secret ingredient. The fact that these are super healthy, can be our little secret! JUMP TO RECIPE I've always been a sucker for a pretty cupcake. I love moist cake, frosting, sprinkles, decorations; everything a cupcake entails. I mean I don't think I know anyone who could ever turn down a cupcake. As good as cupcakes taste, they aren't very good for the waist line.  As I am progressing with my healthy eating journey, there are several things I am missing. Mostly sweets, but I am also missing butter, tons of cheese and bagels. The past 3 weeks of really buckling down and starting Weight Watchers has really opened my eyes as to how much sugar, cheese and carbs I had been eating.  Being a baker and trying not to eat sweets is so tough. I love to bake! It relaxes me, it helps me focus on the task at hand, instead of over thinking whatever is in my hea...

 Chewy flatbread is topped with seasoned grilled chicken and artichokes, for a delicious light meal, or appetizer. This recipe is simple to make and perfect for the warm summer months. Jump to Recipe With the warm weather bound to arrive any day now (fingers crossed!), we've been changing our eating habits to lighter fair. Winter for me is all about hardy casseroles, soups and stews. Spring and Summer is when we welcome back lighter foods and incorporate more grilled foods and salads into our repertoire. This flatbread is a perfect example. Chicken is combined with flavourful marinated artichoke hearts and earthy parsley, for a light and fresh tasting dish. Paired with a green salad, it makes for a deliciously simple and light meal. I first made a version of this recipe back when I was a Pampered Chef consultant. Years ago, back when I was a stay at home mom, I decided to try my hand at selling Pampered Chef, since I love their products and I love to cook. The consultant life was n...

This Lemon Sugar Cookie Pizza recipe starts with a soft and tender sugar cookie crust, covered with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting and layered with luscious, vibrant fresh fruit. Marshmallow Peeps are nested atop toasted coconut, to add a festive touch. Jump to Recipe Fruit pizza originated around the 1980s and it has become a super popular dessert. This type of tart is known for it's pizza shaped cookie crust, frosting and fruit toppings. Well known for their intricate fruit patterns, many people see fruit pizzas as a healthier dessert. Perfect for any celebration, this pizza bursting with fresh fruit is a perfect way to welcome Spring. After all who could resist a giant soft sugar cookie, cream cheese frosting and delicious fresh fruit? I know I sure can't! I am all about great looking food. The old adage, "you eat with your eyes" is totally true for me. I have always been a visual person and anytime I see a recipe that looks amazing, you bet I want to try ...

 Tender cocktail shrimp are the star in this delicious cold dip, bursting with Asian flavours. A wonderful appetizer for any special occasion, or a great addition to any charcuterie board.  Jump to Recipe As I've mentioned in earlier posts, growing up my family didn't venture with different forms of cuisine. We did enjoy the occasional Chinese buffet, when we went to town, but other than that our menus consisted of pretty much basic meat and potatoes. It wasn't until I moved out and married, that I started enjoying different varieties of cuisine. I have been lucky enough in my lifetime to be able to experience amazing cuisines from different cultures. Though I haven't travelled much beyond the Canadian and U.S borders, I have been lucky to enjoy authentic cuisines from Mexico, India and Vietnam.  Living in Houston for 3 yrs my ex employed and befriended many immigrants from Mexico. We were lucky enough to be invited for dinner and experience the most amazing Carne Asada...