Homemade Pizza Two Ways

Childhood memories follow me wherever I go. It doesn't take much for something to trigger a flashback to quieter days, easier days. It could be as simple as a song that transports me back to a school dance or it could be something I ate that takes me back to the kitchen I grew up in. The memories come flooding back. I live in the present while my mind drifts back and forth.

I remember moments from my childhood like it was yesterday. Some things are more vivid than others but the ones that stand out play like a movie in my head. I can see the reel spinning and I sit and watch the story unfold, only I know what happens because I lived it.

Like most kids, there was always one night of the week that was reserved for takeout. My mom would pull out the restaurant flyers from a drawer and scatter them on the table and we'd take aim at them. It was usually pizza or Chinese or something else that was easy and inexpensive and in fashion.

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Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tartlet

If our moods are predicated on the weather, than today was a very good day. It's still winter and we're knee deep in February but somebody pulled back the curtain on spring and gave us a glimpse of what's to come. I love all that winter has to offer but after a day like today I remember how fond I am of new beginnings.

Just as I appreciate the changes that winter brings, from the routines we dig into and the foods available for a few months, spring gives us a chance to breathe in the lighter fare for a while. It brings renewed optimism, locally produced goods and recipes that are fresh and new again.

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Holiday Party Bites: Smoked Salmon Spread and Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

During the holidays we're all pressed for time. Each day seems to be busier than the last and we're torn in a thousand directions. That applies to holiday parties, especially the ones we're hosting. With commitments extended deep, sometimes we're left with a brief window of opportunity prior to our guests arriving. That window is drawing tighter and tighter.


If it's one of the lucky nights we merely need to freshen up and head out for a night of holiday festivities and banter at a friend's house. And yes, they'll be plenty of moments just like this in the next couple of weeks. But what if you have a few people dropping in for a cocktail and snack and you only have an hour to spare?

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Baby Spinach with Pears, Spiced Pecans, Goat Cheese and Smoked Bacon

I have never been a big fan of the traditional green salad. Ask my wife. She's always telling me to "Eat your greens." I don't blame her for trying but maybe my refusal lies somewhere back in the day when salads were just uninspired and bland. Salads laden with unimaginative bottled dressing. Nobody is at fault but that's just the way things were back then.

Luckily, things have changed over time. As the seasons shifted from warm and sunny to cold and damp my salad preferences shift with them. The cool refreshing summer salads have been replaced by warm salads with texture. Hot bits of flavour with dressings that ooze great taste. Early winter salads that don't compromise. Now that's my type of salad.

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Parmesan Crusted Chicken stuffed with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese

After a long and exhausting weekend Monday strikes fast and hard. Almost out of nowhere it's upon you and never wants to let go. The last thing that I want to do is come home and make something complicated that's going to steal every last bit of energy I have left. Sometimes simple is better.

This is the one day of the week when I want to get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. Go in and pull out the goods I'm making that night and prep and cook and eat. Simple and painless. I do, however, have one sticking point. I refuse to lose out on flavour while saving time. Simple and quick is great, but great taste is still paramount in my mind.

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