Sweet Disposition: Raspberry, Mint and Pistachio Crumb Tart

I remember when the sadness fell over me. I can almost pinpoint the moment when the emotional dagger pierced my skin. I had been the happy-go-lucky kid with a smile that was always painted on my face until that time. And then it ended. Suddenly, and without warning.

I grew up with my mom but as is the case with most split-parent households, I spent time with my dad. Although the majority of my time was spent in the brick house I grew up in, I would visit my dad on weekends and once in a while in between. One day that changed. I moved in with my dad full-time somewhere around age 13. It was different, but it would be fine. I thought.
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Savoury Bacon & Corn Muffins with Aged Canadian Cheddar

I remember way back to a time when I was just a kid. I was young and small and the pencil marks that adorned the wall had a new line that indicated I was taller than a few weeks previous. I had probably grown but a finger or so but I was adamant it was time for another measurement. And I remember boldly exclaiming, "I'm a big boy now, mom!" Little did I know.

I cherish those memories and remember them as vividly as new ones created recently. I remember thinking how big I was yet still needed a boost when I dragged one of the kitchen chairs over by the counter to watch my mom work. Rinsing and prepping and cooking all under my watchful eyes. She would reach down and pick me up under my arms and fling me on the chair. And I would sit there and watch and watch until my attention span took me somewhere else, doing something else.

Off I went.

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Memories in Every Bite: Glazed Lemon Loaf

When I was a little kid I used to frequently see a loaf of banana bread sitting on the kitchen counter, just out of my grasp. To me, banana bread was like candy and I would eat the entire pan if I could only touch it. We didn't have step stools, at least not to my recognition, so I would gather as much steam as possible and try a running jump onto the counter. On the rare times it worked, my fingers would slip off the counter as quickly as they grabbed it. I was going to have to wait until I was handed a slice.

After dinner, or before if I was extremely lucky, my parents would heat a slice of the light, fluffy loaf and slather on a bit of butter and hand it to me. After a few bites I would ditch the fork for my hands. It was much quicker that way and I wasn't born with patience. I'd finish the slice before my mom was finished wrapping the loaf back up and I would stare at the few crumbs left behind on the plate. Those too were gone in a manner of seconds.
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My Ultimate Granola

When I was a kid growing up my idea of breakfast was cinnamon french toast, bacon and eggs and buttery pancakes. Granola? That was just a term I used to hear bandied about when referring to someone from the 60's. I didn't know the first thing about granola, except that I didn't want any part of it. So I stuck to the all-American breakfast and kept my hair short.

I still have this soft spot for the sweet and salty breakfasts I grew up on. We live in a health conscious society today but they say everything is ok in moderation. I hope that means every weekend. If not, I'm in for a wake-up call the next time I see Doc. Anyway, I still love the taste and texture of bacon, my favourite food group. It's hard to knock a good  bad habit.
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Gourmet Popcorn 3 ways

This is the story about a little kernel that could. Gourmet popcorn that sums up my love for all things savoury and delicious. It's made with the finest and freshest ingredients, like premium butter and fresh herbs, Parmigiano Reggiano and caramel sauce. Real flavour and real ingredients. Irresistible snack food.

The combinations of flavours and styles are boundless. My wife still loves classic popcorn with premium melted butter, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Simple but fresh and addictive. It's a throwback to drive-in movies and a tub of popcorn that barely lasts the previews. I still fall for the classics but I'm equally satisfied with the sweet and salty fusions and creations today. The new classics.

I like mixing and matching flavour profiles depending on my mood. The all-time favourite caramel popcorn with luscious butter notes and sticky brown sugar sweetness. The taste will hook you for life. Why stop there? We can take it up another level with a few other ingredients that will let the caramel really sing.

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Pumpkin Spice Muffiins

It's mid-October and my mind starts to wander and dream about Halloween, candies and pumpkins. In a couple of short weeks my front porch will be adorned with a giant orange pumpkin where two towering flower pots once stood. I'm starting to think about the pumpkin carving and the new ways I'll tackle the seeds for a different take on snack food. I'm also thinking about using pumpkin as the main ingredient.

I've professed my love of scones on at least one occasion and nothing tastes better with a piping hot cup of tea than a scone fresh out of the oven.  The same love applies to a pumpkin muffin and the way it kind of settles in on you with a fresh-pressed cup of coffee. It's the spiciness in the aroma and the earthiness of the crumbs that run off your fingers when you first pick it up.

I'm taking pumpkin to a different place this year with my Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe. A pinch of ground clove and a dash of ground cardamom add a depth of spice. Nothing matches up better with pumpkin than fresh cinnamon, ground ginger and vanilla extract, which gives a base to the flavour and allows the spice to take on a whole new direction and profile. The pumpkin seeds sit atop the muffin and add some crunchiness and an infusion of last-bite pumpkin flavour. Then end result is a muffin both  fluffy in texture and moist throughout. It's also guaranteed to be satisfying to the last bite.

The only difference I'd make next time is creating a vanilla cream cheese frosting to slather on top. The creaminess and richness would be the perfect date for these Autumn treats. That being said, if you want a seasonal snack or breakfast goody to have with your morning paper and cup of coffee, try this one on for size. Throw it together or pick one up at your nearest bakery. Either way, it should quench all those fall-time cravings.

My pumpkin spice muffin.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I remember making my wife sweet potato fries for the first time a couple of years ago.  It's such a simple and easy alternative to potatoes and fries and yet the occasion was like discovering plutonium. The juicy and tender sweetness inside a crispy and almost charred skin. It's was the perfect marriage of good-for-you food and bad-for-you taste. Only, in this case, there's nothing really bad about it.

I've made this simple snack and side dish so many times since but it never loses that same desired reaction. I try to mix it up and try new spice combinations that fluctuate between sweet and savoury and spicy and smokey. You really can't go wrong with your preferred combination of spices.

Over the years we've agreed on a few things. One is that the inherit sweetness of the potatoes allows me to create a smokey and spicy dusting for the fries that doesn't detract from the overall flavour. I love the outcome and it's fantastic with either a simple aoili or even a yogurt dip studded with cilantro and lime juice.

I love using smoked paprika with these fries and it can be found in varying intensities from sweet to spicy. I prefer one that is both sweet and smokey in aroma and mix it up with a pinch of cayenne for my heat intensity. So here it is, my simple Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Smoked Paprika and Cayenne.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

The Goods:
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" to 1/2" pieces
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 lime, juiced
Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potato fries, olive oil, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt & pepper. Toss until well combined.
2. Arrange on a baking sheet and cook, turning once halfway trough, until cooked through and golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.
3. Squeeze lime juice over the fries and season immediately, to taste. This allows the salt and pepper to stick to the fries. Serve.

Smokey& Spicy Sweet Potato Fries