Original Source: SmittenKitchen.com
1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish.
Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 …

Original Source: AllRecipes.com
Yields: 3 cups
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Original Source: JKParker.ca
1 butternut squash (approx 4 cups)
450 grams whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
2 cups skim milk
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
450 grams shredded medium cheddar (about 4 cups)
1¾ cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup bread crumbs

preheat oven to 325°F
slice squash in half and discard seeds; place, cut side down, in a pan with some water and roast for 1 hour until very tender
when squash has cooled, peel skin off and discard; puree squash in food processor until it …

Several months ago, we had dinner at Angel Cafe in south Vancouver and the complimentary soup was one that tasted so darned familiar and definitely differed from the usual complimentary “old-fire” pork bone soup. I hadn’t had this soup in so long, over five years. The Chinese name (霸王花) escaped me at the time but it provided me with conversation material with Mum and Kit, to find out how to cook the soup and where to find the ingredient in Vancouver. Although a dried “vegetable”, when rehydrated in soup, it …

Last year, on August 12, I quit eating chips, even nachos. I did not resume until I was a little antsy on a flight from Halifax to Ottawa–not about flying, but about returning to work after holidays–and ate some corn chips before registering they are chips. I quit chips again, effective September 21, 2010.
NPY wondered why I had to quit and not simply restrain myself but it is just easier, for me, to refrain altogether. Kill that craving by forgetting it. Otherwise, I really do have bottomless appetite for salty+crunchy …

Original Source: WorldWideWatercooler.com (adapted from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb raw spinach leaves (blanched, drained, water squeezed out and roughly chopped – feel free to skip this by just buying a packet of frozen spinach and thawing)
1 onion chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic pressed, grated or chopped fine
2 cups cooked grains (I like it with Millet best, but barley or brown rice also work well)
Cumin (to taste)
Cayenne (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
1 egg

Put everything in a bowl. Squish about gently with fingers until evenly mixed.
Form into …

We were at the Village Taphouse in The Village at Park Royal where NPY noticed the Specials card that advertised a dinner deal: $50 gets you a bottle of wine and unlimited Caesar salad and spaghetti for two people. He thought it was a nice deal but I, and any of you, could easily do better. What do you wanna bet that it’s at best a $17 bottle of wine at the liquor store marked up to $30 at the restaurant and the pasta meal is consequently “only” $10 per …

Original source: March 17, 2010 Vancouver Sun newspaper, I made just the curry sauce and only half the recipe with mushrooms as the “meat” and instead of whipping cream, the 18% M.F. coffee cream, and omitted the fenugreek
4 cups (1L) whipping cream
1/4 cup (50mL) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15mL) salt
1 tbsp (15mL) dried fenugreek leaves
1 tsp (5mL) paprika
1/2 tsp (2mL) ground cayenne pepper
3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 50) canola oil
3 tbsp (45mL) finely chopped garlic
1 tsp (5mL) tumeric
Combine cream, lemon juice, salt, fenugreek leaves, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a …

Original source: Chowtimes.com
1 pound lean ground beef
2 onions, finely chopped
4 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1 cinnamon stick, halved
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly crushed
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roughly crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
1 can (398ml or 14 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 cup (300ml) beef stock
1/2 bag baby spinach leaf (5 1/2oz or 150g)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion until golden brown.
Add garlic, ginger and other …