Ever wonder what you can make with the ingredients you already have in your fridge? We know your fridge isn’t stocked up like isle 9 at your local grocery store. That’s why we created a brand new way to search for recipes. Starting today, you can now search for recipes using our new “What’s in your Fridge“ feature. Simply enter a few ingredients you already have, and we’ll give you some recipe suggestions.

Try it out today, and discover the many recipes that await you!

There are only a few days left, it’s time to plan your “strategy” and get your shopping list ready. Here are some ideas:

5 Essential Super Bowl Eats

Buffalo Wings
Guacamole
Quick & Easy Chilli
Party Nachos
Glazed Pork Ribs

Have some fun with a drinking game!

In the spirit of the Super Bowl, why not have a friendly competition amongst your guests with a Super Bowl drinking game! Here are the rules:

Lose Coin Toss = 3 drinks
Give up a run of 10 yards = 2 drinks
Give up a run of 20 yards = 4 drinks
Give up a touch down = 5 drinks
Give up a field goal = 2 drinks
Interception = 2 drinks
Quarterback Sack = 3 drinks

Overtime:
Double the amount of drinks!

Commercials:
3 drinks for each beer commercial aired during the Super Bowl

Are you looking for the perfect gift for your favourite cook or food lover? Avoid the gift anxiety with these 5 tasty holiday gift ideas for foodies:

1. Wine. Ok, I know, such a cliché, but as much as I would love to yap about how dull this is, every time someone gets me a bottle of wine, my eyes just light up. Add your personal touch by including the recipe of a dish that would work well with this wine. And don’t panic! If you’re unsure of which dish goes with what, just ask someone at the liquor store. You can look up the recipe on line, and write it down on a nice piece of paper, roll it up and secure it with a small ribbon, then tie it around the neck of the bottle as if the wine came with a little ‘message’.

2. Homemade butter. Yes! Forget about the typical gift basket. Instead, try flavoured homemade butter. All you need to do is chop up your favourite herbs and spices very finely, mix them with some butter, and put it in a small container. I recommend small glass containers, and you can get them at the dollar store. Make three or more batches of assorted flavours, fill each glass container with a different flavour and place them in a little basket or a Christmas box. Feel free to add a fresh cut baguette, or some pita bread cut in to triangles for a more appealing presentation.

Here is my suggestion: Mediterranean butter.

You need:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 3 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp black olives, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced

Combine all the ingredients; place the butter in a small container and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

3. Organic Coffee. Now, here’s a more socially conscious gift idea. Because the vast majority of coffee beans are grown in developing countries, it is important to buy a brand that is certified organic and fair trade by TransFair or Equal Exchange. Here are a couple of options:

• Deans Beans – Massachusetts organic based, fair trade coffee company
• Global Exchange’s online store

4. Balsamic Vinegar. This could well be the perfect gift for the person that has everything. A good bottle of Balsamic Vinegar can go anywhere from $10 up to $200 or more. You can buy it online or at any local gourmet stores and the variety is incredibly wide.

5. Recipe Books. Ok, I admit it, this is my personal favourite gift idea… but really, if you are a foodie like me, then chances are you have your own recipe library. Whether it‘s just a couple of magazines, or shelves loaded with cookbooks, you can never go wrong with this gift idea.

Make the most of your money; go to a second hand bookstore and discover the hundreds of cookbooks that go for one third of their original price. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see the majority of books are brand new! A foodie can never have enough cookbooks.

These ideas are stylish, affordable and are sure to please even the most demanding foodie.

Feel free to share your own gift ideas with us.

Happy Holidays!

Whether you’re a seasoned professional (pun intended), or an everyday cook, you’re sure to have stumbled upon a great cooking tip or food fact that made your inquisitive culinary brain say AH HA!

So send us your cooking tips and interesting food facts and we’ll post our favourite ones, along with your name, in our brand new “Food For Thought” section on our homepage.

Today we reached the highest temperature of the year and I only had one thing in mind: A cold Michelada to cool off this evening.

A what? You may say. Similar to a Caesar or a Bloody Mary, but with beer, this mouth watering Mexican cocktail is guaranteed to satisfy any beer lovers out there.

Ok, if curiosity is killing you, here’s a bit of history about this hidden gem:

Michelada (also known as Chelada) gained its fame and name back in the 70’s, at a local gym, when a man named Michel used to order a glass of beer, poured in an iced tall glass with some lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Soon, this drink became popular around his friends, and friends of friends, and now everyone in Mexico is well familiar with a “Michelada”.

There are just as many ways to make a michelada as there are to make a martini.  My favourite is with lime juice, salt and beer – also called “Chelada”.

That is the great thing about this refreshing drink; no exact measures are required!! So feel free to use your imagination, and your favourite ingredients to make your very own michelada cocktail and wow your friends and family with it. I can tell you it has been a success at my place every time I bring it out. Just make sure you have the recipe handy, your guests will definitely be asking for it!

Now you know you don’t have to go down south to enjoy this refreshing and unique summer cocktail. In fact, you can enjoy this drink all year round; all you need is beer, lime juice and salt.

Well… I bet all this reading has made you very thirsty. Grab your cold beer, and get ready to make Michelada one of your regular cocktails. Salud!

Got your own version of Michelada? Share it with us!!

Here are some of my all time favourite summer desserts. They are easy, quick and most importantly, bake-free ideas that will keep your kitchen cool and give you more time to make the most of the summer.

You won’t find this ice cream at your local Baskin-Robbins. Enjoy the refreshing taste of a cocktail with this Pina Colada Ice Cream recipe. Booze and ice cream in one dessert – genius!

Blueberries are one of the great delights of summer. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy them than in this Blueberry Lemon Pie. People will definitely want to go for seconds!

Frozen Key Lime Pie is without a doubt one of my all time favourites. The sweet and sour combination of limes and condensed milk make this refreshing dessert the perfect recipe to keep you cool in a hot summer day. This recipe is so easy you’ll want to make it over and over again.

If you are watching your waist line but still want to be able to have a sweet treat, this Vanilla Frozen Yogurt is the perfect summer dessert for you! Switch the vanilla flavoured yogurt for any other flavour, add some chopped fruits and you will have enough variety to keep you satisfied as you melt those extra pounds away!

Have a special occasion this summer? With this Orange Cream Layered Delight, you’ll spend very little time in the kitchen, and have everyone talking about dessert… and the best part is they’ll think you slaved to make such a delight! (shhh, that will be your secret).

How are you keeping cool this summer? Share your recipe ideas with us!

Know the Basics

Tenderize
Acid is a common ingredient in many marinades. Wines, vinegars and citrus juices all contain acid, which help break down tissues and tenderize meat. Use in moderation - exposing meats to overly acidic liquid can have the opposite effect and cause the meat to toughen. A little goes a long way. An alternative to these acids is to use milder dairy based acids such as buttermilk and yogurt.

Another approach to tenderizing is to use enzymes. Enzymes can be found in raw pineapple, figs, papaya, honeydew melon, ginger, and kiwi. Using enzymes is a very effective way to tenderize meat and often requires less marinating time than with acid based marinades.

Moisturize
Oils, such as canola and olive help to lock in moisture and prevent meats from drying out. They also have a high burning temperature which lessens the amount of smoke during grilling/cooking.

Salt adds taste, but too much can lead to meats being dried out. You can always add more right before cooking, or before plating your meal.

Flavour
This is where you can get creative! The key to a good marinade is to not overpower the meat with flavour. Use herbs and spices sparingly to accent and bring out the flavour of the meat itself. Below is a list of meats and spices that work well together.

Practice makes perfect

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to put your new found knowledge to use. Get creative, and start experimenting with your own marinade recipes.

Tips

• Never reuse leftover marinade that’s been in contact with uncooked meat.
• Always marinate in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
• Marinate in a re-sealable plastic bag to make cleanup easy.
• Do not use metal containers when marinating. The acidic ingredients in the marinade will chemically react with the metal.
• Reserve some extra (unused) marinade to add when cooking for an extra burst of flavour.
• Marinades aren’t just for meats, try it on vegetables too!

Have a marinade recipe you’d like to share? Add it here

If you like to incorporate chicken in your menu, but are running out of ideas of how to prepare it, here are some easy (and I mean EASY) and very tasty suggestions:

» Raspberry Chicken - BBQ or Grilled -
» Honey Mustard & Lime Grilled Chicken
» Easy Chicken Teriyaki
» Lemon - Pepper Grilled Chicken
» Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad
» Grilled Chicken Salad with Apricot Sauce

Got any chicken recipes?  Share them with us!

I have only been in Canada for a few years, though it feels like I have already reached the golden summit by living here.

You don’t have to be born in Canada to be able to call it your “home and native land”. Whether you come from India, China, Italy, Portugal, Latin America, Australia, Japan or Eastern Europe, Canada has a place for you to make it your own.

Canada is one of the most multicultural countries in the world.  The roots of multiculturalism in Canada can be seen in the country’s earliest beginnings as three founding cultures - Aboriginal, British and French.  These cultures have now been joined by hundreds of others from around the globe.  Today, multiculturalism is a point of pride for Canadians from coast to coast.

I am grateful for the opportunity to live in a place where the wild is only a 45 minute drive away from my apartment in the city. Talk to anyone after Canada Day and chances are they went to the cottage, camping, for a hike, or canoeing down the closest river. But what does a “Canuck” cook on such big festivity?

Canada’s diversity is reflected not only in its people, but in its food. It takes the best food from different cultures and then blends it together to create the most unique, flavourful and multicultural cuisine. So go ahead, mix and match as much as you like, the more variety, the better.

Now, if you want to add some “real” Canadian flavour to your Menu, try these original Nanaimo Bars, and when your guests arrive, welcome them with a tribute to a great Canadian invention: The Caesar.

So, here’s to uniqueness and diversity, to a country that embraces multiculturalism and peace, and to its very unique and flavourful cuisine… Happy Birthday Canada!!

I’d like to know, how would YOU define the flavours of the Canadian Cuisine??

You don’t want to spend hours getting your camping meal ready, after all, you are there to enjoy the wilderness and nature. But when you are back from a long hiking and canoeing trip, you also want to sit by the camp fire and enjoy a delicious meal.

Here are a few tips for a happy camper. You don’t have to go all out with the food you buy, after all, you want to keep it low key.

The night before your trip, put your favourite marinade in a Ziploc bag; mix it with your meat of choice and get ready for a super tasty meal.

Now, here is an essential tool for camping: Aluminum Foil. Yes, aluminum foil is a must! It is my best friend in the ‘outdoor kitchen’. You can basically toss anything you want to cook on it, wrap it and off it goes into the coals, add 10 or 15 minutes and voila!! You’ll just need to unwrap it, add butter, salt and pepper. Not sure what to wrap up? Try sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, squash, mushrooms or plantains.

Fancy some corn? Try this Grilled corn on the cob recipe. This is another way to cook corn and it is delicious; you wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make. I just tried it for the first time and let me tell you… I can’t wait for the next camping trip to try it again!

When you are ready to sit and enjoy the last hours of the day, share your stories and cozy up by the camp fire, you may want to treat yourself to one of these super easy and real fruity recipes: Banana Boat, Peach Yum Yums or some tropical Hawaiian Oranges. If you are looking for something different, easy and delicious, try these Sweet Tortilla Melts - who said tortillas were only good for fajitas and burritos?

You see? Camp cooking can be simple and tasty. All you need is some basic ingredients and your imagination.

Have any camping tips or recipes? Share them with us!!