Brunch in our nation’s capital takes on new meaning as we ditch delicate girly fare for the plain spoken, straight-up meat & potatoes style of Murray Street Kitchen on Ottawa’s Byward Market. On assignment for Hascapades.com and it’s creator, Clark Haass we offer you something uniquely Canadian.  A lover of all things hashed, based in...

Life has a funny way of always working out, putting us in the right spot, at exactly the right time, for all the right reasons.  Fight it all you want, but you’ll never counter the current once The Universe has you where it wants you, and The Universe wants me in kitchen.  Period.    Which...

A truly Wicked Mac & Cheese starts with a good bechamel, and a good bechamel, starts with the right ratio of butter flour and milk. Add cheese and you have mornay sauce, which in my opinion, starts with good cheese. Nothing like a stick to your rib, family favourite as winter wanes. In our house,...

Rich and decadent, what could be better for a sexy Valentine’s brunch than Red Velvet Waffles with Cream Cheese Drizzle?!  OK, besides straight chocolate… I love the colour and texture of red velvet cake and this is essentially a red velvet cake mix, cooked in a waffle iron.  Add berried and a drizzle of cream...

Nothing says love quite like Nutella.   Gooey and sweet, filled with chocolate – hazelnut flavour,  Nutella French Toast warms heart and soul on a cold winter’s morning. In our house a spoonful of Nuella is synonymous with kisses, hugs and reward.   It has soothed many a boo-boo and quelled occasional heartbreak over devastating disappointment in life:...

A simple, savory meringue makes an elegant nest of egg-y goodness.  Cooked at a high temperature for a short time Baked Eggs makes an easy, fast option for brunch, lunch or a sexy breakfast in bed. If you can operate a hand blender and an oven you can make this.  The key to success with...

Three simple ideas for individual pies, fresh from the freezer, anytime.  Perfect for a picnic or outdoor entertaining, Pie in a Jar is my favorite do-it-yourself idea for rustic weddings and outdoor parties.  Don’t stop at sweet fruit pies, think savory and go chicken pot pie, or for the winter, Tourtiere. We’re thinking weddings in...

Veuve Ambal Crémant de Bourgogne Brute Rosé, the sparkling wine of Burgundy.  A pink, bubbly way to ring in the New Year. 2014 marks a new beginning.  I love a new year with fresh pages unwritten, all 365 of them, waiting to be filled with ideas, laughter and joy.  This year we get an extra special...

During yesterday’s visit to CTV’s Ottawa Morning Live, our resident chef, Benoit Gelinotte (Chef B) demoed one of his top party food bites from his kitchen at Culinary Conspiracy, the Chorizo Pogo.  Due to popular request (and at the behest of host Jeff Hopper) he rattled off that recipe on his way out this morning...

Bourbon Ice Cream with Praline Popcorn, or as I like to call it ‘Redneck Ice Cream’ made without an ice cream maker,  with the help of Mother Nature and yee’ old frigidaire. We have no ice cream maker.  In a kitchen of less than 70 square feet in our tiny two bedroom apartment, just where...

A lovely Pear Almond Tart the wholesome twist of a whole wheat crumble crust, the finishing touch to our holiday feast.  Rich and mellow, it was an elegant end on a dark winter’s night.  Pure, French comfort food. It’s impossible not to be influenced by French cuisine living this life.  Between the an education at...

A simple rustic quick bread with a sweet and spicy jam.  The perfect savory breakfast addition over the holidays, or anytime, Cheesy Irish Soda Bread and Strawberry Jalapeno Jam.   This is bread in own of it’s simplest forms and also one of it’s fastest.  Quick and easy, Irish Soda Bread is essentially a large biscuit....