I’ve been collecting recipes for many years now. Here are a few of the ones that caught my eye. Although you may find it in one category, it could easily fit into another i.e. an appetizer could also be found in a main etc. Some have been tried, my comments usually show up in italics if I have made them. I’ve given credit to Chef’s/authors/publishers whose names I wrote down when recording the recipes, but go figure – in at the tail end of the boomer generation and blogs didn’t exist when I started collecting them and I never thought of a website either. If I’ve violated any copyrights – just let me know and I’ll fix it. If you try a recipe and have comments, please let me know, I’ll respond. As always – enjoy! Thanks – Chris (cater@foodinspires.com)

2017 Christmas Treat #4 – Chocolate Chip and Maple Glazed Chili Bacon Cookies

Bacon, bacon extract, maple syrup, maple sugar and chocolate – oh the foundation of good times is finally here! Praise and sing, chorus of angels – world peace will happen. I went crazy with this one so please feel free to omit or substitute ingredients if there is something in the title that doesn’t appeal [...]

2017 Christmas Treat #4 – Chocolate Chip and Maple Glazed Chili Bacon Cookies2021-11-21T17:12:20-05:00

2017 Christmas Treat #3 – Moroccan Semolina Almond Cookies

Oh the hunt continues! So much to do and so little time, but it is great fun to search for interesting ideas and ingredients. This is from Dorie Greenspan’s “Dorie’s Cookies” book. To say I could eat my way through this book would be an understatement. If you don’t have it, oh my goodness put [...]

2017 Christmas Treat #3 – Moroccan Semolina Almond Cookies2021-11-21T17:12:32-05:00

2017 Christmas Treat #2 – Black Pepper and Citrus Shortbread

I’m a big fan of shortbread. I greatly appreciate true artisanal shortbread – buttery, the slightest bit crumbly, melt in your mouth goodness. So this recipe takes the simplicity of the shortbread and modifies the flavor with the addition of freshly cracked black pepper and whatever citrus you have on hand. So I present to [...]

2017 Christmas Treat #2 – Black Pepper and Citrus Shortbread2021-11-21T17:12:43-05:00

2017 Christmas Treat #1 – Curry Leaf and Dry Mustard Cheeselets

This is a tradition in our house at Christmas time, and it is Christmas time isn’t it. Well you know what that means (trumpets blaring in the background) – The 12 Treats of Christmas! (in a booming voice). This is Treat #1. I changed the name from Cookie #1 to Treat #1 because I want [...]

2017 Christmas Treat #1 – Curry Leaf and Dry Mustard Cheeselets2024-12-13T15:20:15-05:00

Date and Almond Torte with Salted Caramel Sauce

This is a torte so it doesn’t have much height, but what it lacks in height, it makes up in taste. Something magical happens when you use dates in cooking or baking. Sometime they dissolve into a beautiful paste that invisibly adds immense flavor and texture to foods, other times they provide the sweet to [...]

Date and Almond Torte with Salted Caramel Sauce2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00

Lemon Zucchini Loaf

Yes my friends, it’s that time of the year again! Neighbors are gathering - in large baskets, zucchini of all sizes, shapes and colors. People you don’t even know are stopping by and knocking on your door to unload – I mean share, the bounty of this most glorious of fall vegetables. So here is [...]

Lemon Zucchini Loaf2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00

Indian Cooking in Italy – Madras Chicken Curry

It’s been a while, but I’ve been away, in Italy – Florence, Montepulciano, La Spezia, Genoa, Pienza, Cinque Terre and Rome (there were others but that would be bragging :)). Many were day trips and some, well “port” trips?! And really, how much could you see in a couple of hours on land?! But you [...]

Indian Cooking in Italy – Madras Chicken Curry2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00

Mediterranean Style Cracked Olives

If you have been attending any of my classes at Loblaw PC Cooking Schools you will have heard me speak of this delightful antipasto which was gifted to me last year by my friend Chef Maria. I was amazed with the taste of the olives she had pickled. How? I asked. Maria promised to show [...]

Mediterranean Style Cracked Olives2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00

French Cheesecake

When I first became a Chef, I must have spent many months going through various culinary websites for inspiration, ideas and direction. One of the sites I came across belonged to David Lebovitz. I guess he intrigued me because he also made a change in his life moving from the US to France. I liked [...]

French Cheesecake2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00

Ricotta and Praline Cake

  Here’s another keeper cake recipe. I had some ricotta in the fridge. My friend Maria makes all kinds of delicious Italian treats (which I am sometimes the grateful beneficiary of - ahem, #shehasn'tmadesomethingformeinawhile) with ricotta. I wanted a recipe that was easy to come together and taste good. I ran across a recipe a [...]

Ricotta and Praline Cake2020-10-12T19:36:35-04:00
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