RECIPES

Homemade Cast Iron Meatballs (how to make them Italian-style)

April 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 5 Comments

Making homemade meatballs is a simple thing to do and so much more flavorful than buying frozen ones! Dust off your cast iron skillet and learn how to make your own italian meatballs from scratch.

cast iron skillet full of homemade meatballs

MAKING CAST IRON SKILLET MEATBALLS

First off, you don’t need a cast-iron skillet to make these homemade meatballs.

If you’re finishing off the meatballs in the oven, however, I do recommend using an oven-safe pan.

The reason I recommend cast iron? Because I’m a hardcore fan and think cast-iron cookware is the bee’s knees.

It’s easy to work with cast iron, it lasts forever, and it’s toxin-free.

RELATED: How to Cook with Cast Iron

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Cooking Dried Beans and Lentils on the Stove Top

March 31, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Cooking dried beans and lentils is one of those kitchen skills everyone should have under their belt. Learn all about the virtues of cooking dried beans and why it’s so much healthier to use dried beans instead of canned.

WELCOME TO MY FRUGAL KITCHEN

In true vintage fashion, my kitchen is a frugal one.

I’m bursting with frugal kitchen tips, like making homemade broth from kitchen scraps and saving apple peels and cores to make apple cider vinegar.

Cooking dried beans instead of buying cans is yet another way I’m able to flex my frugal superpowers.

The cost-savings are considerable, especially when you purchase dried beans and lentils in bulk.

What’s more, did you know that dried beans are healthier than canned beans, too?

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Savoury Steel-Cut Oats Breakfast Bowl Recipe

March 27, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

These savoury steel-cut oats are fermented overnight for an almost creamy mouthfeel, a quicker cooking time, and easier digestibility. Learn how to make this easy breakfast bowl and how to tweak it for endless variations.

Savoury steel-cut oats first appeared on my radar a few years ago.

In full transparency, I was a major skeptic and didn’t buy into them at first.

They sounded too weird to even comprehend!

Can you blame me?

I grew up with steaming pots of cinnamon raisin oatmeal, or oats with dried cranberries, pepitas and maple syrup.

Oatmeal was always sweetened, so I closed myself off to experimenting with a savoury alternative.

Something happened, though.

I switched from rolled oats to steel-cut oats for their nutritional content.

This simple alteration to one of my favourite breakfast meals meant I was open enough to test the waters with savoury oats, and that’s exactly what I did.

My favourite part about this breakfast dish is that it’s a vessel for what I would normally serve with toast.

Most of us know that oats are more filling than bread, but with oats, you can go even crazier than just the typical bacon and eggs accompaniment.

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Pan-Fried Chicken Caesar Salad (the BEST caesar salad ever)

March 20, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 9 Comments

This chicken caesar salad is going to make all other caesar salads pale in comparison once you take your first bite. Flavourful panko-crusted chicken, crisp romaine lettuce, garlicky homemade dressing and the easiest croutons you will ever make. You won’t want to go back!

PAN-FRIED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD: A GAME CHANGER

Congratulations, you have just struck Caesar salad gold!

I have no idea how many chicken caesar salads I have eaten in my life, but this pan-fried chicken version is to-die-for.

I must warn you: there are a lot of steps involved.

You’ll have to clarify butter, make your own caesar dressing, and fry up some croutons.

I’m telling you…it’s WORTH the extra work.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

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Classic Genoise Sponge Cake Recipe (only 4 ingredients!)

March 13, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

A classic genoise sponge cake is made with four simple ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Ready for a French pastry lesson?

classic genoise sponge cake cooling down

WHAT DOES GENOISE MEAN?

If you didn’t know, this classic genoise sponge cake is a favourite when it comes to French pastry.

For example, genoise sponge makes the base for many beloved cakes, like the fraisier (a strawberry layer cake with marzipan, mousseline cream, and hints of kirsch).

Around the holidays, it’s rolled up to make bûches de noël (yule logs), which means it’s great for making jelly rolls, too.

Despite its widespread use in French pastry, its origins are Italian.

Named after Genoa, the sixth-largest city in Italy, we can now see where the name comes from.

Genoise = Genoese/Genovese.

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BBQ Pulled Duck: A Simple Slow Cooker Recipe

March 6, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

BBQ pulled duck is a fun spin on pulled pork. Paired with a homemade stout barbecue sauce, this easy duck slow cooker recipe will make your kitchen smell amazing and your taste buds sing!

As much as I love it, not everyone eats pork.

BBQ pulled pork is one of those classic American recipes that people love for its sweet, smoky flavour.

It’s a summertime favourite and makes an excellent addition to a backyard barbecue or a Superbowl party.

While one can always turn to BBQ pulled chicken to get their mock pulled pork fix, chicken doesn’t have the same meaty depth that duck offers.

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