en-us One of my favourite long weekend activities is watching fireworks, and what better way to enjoy them than with a backyard or rooftop BBQ party? If...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/38215--victoria-day-fireworks-party-menu 2012-05-17 18:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/38215--victoria-day-fireworks-party-menu One of the highlights of spring is venturing out to the farmers' market to sample the freshest, in-season produce. And while we all leave with a...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/38170--five-spring-vegetables-you-might-not-have-tried-but-should-now 2012-05-16 18:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/38170--five-spring-vegetables-you-might-not-have-tried-but-should-now Whether you live in the city with limited space or in the country battling groundhogs and other creatures, there is something very attractive and...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37923--a-cook-s-garden-how-to-grow-potatoes-in-a-garbage-bin 2012-05-12 04:30:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37923--a-cook-s-garden-how-to-grow-potatoes-in-a-garbage-bin If you are a culinary fan in any way - via the web, TV cooking shows or venturing out to high end restaurants, there is no way you could have escaped...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37855--how-to-cook-the-juiciest-chicken-in-a-bag 2012-05-07 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37855--how-to-cook-the-juiciest-chicken-in-a-bag It is said that in Ancient Rome, Romans showered newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm. Though we can't prove almonds will make you virile, we...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37600--almond-recipes-nine-delicious-and-heart-healthy-ways-to-use-these-nuts 2012-05-03 03:30:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37600--almond-recipes-nine-delicious-and-heart-healthy-ways-to-use-these-nuts This Saturday, May 5, marks the 150th anniversary of the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Not to be confused...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37457--celebrate-cinco-de-mayo-with-these-10-recipes 2012-05-02 18:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37457--celebrate-cinco-de-mayo-with-these-10-recipes First things first: I am not a gardener. I was not blessed with a green thumb and my record for  keeping house plants alive is dismal. However, I...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37626--a-cook-s-garden-seven-tips-for-starting-your-own 2012-05-02 04:30:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37626--a-cook-s-garden-seven-tips-for-starting-your-own Butter is churned, sauce is simmered and bread is kneaded, right? Apparently, not always. Recently no-knead bread recipes have been popping up in...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37593--no-knead-bread-in-three-easy-steps 2012-04-30 18:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37593--no-knead-bread-in-three-easy-steps I once co-hosted a baby shower on my sister's farm in Niagara, Ontario. At the very last moment, the mom-to-be was unable to attend. With a backyard...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37484--best-asparagus-recipes-and-why-you-shouldn-t-snap-the-ends-off 2012-04-23 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37484--best-asparagus-recipes-and-why-you-shouldn-t-snap-the-ends-off When it comes to in-season spring produce, mangoes are standout superstars. This exotic fruit is sweet, fleshy and satisfying to eat on its own or as...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37131--how-to-cut-and-peel-a-mango-our-best-tips 2012-04-14 16:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37131--how-to-cut-and-peel-a-mango-our-best-tips For some reason, the microwave is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance these days. Once relegated to merely reheating leftovers or making popcorn...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37371--potato-chips-in-the-microwave-a-surprisingly-good-recipe 2012-04-12 17:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37371--potato-chips-in-the-microwave-a-surprisingly-good-recipe Over the years, the Chatelaine Kitchen has tested hundreds of cheesecakes. Our top tip for creamy, crack-free results? Bake in a water bath, always...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37380--how-to-make-a-perfect-cheesecake-best-trick-ever 2012-04-11 20:46:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37380--how-to-make-a-perfect-cheesecake-best-trick-ever From phone book-thick tomes to a first taste of veggie cuisine, these essential cookbooks suit just about every skill-set and taste level. Here...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37355--five-best-cookbooks-of-all-time-from-chatelaine-s-food-editor 2012-04-11 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37355--five-best-cookbooks-of-all-time-from-chatelaine-s-food-editor It's easy to forget the pantry in your spring cleaning plan, but a new season is a great to time to dive into the pantry's darkest corners and cleanse...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37155--spring-cleaning-checklist-for-the-pantry-what-to-toss-keep-and-store 2012-04-08 09:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/37155--spring-cleaning-checklist-for-the-pantry-what-to-toss-keep-and-store Every day this month we gave you a new quick and easy dinner idea to help you answer the perpetually nagging question: What’s for dinner? We...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36999--31-30-minute-dinner-recipes-save-this-list 2012-03-31 04:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36999--31-30-minute-dinner-recipes-save-this-list Testing as many recipes as we do in the Chatelaine Kitchen, it is inevitable that certain tasks become less enthralling than others. We all have our...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36949--nine-worst-kitchen-chores-and-how-to-make-them-bearable 2012-03-29 21:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36949--nine-worst-kitchen-chores-and-how-to-make-them-bearable This Saturday, March 31, Canadians are being encouraged to switch off the lights between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. This hour – aptly named Earth...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/35998--10-no-cook-recipes-to-celebrate-earth-hour 2012-03-29 09:07:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/35998--10-no-cook-recipes-to-celebrate-earth-hour With an early start to spring, it seems that the mild March weather has inspired us to eat lighter, healthier meals like hearty soups, quinoa and tofu...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36911--top-five-recipes-our-fave-from-march 2012-03-28 09:00:51.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36911--top-five-recipes-our-fave-from-march Eating hearty, leafy greens such as kale, collard greens and Swiss chard is a great way to add fibre, minerals and nutrients to a healthy diet...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36857--how-to-prepare-de-stem-and-clean-leafy-greens-and-eight-delicious-recipes 2012-03-27 19:34:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36857--how-to-prepare-de-stem-and-clean-leafy-greens-and-eight-delicious-recipes Let's face it, despite how good of a cook you are - or claim to be - we've all experienced some frustration when our food gets stuck to a stainless...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36799--six-essential-tips-for-cooking-with-but-not-sticking-to-stainless-steel 2012-03-23 04:30:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36799--six-essential-tips-for-cooking-with-but-not-sticking-to-stainless-steel When I started as acting food editor at Chatelaine a couple of weeks ago, just as Claire was leaving for her maternity leave, we were putting the...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36636--10-of-our-favourite-sandwiches 2012-03-21 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36636--10-of-our-favourite-sandwiches It's maple syrup season! One of Canada's greatest contributions to the food industry - golden maple syrup - is also one of my favourite sweeteners to...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36330--10-maple-syrup-recipes-for-breakfast-lunch-dinner-and-dessert 2012-03-16 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36330--10-maple-syrup-recipes-for-breakfast-lunch-dinner-and-dessert Chocolate cake is perhaps one of my most favourite foods. So when "five-minute chocolate mug cake" started popping up everywhere from...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36565--five-minute-chocolate-cake-in-a-mug-testing-the-recipe 2012-03-15 19:00:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36565--five-minute-chocolate-cake-in-a-mug-testing-the-recipe Chatelaine will be at the Toronto Wine & Cheese Show this week from Friday March 16 to Sunday March 18, 2012. We'll be serving up...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36351--chatelaine-s-at-the-toronto-wine-cheese-show 2012-03-15 13:38:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36351--chatelaine-s-at-the-toronto-wine-cheese-show St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday this year so you can be sure the Irish pubs in your neighbourhood will be in full celebration mode. If you don't...

]]> http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36354--st-patrick-s-day-menu 2012-03-13 12:27:00.000 http://www.chatelaine.com/en/blog/post/36354--st-patrick-s-day-menu