Fresh Cherry Tarts

fresh cherry tart

I have a large cherry tree in my backyard. For years it produced a lot of cherries, because my neighbour ALSO had a cherry tree (pollination). Last year, her ex-husband, trying to be helpful, chopped it down…and we had no cherries. This year, one of my other neighbours must have planted a cherry tree, because I’ve been climbing the ladder to pick as much as I can. I’m still leaving a vast amount for the birds, because the tree is over 30 feet high. Still, I have over 10 pounds of lovely fresh cherries. My husband loves cherry pie, but since there are only two of us, I decided to make him a half dozen cherry tarts. I cheated, and used frozen tart shells, but you can also use refrigerator pastry. These are extremely simple to make.

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Beet and Walnut Salad

beet and walnut salad

I like beets in a salad. I had a very nice one with cheese, beets and hazelnuts in one of the local restaurants lately. However, I bought a very large back of walnuts at Costco the other day, and I fancied using them in my supper tonight.

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Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

My husband dropped some subtle hints about cookies the other day. Hints about oatmeal and raisins, and how well they went together and how he would really like some cookies. As I said, subtle:)

I have since made him a couple of batches, as they are really good cookies to add to a lunchbox.

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Cornbread (Johnny Cake)

cornbread (Johnny cake)I love cornbread, and it is so very simple to make. It is lovely with chili or served with soups or stews.

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Wonton Soup

wonton soup

Steve and I both enjoy this easy wonton soup. I cheat and use pre-made wrappers, and it takes about half an hour to prepare the filling and stuff the wrappers. Actual cooking time is very short.

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Crock-Pot Bean Soup

crock-pot bean soup

With a bit of planning, a crock-pot (aka a slow cooker) can provide you with a meal in a hurry. This bean soup cooked all day while I was at work, and I just had to add a couple of things when I got home. I had some lamb broth sitting around (I made it by tossing the bones from a roasted lamb neck plus a couple of garlic cloves, a quartered onion, a couple of celery stalks and carrots with enough water to cover them into a pressure cooker and cooking for about 20 minutes once it started rocking).

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Orange Fennel Salad

orange fennel salad
orange fennel salad

This very tasty salad is my take on one of Chef Michael Smith’s salads. It is sweet and tangy, with a liquorice aftertaste. Very refreshing.

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Beef Stew

beef stew

Beef stew is more of a Sunday afternoon meal, than a meal in a hurry. It’s best if you have a couple of hours of cooking time. The actual work involved doesn’t take too long, however.

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Chicken and Mushrooms

chicken and mushrooms

I was driving home tonight, wondering what to make with the chicken breasts I had left to thaw out. I finally decided to conduct an experiment with mushrooms and peppers, and to try to keep the fat content down.

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Creamy Pasta Sauce with Prawns

creamy pasta sauce with prawns

I bought a couple of bags of frozen, wild-caught prawns the other day, and I really wanted them for supper. After trying to decide HOW I wanted them, I finally decided on a creamy pasta sauce over linguine. This was very simple, and took about 20-25 minutes.

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