DAIRY-FREE CAESAR SALAD

It's wild to think that we're entering week 11 of remote work. It definitely no longer feels temporary - and the unknown of how long we'll be tucked away at home is a little unsettling. We're doing our best to stay active (thank you Peloton), soak up the recent summer weather, and curl up with a good book.

This recipe has been sitting in my drafts for a little over a year now, and similar to the recent vermicelli bowl recipe, I'm embracing all this extra time to finally knock some things off the looming to-do list. This salad has become a house favourite, and is a really great way to use up leftover shredded chicken or stale bread.

VERMICELLI BOWLS WITH CHICKEN

This is one of those recipes that came together serendipitously last summer. We had an abundance of fresh mint, and I was trying to think of a low-effort dinner that could be packed with mint and crunchy raw veggies. I've been meaning to jot down the recipe for a while, and though Covid-19 is scary and far from ideal, it's given us with more down time, and as a result, more time to spend in this space. Silver lining?

SOURDOUGH PIZZA

We are now into the 5th week of social isolating and remote work. We've settled into a good groove, but are naturally starting to get a bit antsy. Life outside the walls of our apartment feels scary and virus filled. We don't dare venture out without hand sanitizer and a mask, and are grateful for our balcony and the outdoor space it provides. A full work day, meal planning and home cooking is keeping us busy, while online deliveries of local wine, beer, fresh produce and freshly milled flour is keeping us boozy and well fed.

Glen, my sourdough starter, has never been this busy, and it finally felt like the right time for something sourdough to live in this space. In my opinion, the pizza dough is an easier first attempt at sourdough baking - it's just feels less fussy. There's also now a helpful sourdough guide on the blog -- head here for that.

CRISPY OVEN CHICKEN WINGS

It's been a weird start to 2020. January flew by in the blink of an eye, February was plagued with shingles and the lingering side effects of partial facial paralysis, and then March came around and COVID19 happened. Is happening.

Life currently feels very uncertain, and all we can do is take it one day at a time. Flatten the curve and distance yourself socially they say. Work from home if you can. Buy only the groceries and supplies you'll need for the week, don't stockpile (but seriously, where has all the TP gone?!).

We're into day three working from home, and are trying to maintain the balance between work and life, embracing the normalcy of quiet, comforting evenings at home. Good books, new shows, all the wine and comfort food to the rescue.

BIRTHDAY WAFFLES WITH FRESH PEACHES

I had the best intentions of posting this recipe last year (or was it two years ago now?), but somehow just never hit publish. Birthdays have always been a big deal in my family, and though I married someone who isn't super keen on celebrating, I've been finding little ways to start up our own annual birthday traditions. It took a few tries, but we've settled on a go-to (although atypical) birthday cake, birthday dinner always seems to include something on the grill, and birthday breakfast had to take full advantage of prime Ontario peach season. These waffles demand a little more effort than my typical recipe, making them extra special for a birthday morning.

BLUEBERRY SCONES

Towards the end of January, we spent a wonderful weekend up in Prince Edward County at the Devonshire. Its a dreamy spot for a weekend away, and we took full advantage of the hotel slippers and bathrobes, self-serve coffee, the games room, and multiple fire places. We ate both our dinners at new local spots (here and here), but enjoyed breakfast at the hotel while soaking up the beautiful lake view from their dining room. Though we didn't order the blueberry scones, I've been dreaming of them since. A quiet weekend at home seemed like the perfect time to use up the last of the freezer blueberries and try a new scone recipe.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

A few years back (2015), I got really into the idea of Christmas cookies. I scoured the web and settled on a few favourites. Since then, these gingerbread have become an annual treat in our house come December. There's something so comforting about the ginger + molasses combo, and something so relaxing about piping/decorating with royal icing and sprinkles. I figured it was finally time for my version of these cookies to live on the site. Happy Holidays!