Mandy DeGeit's Blog, page 3

Recipe: Tomatoes, Tomatillos and First Aid

My best friend Natasha dropped off the weekly assortment of vegetables. I had asked her for more tomatoes, knowing I’d be making salsa and spaghetti sauce soon, and she included a ton of extras. She also mentioned added something to the box for my “mystery challenges”… I was intrigued and asked her what it was. She said she’d included tomatillos. They are the ones on the right, still in their husks.

The tomatoes were easy, I ended up making a boatload of spaghetti sauce and a red tomato salsa,...

RestauRanting: Front & Central, Wolfville, NS

The first time I saw the menu for Front & Central, the boy and I were walking around downtown Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The menu was posted on the outside of a cute little blue house. As we scoured the menu, the boy and I picked out numerous dishes we wanted to try, so we made a mental note to definitely make reservations on our next trip to the maritimes.

The month after, we were back in Wolfville and I wanted to make lunch reservations, as they had a 2/$20 deal on plates. *(The restaurant does...

Good Eats: Herb & Garlic Roast with Gravy and Yorkshire Puddings, Cauliflower Puree, Steamed Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Whew that’s a mouthful, but a good mouthful. This welcome back to Canada dinner I cooked for my best friend Dickie was pretty awesome. After having cooked chicken the last two nights, I wanted something totally different. I decided on roast beef with a herb rub. I picked up some Juniper berries on my last trip to the Bulk Bin. (I’m pretty sure I’m calling it the wrong thing, but it’s what I call it. I think it’s the Bulk Barn… Whatever, things are in bins, so I call it the Bulk Bin.) I knew...

Review: All That Is Left Is Chance by Jacob Haddon

“Jacob Haddon grabs you by the hand and seduces you over Times Square as it disappears. Noir at heart, this is one party you’re not likely to forget.”

All That Is Left Is Chance by Jacob Haddon was the first story to be put out in the One Night Stands series by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing.

What do you get when you combine a party, an intriguing woman and a slowly disappearing Times Square? A quick, interestingstory written in the first person, a narrative style I really enjoy. Haddon do...

Recipe: Indian Butter Chicken and Saffron Rice (Low Fat)

I’m not sure why I decided to make butter chicken, but one day it popped into my head and I was set on the idea. Butter chicken is pretty much one of the only Indian foods I’ve tried, mostly because back in the day I wasn’t really into spice. I’m getting better at trying spicier things nowadays and I do like that my taste for hot foods seems to be evolving. One of my big issues with butter chicken was the fat content. While I loved the flavour of the thick orange sauce, I hated trying to avoi...

Good Eats – Samantha Snapper and Sauteed Veg

So being a food lover/chef-in-training, I tend to eat some pretty tasty things. I don’t always write down the recipes for said dinners, but I figured I’d share the food photos (which I am always taking) and the stories that go along with my food photos.

The boyfriend (who’s name is Dan, but I tend to refer to him as “the boy”) and I cook together quite a bit. While I’m a little bit of a Nazi in the kitchen, I’m learning to step back and let him take the reins on certain things. *(I’ve learned...

Recipe: Low Fat Banana/Blueberry Bread

This recipe isn’t really one of my “test” or practice recipes. It’s a definite go-to in my recipe book. This is a fantastic recipe to get rid of bananas that I tend to buy then forget about. It’s also great to use up other frozen fruit, as the blueberries are optional, but can also be switched up for anything you’ve got hanging around in the kitchen.

Well I wouldn’t suggest meat, that would be kind of off putting. Steak/banana bread doesn’t sound very appetizing.

No extra fruit? No problem, I...

Culinary Management – Update On My College Application

While I’m normally a great planner, I wasn’t this year and only decided to attend chef school at the last minute. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. I actually applied two years ago and was accepted to the Culinary Management Program at St. Lawrence College in Kingston Ontario as well as Algonquin College here in Ottawa, but me attending school just wasn’t in the cards at the time so I declined both offers.

Now, two years later, I’ve decided it’s time to follow my passion and I’ve re-ap...

Recipe: Peach/Blueberry Muffins

Yesterday was my first “practice” day for chef school. I’ve taken it upon myself to start cooking/baking things at the house that I may not normally make, in the hopes of getting in some extra practice time for the upcoming school year.

I had an abundance of blueberries, thanks to my Dad being a crazy person when it comes to picking them. The ‘rents sent me home with 4 bags of blueberries, each containing 4 cups of the tasty little bastards. I was going to make a peach/blueberry pie, but I did...

FoodCapades and the MandyBlog.

There are two places in the house where I feel most at home: sitting at my desk and standing in my kitchen. Let me rephrase that, Not just standing in my kitchen, but actually cooking or baking.

I’m one ofthosepeople… The ones who love taking pictures of food and posting it to FaceBook.

Unfortunately, FB isn’t the easiest thing to navigate, especially when you post as much as I do. Nothing makes me crazier (than I already am) than trying to find a recipe or a photo that I put up on FB a few mon...