Kitchen & Dining

With Thanksgiving just about here it's time to take a look in your cupboards and see what kitchen appliances and cookware you're missing to make hosting a large dinner easier. Read on to see some items you should treat yourself to to make cooking a large meal a breeze.

Whether you struggle to cook pasta or fancy yourself the next Master Chef, certain kitchen essentials are required in your pursuit of a home cooked meal. First and foremost, you need a decent set of pots and pans; and while you might be happy with those mismatched relics from the past, or are set on purchasing each new pot and pan separately, there are a number of benefits associated with investing in a full set of cookware.

Before the Aquasana Powered Water Filtration System, I had tried a few pitcher water filters. They tend to be on the slow side when they work, and because my well water is yellow and smelly, I don’t think they’d be powerful enough to clean this water. With Aquasana, I had fresh, clean water in seconds, and it really does taste great.

Cast iron cookware has been around for centuries. Long before the electric stove was invented in the early 1900s, most meals were prepared using cast iron skillets, pots and griddles, and an open flame. A lot has changed since then, but the appeal of cast iron remains the same. Said to be the best cookware ever invented, the key to its longevity lies in its care. Follow these simple rules and your cast iron cookware will last for generations to come.

Cooking with kids can be fun. There are lots of ways to get them involved as your little helpers, teaching the basics of cooking and baking, and even having them take on a few tasks themselves once they're old enough.

Christmas baking is in full swing at my house and it's time to stock up on sweet treats for the holiday season.

I’ve been experimenting with brain food lately, and found a recipe that takes all of those nutrients and combines them into one delicious energy bar. Although they’re chock full of healthy ingredients, they taste almost like a chocolate bar. The local coffee shop sells them and calls them ‘Brain Bites,’ but I just call them delicious.   I whipped up a batch of these little gems today – check out the recipe and my photos for the steps to make them.

Based in P.E.I., Paderno has been in business for more than 35 years, making quality cookware, In fact, Paderno claims to be the only cookware manufacturer in Canada. 

Pressure cookers: who knew that one small appliance could cook up so many different dishes? I spent the week trying out the very versatile Instant Pot Smart pressure cooker, and now I’m a huge fan of pressure cooking and an even bigger fan of Instant Pot’s smart features.

If 2016 is the year you’ve vowed to eat out less and cook more, I’m here to help. I’ve got a list of small kitchen appliances you can use to create your favourites, and it’s so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t make this resolution before.