Garlic Potatoes Galette

A snap to make, these garlicky potato slices will melt in your mouth.  Serve this four or five ingredient galette as a savory side dish that the whole family will enjoy. When garlic enters the scene, potatoes become a whole lot tastier.  Actually, my children start to wander toward the kitchen as soon as they smell the garlic aroma.  This side dish is one of … Continue reading Garlic Potatoes Galette

Butternut Squash with Spiced Cider | Swirls and Spice

Butternut Squash with Spiced Cider: A Side Dish for All Seasons

Cubes of butternut squash braised in apple cider and one simple spice make a very fine side dish.  It’s an easy enough side to accompany roast chicken on a weeknight or weekend.  And with so much flavor and minmal oven time, this variation of squash can easily earn a place on your holiday table as well. Instead of potatoes or rice, why not try butternut squash as a … Continue reading Butternut Squash with Spiced Cider: A Side Dish for All Seasons

One-Pot Ratatouille with Summer Squash | Swirls and Spice

One-Pot Ratatouille with Summer Squash and Okra

The fresh vegetables of summer mingle marvelously in this simple meatless supper or side dish.  While one vegetable cooks, I can chop the next one, saving time and fuss.  I tend to avoid turning on my oven whenever possible in the summer.  Ratatouille is a delicious way to taste the fresh flavors of summer and keep the kitchen cooler. Eggplant is a traditional component, but … Continue reading One-Pot Ratatouille with Summer Squash and Okra

7-Minute Chickpea Salad with Shallots and Za'atar | Swirls and Spice

7-Minute Chickpea Salad with Shallots & Za’atar

Shallot-infused olive oil and Middle Eastern spices impart sophistication to this savory salad.  The ingredients come together in under ten minutes for a healthy side dish or portable lunch entrée.One evening I discovered too late that we were out of lemons.  But I was still set on having chickpea salad with supper. Enter za’atar, distinctive because of the lemony herb sumac, plus a tangy plum tomato.  The result was a harmonious medley of taste … Continue reading 7-Minute Chickpea Salad with Shallots & Za’atar

Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger | Swirls and Spice

Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

Golden ginger lends a touch of zing to rice grains and slices of tender pumpkin. Simply toss together a handful of seasonal ingredients to create this fresh take on fried rice. I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with cranberry recipes in my kitchen, but when it comes to pumpkin, I usually pick plain and simple pumpkin pie over anything else.  Until this month I had posted just … Continue reading Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

Molasses Brown Bread Buns

Molasses adds a distinctive deep flavour and rich colour to these fresh buns based on traditional east coast brown bread. I asked a very good friend of mine from New Brunswick what typical maritime food is like.  Besides the obvious seafood specialties, freshly baked brown bread, she told me, was a staple that you would find quite often on the table.   And the inclusion of … Continue reading Molasses Brown Bread Buns