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Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Scoop Cookies

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Scoop Cookies

These adorable mounds of mint and chocolate will fool even the most loyal ice cream lover. I always try my recipes out on John.e and McKenna before posting them to Lord Byron’s Kitchen. The best reaction to this particular cookie was from McKenna. She took a big bite and I watched her face go from super happy to super confused. I asked if she liked them and she said they tasted great, but she was expecting them to be cold and to melt in her mouth just like ice cream. That was exactly what I wanted for these cookies! I prepared these using my favourite shortbread cookie dough, but added a few ingredients to get the texture, look, and taste just right. Let me explain! Cornstarch in a cookie recipe? Yes! In fact, it’s quite common. I have a few dessert type recipes that have cornstarch as one of the main ingredients. It’s important to add cornstarch so that the cookies will hold their shape when baking. We all know that cornstarch is often used as a thickening agent in sauces and gravies, but it has the opposite effect in baking. In cookies, cornstarch will help to lighten up a cookie dough.…

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Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill

Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill

Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill is the ultimate “thinking-outside-the-box” type of recipe. Well, I guess in this case, it’s thinking-outside-the-can! This is a great way to use inexpensive canned tuna and turn it into a great meal that everyone will love! I was inspired to make this pizza when I saw a version of it posted by a fellow food blogger – Beth over at Binky’s Culinary Carnival. It looked so delicious, I just had to try it! This past year or so, John.e has been eating fish, so I’m always trying to think of new ways to cook with fish. If it were up to me, I’d have beer battered fried cod every night! But, at the risk of growing tired of fish, I tend to only prepare it twice a month. We love the ease of canned tuna and canned salmon. It’s so inexpensive, everyone seems to like it, and it can help make a wonderful meal! For a canned salmon idea, check out my Salmon and Asparagus Pasta Salad recipe. Of course I have what I often refer to as real salmon too. Not that canned salmon isn’t real! I could as easily call it fresh salmon, but it…

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Lime Sugar Cookies

Lime Sugar Cookies

I have to confess something, Dear Reader. These cookies came to life out of a need to use up the limes I had on hand before they lost their freshness. I had purchased a bag of limes from Costco to make Limeade. I also needed limes for my guacamole. But, as you know, everything at Costco is always more than you need! When I am trying to think of a new recipe idea, I will often scroll through the recipes I have already published here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen. When you have so many recipes, it’s easy to think you’re creating something new when in fact you’re not! So the scrolling helps to do two things. First, it eliminates recipe repitition. And, secondly, it triggers many “what if” moments. Like, what if I used brown sugar instead of white and added dark cocoa powder and molasses? It’s those moments that I have the most fun with recipe development. That was exactly the case with these. I had a pre-existing cookie recipe that was unlike any other cookie recipe on my blog. I remembered loving the interior texture of the cookie and decided to recreate it with a burst of citrus flavour.…

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HOW TO START A VEGETABLE GARDEN FROM SCRATCH

HOW TO START A VEGETABLE GARDEN FROM SCRATCH

Become self-sufficient and feed your family healthy produce by learning how to start a vegetable garden from scratch. With the world, the way it is now, millions of people are starting to think about gardening. Why do you ask? People want to be self-sufficient. They don't want to have to depend on someone else for everything. That's why gardening gives you an amazing opportunity to be able to feed yourself and your family. And, once you know how to start a vegetable garden, there is really no stopping you. The basics of a vegetable garden are pretty easy once you know them, and from there on, the world if your oyster! Plus, growing your own vegetables is possibly one of the most rewarding feelings you will ever get! Have you ever tasted a freshly picked fruit or vegetable? There's nothing quite like it! In this guide, you'll learn how to start a vegetable garden from scratch. We'll take you through all of the basics from where to plant, which vegetables to choose, what type of soil you need, and everything else under the sun! Also, be sure to bookmark  HOW TO START A VEGETABLE GARDEN FROM SCRATCH – A BEGINNER'S…

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Types Of Composter Equipment

Types Of Composter Equipment

Ok, so you’re ready to start composting,  but what types of composter equipment should you use? There are several ways to compost and the one you choose really depends on how much space you have. And whether you want to keep your compost inside or outside the house.  1. Worm composter (Indoor/Outdoor): Worm farms are great because they take up little space and can even be kept inside the house. When the worms eat your kitchen scraps etc, they produce castings (aka worm poop) which is a great fertilizer for your plants. The bin also collects the liquid from the broken down waste. This makes for a wonderful compost tea that can be used as a liquid fertilizer. *Make sure to collect the liquid every so often because if not it will build up and drown the worms. Tip: Worms need to be comfortable, whether in a farm, outdoor compost pile or bin. They don’t like it when it’s too cold, too dry or too wet. They will leave if they are not happy. 2. Compost bin: The compost bin is a system that keeps all the garden/food waste, etc. contained and off the ground. There are many types of bins, but some good ones for small…

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Jumbo No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Jumbo No-Knead Dinner Rolls

Sometimes, you need to break out the flour and the yeast and make these Jumbo No Knead Dinner Rolls. Because sometimes the store-bought type just won’t do! My Love of Bread is Ingrained! I grew up in a home where homemade bread and homemade dinner rolls were constant. We were a family of five and like most Newfoundland families, bread was served daily. In fact, on some days, it would have been served with every meal. Back in those days – no, I’m not that old! – store-bought bread wasn’t readily available. If memory serves me correctly, you were able to buy the plain, white Wonder bread, but that was it. My mom bought that bread sometimes, but it was only used to make sandwiches. White Bread Memories She would buy a loaf every Friday morning when she did her grocery shopping. We lived in a small town, so my siblings and I were able to come home from school for lunch. Every Friday’s lunch was a ham and cheese sandwich with a can of Cott Cola or if we were really lucky, a lime Pop Shoppe Soda! Great memories! Anyway, I digress. The point here is that my mom always…

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Making Compost – Tips And Tricks
Making Compost – Tips And Tricks

Making Compost – Tips And Tricks

Making compost is one of those things that’s an art and a science. But believe me, it’s really not that difficult especially once you’ve decided what type of composter you are going to use. Even if you don’t follow the strict layering and greens to browns ratios (which I don’t), you can still get perfectly good compost. Making Compost: Quicker and Easier Here are some general tips that will help you out: You don’t want a bin with too many or large holes; the compost will dry out at the edges. You don’t want a completely closed bin either (unless you’re using a Bokashi system) or else your compost heap will not be able to breathe. If making compost in your own wood enclosure make sure the wood isn’t chemically treated; especially if using pallets – use the ones with the letters HT (heat-treated) not MB (chemically treated). You don’t want all those chemicals leaching into your compost then into your garden. If using wood to make an enclosure for the pile, line the bottom with bricks not wood. Because the wood on the bottom will eventually rot. It’s better if your pile sits on soil and not a hard surface. This will help it get colonized faster by…

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Dill Pickle Ranch Pasta

Dill Pickle Ranch Pasta

I think there are only two classes of dill pickle people in the world. We have those that love them and then there are those that hate them. There is no middle ground. In our home, dill pickles are treated with the utmost respect. I love them, but both John.e and McKenna LOVE them! If we were asked to name a new Greek God, his name would be something stupid like Pickleonia. I’m not an extremely creative person when it comes to words, so I’ll leave the name-calling to John, since he’s so good at it! I’ll stick to my four C’s – cats, cooking, crocheting, and now cross stitch too! Okay – enough! Back to the Dill Pickle Ranch Pasta. The first time I tried the dill and ranch flavour combination was when I made my Dill Pickle Ranch Chex Mix. That was 4 years ago. Looking at that post now, I realize that I desperately need to update the photos! They’re like bacon and eggs. Or ham and cheese. Chocolate and peanut butter. Toast and jam. Salt and pepper. Tom and Jerry. Ice cream and sprinkles. You get my point! They just work together so well and create an explosion of…

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Toasted Cashew and Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw

Toasted Cashew and Brussels Sprouts Coleslaw

This non-traditional coleslaw consists of uncooked shaved Brussels sprouts that have been tossed with toasted cashews in a homemade tangy and zesty sauce. I know I have said this about some other vegetables too, but I think Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables. That is clearly evident with the number of times Brussels sprouts have been used in recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen! How about you? Do you love them or do you hate them? In our home, I love them, McKenna hates them, and John.e seems to tolerate them. I don’t mind though, because that just means there’s more for me! I wasn’t always a lover of Brussels sprouts. That was because my first introduction to them was very unpleasant. I’m not sure how it happened, but they were from a packet found in the frozen section at the grocery store. I learned really quickly that fresh was the way to go! Let’s break down this recipe and talk a bit about how to prepare it. Just so you know, you can prepare this recipe in advance. Just be sure to prepare the sauce and add it to the salad just before serving. Otherwise, the sprouts lose their…

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How To Grow Potato Grow Bags

How To Grow Potato Grow Bags

Each measures 18"H x 14" diameterMade of non-toxic UV resistant durable polyethylene with strongly stitched seamsHolds approx 15 gallons of soilThe front access window for viewing lets you monitor and watch the growth of the potatoes or carrots or onions.Located at the bottom drainage holes for excess moisture runoff.Handles on each side for moving the bag around if necessary.When the growing season is over, empty the bag, wipe it clean, and fold it flat for use the following year.Choose from a set of 2 or a set of 3 bags.

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How To and Tips for Growing Squash

How To and Tips for Growing Squash

To facilitate irrigation, I wash a bowl in the ground at the time of planting and planting pumpkin seeds around the pot from the outside. once you fill the pot with water, it drains out the holes within the bottom, immediately reaching the roots of the plants. Plant a canopy crop of tare around the hills to discourage weeds and feed the soil. Once the seeds have germinated, we thin each hill to the 2 or three strongest plants. the Pumpkin plants turn dark green when squash Root hits manure. because the plants grow larger, the sunken nursery pots give us the advantage of watering at the root level. We also shovel some compost into the pots later within the season to allow the plant's compost tea as we water. Summer squash could be a thirsty plant; we water within the nursery pots once or twice per week, whether or not there has been raining.

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Breakfast Sausage and Egg Taquitos

Breakfast Sausage and Egg Taquitos

Great for guests or a quiet Saturday morning breakfast with your family. All of the prep can be done ahead of time too! This sausage and egg-filled taquitos are perfectly spicy and cheesy! Okay, lets get one thing out of the way before we begin talking about the glorious deliciousness that is this Breakfast Sausage and Egg Taquito. What the H, E, double hockey sticks is a taquito? Truthfully, the first time I heard of a taquito was on one of my trips to the southern states. They’re not too popular here in Canada – or at least not in my neighbourhood – but, I have seen them pop up on a fast food menu once or twice in the past couple of years. I think I was in Texas the first time I saw them. I was traveling with a few other individuals and one of them ordered tacquitos from one of the fast food stands at the mall food court. (I was very young at the time and nervous about trying new food, so I ordered KFC.) Anyway, she comes back to the table with these crispy rolled tortillas filled with beef, cheese, jalapenos, etc. She dipped them…

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HOW TO PRUNE TOMATO PLANTS FOR MAXIMUM YIELD

HOW TO PRUNE TOMATO PLANTS FOR MAXIMUM YIELD

The big question is though, should you prune your tomato plants, and if so, how should you do it? We'll show you how to prune tomato plants for maximum yield and also why you should prune them so you have a better understanding. Pruning tomato plants is actually an optional technique. Some gardeners swear by it, while others choose not to do it. One very important thing to keep in mind though, is the variety of tomato you're growing – this will determine whether or not you should prune your tomato plants. You should only prune indeterminate varieties. These produce new leaves and flowers constantly throughout the growing season. Determinate varieties, on the other hand, should not be pruned, as you may reduce their yield. Let's take a quick look at what the difference between determinate and indeterminate varieties is. INDETERMINATE TOMATO VARIETIES: DO PRUNE Simply put, indeterminate tomato varieties will continue to produce fruit all throughout the growing season. This means that they will continuously throw off shoots, which need to be pruned for maximum growth and health. Additionally, indeterminate varieties will also need a trellis or some sort of support. DO I HAVE TO PRUNE MY TOMATO PLANT?…

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WHAT IS A POMATO PLANT AND HOW TO GROW IT

WHAT IS A POMATO PLANT AND HOW TO GROW IT

Have you ever heard of the pomato plant? In these uncertain times, people are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to sustain themselves and their families. That's why a pomato plant is a perfect vegetable to plant this season: it's a tomato plant on top and a potato plant on the bottom. The half potato half tomato plant aka pomato is simply a graft of a potato and a tomato plant. Basically, it's a two for one – you get two completely different vegetables in one plant. The great thing about a pomato plant is that it's actually easy to grow, and best of all, helps you save space in your garden. Keep reading to learn how to grow pomato in your garden! HOW TO GROW POMATO PLANTS There are three different ways you can grow pomato plants: from actual pomato seeds, purchasing an already grown pomato plant, or grafting your own potato and tomato plants together. GROW POMATO PLANTS FROM SEED: You can choose to purchase pomato seeds online, but a lot of times they can be out of stock and are particularly hard to find. Simply follow the instructions on the package to grow pomato plants from seed. PURCHASE A GROWN POMATO PLANT: Alternatively,…

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Irish Colcannon Soup

Irish Colcannon Soup

Do you go all out for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations? We don’t do the green beer drinking thing, but we do have an Irish meal, that’s for sure! This year, it’s a toss-up between this soup or my traditional colcannon mash. St. Patrick’s Day is one of those days that everyone seems to enjoy, whether they are Irish or not. North American bars and pubs are well stocked with beer. There’s green food on every menu. And, people wear as much green clothing as they can! I’m just all about the food! So, every year, I try to get a new recipe posted that showcases the color green or can fit into Irish cuisine. Last year, I made my Frosted Two-Bite Brownies. And, the year before that, I made my Glazed Lime Donuts with Toasted Coconut. In 2017, it was the Shamrock Nanaimo Squares – they were so addictive and delicious! This year, it’s going to be this Irish Colcannon Soup. Do you have any traditional St. Patrick’s Day food items that you prepare for your family? Even though I am of Irish decent, our main food item is limited to colcannon. But, that’s because we love it so much! Why is colcannon called colcannon?…

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