One of the things I most look forward to in summer would have to be the making of pies with fresh summer fruit and berries! Today, I am sharing my recipe for a pie made with homemade cherry pie filling. A traditional double-crusted pie, this Cherry Pie calls for the large sweet cherries. Continue reading Classic Homemade Cherry Pie Recipe→
Living in Prince Edward Island on Canada’s east coast offers access to an abundance of fine seafood, not the least of which is lobster. The lobster fishery is a large economic driver for the province.
Getting set for Setting Day at North Lake Harbour, PEI
Having access to high quality locally-fished lobster is a real perk for a recipe developer like me! I have created and published a number of recipes that use lobster as the primary ingredient. This posting is a compilation of those fabulous lobster recipes. Continue reading Fabulous Lobster Recipes→
Those of us who love rhubarb eagerly await its appearance in springtime as it is, at least in my zone, the first produce to be harvested from the garden. Today, I am sharing my recipe for Rhubarb Crisp. While this is a lovely springtime treat when the fresh rhubarb is available, it can also be made any time throughout the year using frozen rhubarb. Continue reading Rhubarb Crisp Recipe→
One of the best ways I find to stretch the food budget is to work with leftover meat, especially from a roasted turkey or chicken. Taking that leftover meat and incorporating it into soups, chowders, sandwich fillings, casseroles, etc. means more servings can be gotten from it than would simply plating the cold meat. This is a great way to extend an expensive ingredient (meat) and stretch the food budget. Bonus if extending the meat yields a dish that can be frozen for later enjoyment as this is a great convenience to know there is a meal, or meals, ready in the freezer for cooking or reheating. This post is all about Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Chicken and Turkey. Continue reading Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Chicken and Turkey→
I am a huge fan of taking leftover meat and turning it into other dishes that will yield more servings than would simply plating the cold meat. This is a great way to extend an expensive ingredient (meat) and stretch the food budget. Bonus if extending the meat yields a dish that can be frozen for later enjoyment as this is a great convenience to know there is a meal, or meals, ready in the freezer for cooking or reheating. This post is all about Ways to Use Leftover Ham. Continue reading Ways to Use Leftover Ham→
When you want a sublime, velvety smooth, rich chocolate dessert, Chocolate Pots de Crème are always a great option. Made with only seven ingredients, these Pots de Crème will be adored by any chocolate lover. Continue reading Chocolate Pots de Crème Recipe→
I am a huge fan of one skillet stovetop dinners and, today, I am sharing my recipe for Chicken Francese with you. This restaurant quality dish is basically pan-fried battered chicken breast cutlets served in a lemony white wine sauce. This savory dish is easy enough to make for a weeknight meal, but is certainly (at least in my opinion) suitable for company fare, too. Continue reading Chicken Francese Recipe→
A tummy-warming chowder is always welcome on the table, especially on cool fall and cold winter days. I am a big fan of devising ways to use leftover meat to extend its use and number of servings possible. Today, I am sharing my recipe for Ham and Potato Chowder that makes great use of leftover cooked ham. Continue reading Creamy Ham and Potato Chowder→
These delightful confections are known by many names including Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Swedish Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, Butterballs, Polvorones, and many more. Their origin is unclear but, as the many names suggest, they are enjoyed around the world, no matter what they are called. I call them Snowball Cookie Balls because the dusting of icing sugar gives them the appearance of snowballs, making them particularly popular at Christmas. Continue reading Snowball Cookie Balls Recipe→
While I like Squash and Pumpkin Pies, I have to say that this Sweet Potato, Eggnog, and Bourbon Pie tops my list in this category of pies! Flavored with eggnog, bourbon, and warm spices, this pie is luxuriously silky smooth. Add a dollop of whipped cream when serving, if desired. Continue reading Sweet Potato, Eggnog, and Bourbon Pie→
Bruschetta is simply an appetizer that consists of a tomato-basil topping served on crostini toasts. It is best made with the freshest tomatoes possible (i.e., from the garden) but can certainly be made year-round with good quality supermarket tomatoes. Continue reading Classic Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction→
Modelled after, and made with the same method as, a traditional Date Square, this wholesome Orange-Scented Blueberry Oat Square features a delectable blueberry filling sandwiched between a sweet and buttery orange-scented oatmeal crumb base and topping. Continue reading Orange-scented Blueberry Oat Square→
As I write this post on August 7, 2022, the forthcoming week of August 8-14th marks National Afternoon Tea Week in the UK. This is a week set aside to celebrate the wonderful leisurely genteel activity of afternoon tea. As those of you who are regular followers of my food blog know, afternoon tea is a passion of mine and I never pass up an opportunity to indulge in the menu of savory bites, toothsome scones with jam and clotted or English double cream, and an array of tantalizing desserts. Continue reading National Afternoon Tea Week→
Living in PEI, we have access to fresh locally-fished lobster during the Island’s two lobster fishing seasons, commonly known as the spring and fall fisheries.
Lobster Fishing Boats Loaded with Traps for Setting Day, North Rustico, PEI
The first season begins in late April/early May and goes until the end of June. The second season runs from August to October.
Lobster Fishing Boat Loaded with Traps, French River, PEI
After a few good “feeds” of lobster straight from the shell, I am ready to incorporate lobster as an ingredient in other dishes such as in this tasty Lobster Macaroni and Cheese. This is not your usual weeknight Mac ‘n Cheese dish. Rather, I refer to it as a more extravagant grown-up version of an old family classic. Continue reading Lobster Macaroni and Cheese Recipe→
Today, we enjoyed a Celebratory Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea. It’s not many people who can say they worked in the same job for 70 years and probably even fewer can boast of still being on the job every day with plans to continue! As I write this post, it is June 2, 2022, the actual 70th anniversary of the formal coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (now aged 96) which took place on June 2, 1953. Continue reading Celebratory Platinum Jubilee Afternoon Tea→
Here is my suggested meal plan for the upcoming week which is Week 7 in our meal planning series. If you want to check out previous weeks’ meal plans, hotlinks to them are included at the end of this posting. Continue reading MEAL PLANNING – WEEK 7→
Today marks a milestone for me as it was 10 years ago on this date that I created My Island Bistro Kitchen’s website.
Over the past 10 years, I have developed and published countless recipes, conducted interviews and written numerous stories about PEI food and beverage producers, attended and written about many Island food events, contributed to media articles, participated as a panelist on radio call-in shows, wrote reviews of select cookbooks, provided several recipe tutorials, created a series of weekly meal plans, set many tables with all kinds of pretty tablesettings, shared my gardening adventures, taken followers around the scenic Island on my many summer picnics and, yes, you’ve been invited to several teatimes, too! Whew! What a whirlwind it has been!
Sugared Cranberry and Rosemary Cake Decorations
The food blog and website were created when I was looking for a focus that would allow me to pursue three of my passions – culinary, photography, and writing. Blogging had just really come into its own around the time that I created the website and so off I went on the recipe development, food photography, and food writing journey.
I aim to keep the recipes I develop and share real and do-able for the home cook and not too far “off the beaten track”. I am aware of the different levels of culinary skills and food budgets that followers may have. As such, I try to provide thorough instructions with my recipes and, with some exceptions but to the extent possible, to use equipment that is most likely to be common in the vast majority of kitchens so followers who choose to make the recipes can do so in their own kitchens. Where possible, I continue to try to feature and use locally produced food ingredients from here in Prince Edward Island.
So, on this, my 10th Blogiversary, I am grateful for those faithful followers of My Island Bistro Kitchen who have been with me from the start. I am also thankful for, and welcome, those who have joined (and continue to join) along the way. If you are new to “the Bistro”, a hearty warm welcome to you! I hope all will continue to follow “the Bistro” and invite their family and friends to follow along, too, as I have plans for more great recipes in the works.
Blogiversary Celebration Cake
Every anniversary merits some kind of celebratory cake so, it’s a simple white cake filled with cranberry curd today and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary just picked from my garden.
10th Blogiversary Celebration Cake
I have opted to pair some of my fuchsia, or cranberry-colored, teacups with this cake for today’s celebratory teatime. Tea was poured from the stunning bell-shaped carousel or marquee Sadler teapot in shades of ivory, gold, and burgundy. Isn’t it a stunner!
Sadler Bell-shaped Carousel or Marquee Teapot and a Paragon Teacup
Barbara
Connect with My Island Bistro Kitchen on Social Media
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo at the end of this posting to your favorite Pinterest boards!
To view previous Blogiversary celebrations of My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:
As the old saying goes, there’s more than one way to eat your vegetables and these cookies prove it! This cookie recipe combines ordinary zucchini with chocolate chips that results in yummy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies. Continue reading Zucchini Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies→
These Custard Sandwich Cookies bear some resemblance to those that many know as Melting Moments, my recipe for which can be found here. The primary difference between these Custard Sandwich Cookies and Melting Moments is that the latter contains cornstarch giving the cookies what is commonly known as a “short”, ever-so-slightly crisp, texture while the Custard Sandwich Cookies contain vanilla custard powder that gives them a wonderful soft, creamy, and slightly crumbly texture as well as additional flavor and a more yellowish color. Continue reading Custard Sandwich Cookies Recipe→
(Mostly) PEI and Maritime Food – Good Food for a Good Life!