eat: peanut butter & jam muffins

Peanut buttery muffins topped with sweet jam. This classic combo pretty much equals baked goods bliss in my brain. Seriously, this is grab-and-go breakfast at its finest (although I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!).

I made these tasty gems three times last week 'cause I’m kind of crazy like that. My family and friends loved them! And I'm pretty sure you and your family will too. The pb flavour isn’t overpowering at all - for those of you who aren't huge fans of the stuff.

This recipe hails from Rose Reisman's book, Family Favourites, just like the mini lasagna rolls I made here. Rose's cookbook has quickly become my new favourite. Highly recommend!

Here’s what you need to make them…

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large ripe banana (about 1/2 cup)
3 Tbsp smooth natural peanut butter (I used Adam's)
1 large egg
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp raspberry jam or jelly (I used a local raspberry/blackberry jam)

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
• Using a whisk or electric beaters, combine the oil, sugar, banana, peanut butter, egg, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until smooth.
• In another bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt with a wooden spoon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually and stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
• Divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Press gently in the center of each muffin to make an indent and place a small amount of the jam inside. And enjoy!

Hope you're having a great Friday, friends! And if not, I promise these muffins will cheer you right up (:

p.s. Are you a pb lover? Check out this fancy stuff.

eat: banoffee pie

The English love their banoffee pie. It's one of the most popular desserts in the UK and now it's one of mine, too.

As you may have already guessed, banoffee is a combo of bananas + toffee (dulce de leche). These two ingredients pile onto a cookie crust under a blanket of whipped cream. Sometimes it's topped with dark chocolate shavings. Sometimes not. Personally, I think the chocolate is a necessity (:

After making it myself, I really think the Brits are on to something. This luscious pie is delicious and oh-so-easy to make.

Here's what you need to make it...

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or digestive biscuit crumbs)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dulce de leche (dulce de leche is a Latin American caramelized milk confection & is available at many grocery and specialty food stores. You can also use Eagle Brand dulce de leche flavoured condensed milk)
3 ripe bananas (cut into 1 cm slices)
1 1/4 cups of whipping cream
Dark chocolate shavings (I used Bakers dark choco)

• Combine the crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture with a spoon on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with a removable bottom. Bake in a 350 F oven until firm, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
• Spread dulce de leche on cooled tart. Arrange bananas over top. 
• In a large bowl, whip the cream (you can add a spoonful of sugar) until it peaks. Spread over the bananas and top with the grated chocolate.
• Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 12 hours.) Once cut, the edges may be a little crumbly, but that's the charm of banoffee pie. Serve chilled to very happy people.

See, it really is the easiest pie ever! Don't be surprised if I bring this to your next potluck.

Happy Saturday, peeps!

Dajana 

eat: cremini & spinach mini lasagna rolls with butternut squash pasta sauce

Wow! This pic garnered such a great response on instagram (thanks friends!) that I thought I'd post the recipe for everyone to try.

Back story: My friend Angela, a born and bred Calgarian and mom to two sweet little boys, is a fantastic cook, so when she told me her go-to cookbook was Rose Reisman's Family Favorites, I went and bought it straight away. So glad I did because it's chock-full of healthy, delicious and easy-to-make recipes, including chapters on breakfast & brunch, children's favorites, soups & chilis and recipes for the slow cooker. This vegetarian recipe was my first attempt from the book and I can happily say it was a hit!

Here's what you need to make it...

8 lasagna noodles
2 tsp vegetable oil
1½ cups finely chopped onion
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
3 cups chopped mushrooms (why not try cremini mushrooms?)
4 cups fresh baby spinach
3/4 cup light ricotta (I used regular ricotta)

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper
1 & 1/3 cups tomato sauce (I used butternut squash pasta sauce)
3 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for about 8 minutes or until the noodles are just tender, stirring often but carefully. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
• Lightly coat a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray, add the oil and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes or just until the mushrooms are no longer wet. Add the spinach and allow the spinach to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, mustard, salt and pepper.
• Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse on and off until it is uniformly chopped. (Omit this step, if you'd like. There won't be a difference in the flavour.)
• Pour 1 cup of the tomato sauce into a 9×13-inch or 11×7-inch casserole dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture along the length of each sheet. Roll up each noodle and cut in half. Place in baking dish with the ruffled side of lasagna facing up. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce over and sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or just until heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.

Hope y'all enjoy this dish! Next up for me are Rose's peanut butter and jam muffins. Yum (:

Dajana

instagram username: allkindsoflovelyblog

eat: butternut squash soup with thai gremolata

This Thai-inspired soup is SO good. It's comforting, flavourful, velvety in texture and easy to make (slow cooker!). The combo of lime and coconut is subtle and delicious, while the vibrant flavours (we`re talkin' lime, peanuts & cilantro) of the gremolata are the perfect finishing touch. Typically, gremolata is an Italian condiment of lemon zest, garlic and parsley but here it gets a fun, modern Thai twist. Whatever you do, please don't forget the gremolata. The soup won't be the same without it.

Here's what you need to make it...

2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” pieces

2 cups chicken broth

1 14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon fish sauce or soya sauce

½ -1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha) or crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice

Thai Gremolata:

½ cup chopped fresh basil or cilantro

½ cup chopped peanuts

1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel

• In a 3 ½ - or 4-quart slow cooker, stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onions, brown sugar, fish sauce and Sriracha.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-2 ½ hours.
• Meanwhile, assemble the Thai Gremolata. Mix together basil, peanuts and lime peel. Set aside.
• Use an immersion or stand blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. (Or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth.) Note: as with any hot soup, let it cool before processing in a blender or you might spray scalding soup all over you and your kitchen.
• Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata. If desired, serve with lime wedges. 

The hubs is not a big fan of soups (say whaaat?), but even he happily dug into this one. Hope you like it just as much as we did!

Dajana

eat: father's day menu

  

The familja gathered at our place yesterday to celebrate Father's Day. We had such a great time - relaxing, laughing, and eating all kinds of deliciousness.

I tried out three new recipes (Maple Buttermilk Grilled Chicken, Grilled Balsamic Veg & Herbed Monkey Bread) and was ecstatic with the results. It made me happy to see everyone reaching for seconds and even, thirds.  I highly recommend each of these dishes for your next al fresco dining experience.

Here's to a fantastic (and tasty) week ahead!

Dajana

*****

Maple Buttermilk Grilled Chicken

Canadian Living, July 2012

Ingredients:

• 2 cups buttermilk (500 mL)
• 2 green onions, choppedgreen onio
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp pepper(2 mL)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (1 mL)
• 1/4 tsp crushed hot pepper flakes (1 mL)
• 20 small bone-in skin-on chicken pieces, (about 5-3/4 lb/2.5 kg) *I used drumsticks*
• 1/2 tsp salt(2 mL)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup(60 mL)

In large bowl, combine buttermilk, onions, garlic, pepper, cinnamon and hot pepper flakes. Add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning occasionally, until digital rapid-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 165°F (74°C), about 35 minutes.

Grill, brushing with maple syrup, until glossy and coated, about 5 minutes.

*****

Grilled Balsamic Veg
Canadian Living, July 2012

Ingredients:

• 3 large zucchinis, green and/or yellow (1-1/2 lb/675 g)
• 1 large red onionred onions
• 2 sweet peppers, orange and/or yellowsweet peppe
• 4 portobello mushrooms
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (60 mL)

Balsamic Marinade:

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (75 mL)
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
• 2 tsp liquid honey(10 mL)
• 1/4 tsp salt(1 mL)
• 1/4 tsp pepper(1 mL)
• 1/2 cup olive oil (125 mL)

Balsamic Marinade: In bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, honey, salt and pepper; slowly whisk in oil until emulsified.

Cut each zucchini in half crosswise; cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick slices. Place in large dish. Cut onion into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds; add to dish.

Core and seed sweet peppers; cut into large chunks and add to dish.

Remove stems and gills from mushrooms; cut caps into quarters and add to dish.

Pour marinade over vegetables; cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, tossing occasionally.

Place vegetables on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, basting frequently with marinade, until tender, about 12 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with parsley.

*****

Herbed Monkey Bread
House and Home, April 2012

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 2 tsp herbs de Provence
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, minced
• 2 212-g cans of refrigerated country biscuit dough, such as Pillsbury

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or butter a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

Combine melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl.

In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan, herbs de Provence and fresh herbs.

Separate biscuits and cut each in half. Roll each 1/2 biscuit into a ball. Dip each ball in the butter-oil mixture, then roll in the cheese-herb mixture. Place dough balls in pan - it's okay if some overlap.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto serving plate.

Enjoy!

eat: fruit salad with lime-ginger drizzle

I first made this easy peasy recipe from Chatelaine (one of my fav mags) for Mama's Day brunch last Sunday and then, because our mamas liked it so much, I made it again later that same day (we had friends over for a bbq). The second time around, I zhouzhed it up by serving it alongside angel food cake and whipping cream. Scrumptious!

This minty-gingery goodness is a fantastic way to enliven fruit salad. Frankly, I think this syrup would be lovely in a cocktail, too. Let me know if you do end up trying it. I made a double batch yesterday to enjoy throughout this long weekend.

Speaking of which.... Happy Victoria Day weekend to my Canadian peeps! I hope it's a good'er.

Dajana

Ingredients

• 1 lime
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple (I also used Cara Cara oranges)

1. Finely grate 1 tsp peel and squeeze 1 tbsp juice from a lime (Disclosure: I used the peel & juice of an entire lime with no ill consequences). Peel, then thinly slice, a 1 inch piece of ginger. Place ginger, 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup water, lime peel and juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered, without stirring, until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain, then cool at room temperature or in refrigerator.

2.  Prepare 6 cups fresh cut fruit, such as pineapple, raspberries and strawberries. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with a handful of blueberries. Drizzle about 3 tbsp syrup over fruit just before serving.

Make-Ahead Tip:
Refrigerate syrup in a sealed jar for up to 1 week. Prepare fruit up to 1 day ahead and store in the refrigerator in separate resealable plastic bags. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Image via.

eat: burrata cheese

The first time I tried burrata cheese was in a delicious Lobster Heirloom Tomato Salad at Bar Crudo in San Francisco four years ago. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Granted, I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, but that burrata was on another level of deliciousness. It was truly one of the most amazing taste sensations I've ever encountered.

Sadly, I haven’t had burrata since that memorable time in San Fran… until last week, that is! I was flipping through a Sobeys flyer (a local supermarket) and squealed out loud when I saw they were selling burrata cheese. Off to the market, I went!



For those of you not familiar with burrata (pronounced boo-RAH-ta)  – it’s an ultra-creamy fresh mozzarella that originates from southern Italy. It has a silky texture on the outside and is soft, gooey and delicious on the inside (the center contains mozzarella shreds soaked in cream) - when you cut into the burrata, the cream oozes out irresistibly. Burrata comes from the word “burro” which means butter in Italian, referring to the cheese's buttery taste and texture. It’s available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and cheese shops. It’s highly perishable and once cut, it should be eaten immediately (trust me; you won’t have any problems with that task).

Although it has Italian origins, the burrata I purchased came from BelGioioso Cheese in Denmark, Wisconsin and is a serious award winner - placing 2nd in the 2011 World Cheese Awards. Nicely done, Wisconsin!



When it comes to serving burrata, simple is best. Try it at room temperature atop fresh bread (toasted ciabatta is a good choice), sprinkled with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. For a fancier version, serve the burrata with heirloom tomatoes, prosciutto (preferably San Danielle) and fresh basil.  Mouth watering, yet?

If you're lucky enough to come across burrata, please try it! It’s a tad pricey, but it’s an extravagance worth every penny. This is a food experience you're not likely to ever forget. I’m already planning my next burrata shopping exurcusion to my local Italian Centre Shop to try out their version.

Read more about burrata, here, here and here.

Happy Wednesday, friends! Hope you’re having a fantastic week!

Dajana

Pictures via.

eat: it’s phở friday!

Phở is one of my most favourite things to eat. I’ve been a fan of the tasty Vietnamese noodle soup ever since my first spoonful.

It's hearty, bursting with flavour, cures whatever ails you and is extremely affordable. I can't think of a better way to combat a cold winter’s day than with a piping hot bowl of phở.



A typical bowl of phở consists of rice noodles and slim cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket) swimming in a steaming hot, aromatic beef broth. I usually order a small bowl (large = a cauldron) with thinly sliced rare steak (the beef cooks in the broth) and additional items that some people might classify as "exotic," like beef balls and tripe. I love me some tripe.

For freshness and added zest, phở is garnished with fresh bean sprouts, basil, cilantro and lime wedges. 

Sriracha (hot chili) and hoisin sauces are also found at the table, but I prefer to enjoy my phở as is, in all its flavourful glory. My husband, on the other hand, is a lover of spice and invariably adds a few generous squirts of hot chili sauce directly into his bowl to heighten the heat.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.



Want to try this noodle soup bliss for yourself?

Check out one of these slurp-worthy Edmonton restos:

• Tau Bay (phở-only): 10660 98 Street
• Ninh Kieu: 10708 98 Street
• King Noodle: 10613 97 Street

Are you a phở enthusiast? Is there a place you frequent? I’d love to add a few new places to our list.

My next culinary challenge is to try to make phở at home. I’ll let you know how it goes, no matter what happens.

Have a phởbulous weekend, friends! (;

Dajana

p.s. Wondering how to pronounce phở? This post will teach you in mere seconds.

eat: crave cupcakes

My love affair with Crave spans almost eight years. Two sisters opened the Calgary-based bakery in 2004 in the Kensington area and I was lucky enough to be living there at the time. If you have yet to try a Crave cupcake -heed my words - these sweet and colourful concoctions are worth every single calorie. The icing is buttery and delicious, the cake is moist and decadent and the selections are plentiful. What more could a girl with a sweet tooth ask for?





When we moved back to Edmonton a few years ago, I pined for Crave's melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. Trips to Calgary always included a stop at Crave so I could get my fix. I can't begin to fathom how many A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts I've consumed over the years. It's probably a figure best left to the imagination. (:

So, I was beyond delighted (and excited) when Crave opened an Edmonton location earlier this year. Happy dance time! 3 hour drives to Calgary were no longer necessary. My friend Angela, who lives in Calgary, joked that she would never see me again now that Edmonton had its own Crave. Ha!

In addition to offering more than a dozen tasty cupcake flavours (available in regular & mini sizes), the bakery also offers a feature "craving" ever month. Lucky for us, August happens to have two specials, s'more cupcakes and cookies! I tried the cupcake last week and was in ecstasy. Rich chocolate cake infused with chunks of chocolate and topped with homemade ooey-gooey marshmallow, a graham cracker and more chocolate. This is the perfect taste sensation when camping is just not in the cards.

Take a gander at its loveliness.

If you're more of a cookie monster, they have those too (hello ginger creams!) plus cakes and ice cream sandwiches. Their newest sweet treat? Old-fashioned whoopie pies. Please try the raspberry chocolate - rich, raspberry buttercream stuffed inside delicate chocolate cake. Oh. my. goodness.

And guess who else loves Crave? Why my ladyfriend Christine, of course! She and I met up recently for some of those aforementioned sweet treats and an impromptu (and utterly hilarious) photoshoot. Be sure to check out her take on the mini doughnut cupcake at her gorg blog, just bella. The lady is quite the photographer and the owner of the cutest baby bump ever!




Happy Friday, friends!

Hope yours includes sharing cupcakes and sugar-induced shenanigans with a good friend, too.

Dajana (:

heritage festival pics!

I ate my way through 20 countries at last weekend's Heritage Festival. That's some serious eating, even for me! My favourite discovery was the Persian ice cream at the Iranian pavilion - it was a creamy, saffron, pistachio and rosewater flavoured delight. Pure deliciousness! I raved about it to everyone and anyone that would listen to me. That's how dang good it was. Did you get the chance to try it? If not, don't fret - there's always next year.

Try to refrain from licking the computer screen while perusing these food pics. (;

Persian ice cream! Yumminess in a cup.

Wondering about the golf shirt and fancytastic nametag? I'm a proud Heritage Festival volunteer!
Here I have two Laotian dishes in my hands - kao sankaya and papaya salad.

Kao sankaya from the Lao pavilion - sweet rice with coconut milk, topped with mango sauce.



The Cuban pavilion made its return this year! Yay!
Loved their roasted chicken, rice congris and chicharitas de platano.
Might have had a pork sandwich or two, as well. :)

I started each morning with, karjalan piiraaka, the perfect breakfast from the Scandinavian pavilion -
Finnish rice filled rye and flour pastry topped with egg butter.

Classic Crêpes Suzette from France's pavilion.
The sauce was carmelized sugar, butter, orange juice and Grand Marnier liqueur. So so good!



Have you ever eaten freshly made bannock? It's amazing!
My compliments to the cooks at the Aboriginial pavilion!
Right after this picture was taken, I slathered this bad boy in raspberry jam and butter. Mmmm...

The Heritage Festival wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Dutch pavilion for some tasty poffertjes (small pancakes).

People enjoying the sounds of a reggae band performing at the Caribbean pavilion at the north end of Hawrelak Park.

The three tenors...Heritage Festival-style.

A flurry of vibrant colours at the Aboriginal pavilion.

Teepees at the Aboriginal pavilion were located in an ideal spot, near the Hawrelak Park pond.

Dancer from the Aboriginal pavilion. Everyone wanted their picture taken with this pretty lady.

Scott and our niece Raissa with our good friends from Lloydminster -
Jess & Matt, and their boys, Jakob and Benet. Seen here with a really tall dude.



Sumptuous saris on two dancers from the Indian pavilion.

All male dance group entertaining the crowds at the Indian pavilion.

I love watching the elegant Thai dancers. I also love Thai-iced tea! It's a must try.

Behind the scenes at the Guatemalan pavilion. Countless mangos need to be peeled to make Mango Loco
- mango on a stick rolled in lime juice and spices.

Lucy and Scott came to visit me during the Festival.
Dogs aren't allowed on the grounds so I met them at one of the entrances.
Notice my trusty golf cart. This was my beloved chariot for the weekend. I LOVE driving it!

Giant Taiwanese puppets.

Croatian dancers beginning their performance.
The Croatian doughnut, known as lepinje, are a hugely popular menu item.
People will line up for a heck of a long time to bite into one of these doughy sensations.

Chinese lions running loose around the park! ;)

Next year I'm definitely trying the pelmeni.

Red horse at Scandinavian pavilion. Random but fun.



Who is that buxom lady at the Scandinavian pavilion? :)

By day 3, the Borneo pavilion had run out of some of its more popular items. Luckily, I had tried their yummy banana fritter earlier in the weekend. I'm smart like that. :)

Early morning tai chi at the Taiwanese pavilon. What a tranquil way to start the day!

The south end of Hawrelak Park. There's ample space for everyone to find a place to take it all in.

It was a gorgeous weekend filled with sunshine, culture, food & community building (6000+ volunteers)! Mother Nature gave Edmontonians a much deserved reprieve from the rain, the mosquitoes were nary to be seen, and everyone was able to experience multiculturalism at its best. Have I mentioned how proud I am to be a part of this world class event?!

Next year's Festival takes place August 4 to 6. Save the date, friends!

Dajana :)

p.s. Got a couple more minutes? Read Paula Simons' blog post, Why we live here – a Heritage Festival epiphany. It's a real good'er.

heritage festival

Happy long weekend, friends!

I'll be spending all three days at Hawrelak Park with 300,000 of my closest friends, enjoying the sights, sounds and most importantly, the tastes of the 36th annual Heritage Festival. This three-day cultural extravaganza is, hands-down, my most favourite festival in the city.

62 pavilions representing 85 cultures. This festival is what Canada is all about - multiculturalism.

Check out the amazing menu, but be prepared to drool. This is a foodie's dream.

My first stop? Poffertjes at the Dutch pavilion. Poffertjes are tasty little pancakes dusted with icing sugar. After inhaling the lil'cakes, I'll go wherever my nose leads me.

Hope to see you there!

Dajana 

p.s. Please don't forget your non-perishable food donation for Edmonton's food bank! This weekend is their single largest annual food drive. Let's help them reach their goal.

eat: smoked salmon spread

My friend Patrycia has introduced me to three things I can’t live without: Clinique’s Lash Doubling Mascara, baked grapefruit with brown sugar and this delish smoked salmon spread.

If you like smoked salmon, you’re going to fall in complete culinary lust with this tasty vittle. It’s easy to make and a great dish to bring to a friend’s BBQ or baby shower.

I like eating it slathered on a piece of crusty French bread, standing in my kitchen. But you may want to share it. And sit down. (;




Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 3 green onions + additional for garnish, chopped
• 1 (4 1/2-ounce) package smoked BBQ salmon tips, skin removed & chopped
  (Safeway tends to carry it on a regular basis)
• Juice of a whole lemon
• A dash or two of Worcestershire sauce

Directions
In a bowl, blend cream cheese, mayonnaise and Worcestershire sauce until completely smooth. Add chopped onions and then gently stir in smoked salmon until well blended. Once the salmon is incorporated, squeeze the juice of a whole fresh lemon into the spread and mix.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is completely chilled. When ready, sprinkle with chopped green onions and serve with crackers, baguette slices, endive spears or cucumber slices.  

(Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days)

***

Happy weekending peeps! And a happy Victoria Day long weekend to my Canadian friends!

Over the next few days, I'm going to do my best to make a dent in my Adirondack chair project, plant some dahlias and visit Anthro. I love long weekends!

Dajana