It's amazing how one simple question can ignite a lengthy conversation. This is exactly what happened to me earlier this week. While volunteering at the local food bank, something I do on a regular basis, a fellow volunteer whom I'd never met before started making small talk with me. For two hours we pack hampers... Continue Reading →
Christmas Baking: Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
So I couldn't let Christmas pass by without posting at least one Christmas baking recipe. Every year I enjoy making some of my family's favourite holiday baking, but it's also nice to try a new recipe. Via Pinterest I came across the following recipe for Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies on the Barbara Bakes blog. This... Continue Reading →
Agriculture: We’re In It For Life
This weekend I had the privilege of attending the 2012 Agriculture for Life Harvest Gala. I wanted to share a bit about the Ag for Life initiative and this annual event because it's a cause that is near and dear to me. The Ag for Life quest is to "deliver educational programming that serves to... Continue Reading →
A Piece of Cake
Last week I found some sour cream in my fridge that needed to be used (don't worry, it was still edible!) so I hunted down a tasty recipe. I found this recipe for Sour Cream Coffee Cake in a cookbook my mom gave me for my birthday 12 years ago - the Purves Country Kitchen... Continue Reading →
9 billion by 2050
These numbers have been drilled into my head. They've been mentioned at every agriculture conference I have attended for the past few years. If you work in the ag industry you'll probably know what I'm referring to when I say these numbers. If not, I'll fill you in. The global population is expected to reach... Continue Reading →
Beets and Carrots: A Tasty Pink Combination
Nothing beats fresh veggies from the garden. And this summer I found myself missing the delicious produce from my mom's garden. So I was very excited and thankful when a friend shared her family's garden produce with me. She gave me a huge bag full of potatoes, carrots, beets and beans. I was looking for... Continue Reading →
S’mores minus the campfire
It's summertime which means camping, campfires and s'mores! But if a campfire is not in your summer plans, you can create your own s'mores at home. Here's a tasty s'mores cookie recipe. These cookies are soft and chewy and include your favourite s'mores ingredients - chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows! Give this recipe a try... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week
After high school I spent a year doing voluntary service in South Bend, Indiana. And while I entered the year with apprehension, it turned out to be one of the best years of my life. During that time I volunteered at three part-time jobs doing mainly administrative work for various not-for-profit agencies. I lived in... Continue Reading →
The Good Kind of Muffin Tops
More than a month ago I bought a muffin top pan from a quaint little store in Cochrane, Alberta, which is close to Calgary, and I finally got around to using it recently. I found a banana chocolate chip muffin recipe on the Internet specifically for muffin top pans. Here's the recipe on Diana's Desserts... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday: Modern Day Cookbook Stand
My mom has a nice built-in cookbook stand in her kitchen. It's the perfect place for keeping your cookbooks while you're cooking or baking. A lot of the recipes I use are found on the Internet so unless I print them out I need to make room for my laptop in the kitchen. So here's... Continue Reading →
Rural Route Ramblings 