The Ranting Cook

No I actually don’t. Bacon is pretty much at the top of my list. If you are a bacon hater go away… seriously, go away now. No one needs friends that hate bacon. If you can put nuts, raisins and even chocolate in butter tarts then why not bacon? It was that random thought and the new bottle of small batch smoked maple bourbon from Knob Creek that magically found it’s way into my shopping bag that led to these bacon and pecan butter tarts. I have to say that the sweet and salty

The name ajvar comes from the Turkish word havyar, which means "salted caviar" Prior to the 20th century, there was a significant local production of caviar on the Danube, with sturgeon swimming from the Black Sea up to Belgrade. This dish became very popular in local restaurants. However, the domestic production of caviar was not steady starting in the 1890s because of labor disputes, and eventually a special pepper salad was offered as a substitute in Belgrade restaurants u

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups oven roasted tomatoes 3 bunches spring leeks cut into 1 1/2 inch spears 2 cups soft goat cheese 16 cloves black garlic can be left out if not available 1/2 cup roughly ripped soft herbs mint, tarragon, dill, fennel, ferns, basil 6 whole eggs 1 cup milk 1 1/2 cups 10% cream To taste fine salt To taste white pepper 2 blind baked tart shells 10 inch in size OVEN DRIED TOMATOES: 12 whole, Heirloom tomatoes choice a mixture of red, yellow, orange Pr

After the success of combining jalapeño poppers with grilled cheese sandwiches (presto the jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwich was born) I was wondering what other delicious delights I could turn into grilled cheese sandwiches. I take all of the flavours of a food that I am already totally into and use them in a grilled cheese sandwich. This is a switch on a classic bar food, buffalo chicken wings, which is one of my favourites flavours for chicken winds and basically any

Don’t throw out that rhubarb! There was no pivotal rhubarb-related moment from the dusty days of my childhood. In fact when my mom used to hand me a handful of fresh picked rhubarb and a bowl of sugar I would cringe inside, act like it was the best day EVER and then hand it to my brother the moment her back was turned. Like seriously mom? Rhubarb? While everyone else was getting McDonalds for a treat I was getting produce. Of course now the trainer and nutritionist in me woul

For Cinco de Mayo I usually make a batch of one of my favourite Mexican dishes, guacamole, but unfortunately I was too busy this year FLEEING FOR MY EFFING LIFE! Thanks to that stupid fire and being evacuated on May 3rd, I missed my yearly moment of Mexican heaven. No worries though, since my return I have made it a mission to drink margaritas and eat guacamole every chance I get At its base guacamole is mashed avocados and from there you can start adding more ingredients lik

I already have a few hot melted cheese dips planned for my next party but I always want to include something a little on the healthier side and guacamole is the perfect party food! My basic guacamole is pretty darn irresistible but I cannot help but tinker with it by adding different things with an example being the blue cheese guacamole that I made not too long ago. THAT sounds way better than the real thing trust me. Blue cheese guac meet garbage can… This time however I w

I really like jalapeno poppers and this dip has all of the elements that make jalapeno poppers so good. From the jalapenos to the cream and cheddar cheeses to the golden, crunchy bread crumb crust, it’s heaven in a bowl and in your mouth. I’m a bit of a California/Mexico addict when it comes to food and tequila so trying to create this dip was a no brainer for me. This jalapeno popper dip was easy to make and the results were definitely delicious! I love jalapenos and added s

I love this recipe because of course it's damn delicious, but also because I can make a big batch of patties up and freeze them in sections. Then I can thaw them out in the morning and toss them on the grill when I get home from the gym. Awesome! Because let’s face it, we’re busy. I mean the kick the door shut while you’re carrying the laundry with your phone to your ear and you trip over the dog and almost die kind of busy. Whether you’re a stay at home mom, a nine to five o

Rules of the Game. Let’s take a walk on the wild side shall we? A lot of people make the squishy face with their nose in the air when I mention wild game as a dinner option. Needless to say I don’t invite those people to my house for BBQ’s or appy parties. Who needs all that negativity when enjoying slow cooked moose ribs or Venison burgers with carmelized onions anyways? Not this gal. Go home and eat your same ole, same ole boring dinners. NO SOUP FOR YOU! When dealing with

We are a family of hunters and fishers. Just look at my Facebook page and you'll see. We eat what we harvest and I am always on the hunt for recipes that can camoflauge the gamey taste or at least minimize it. This is one of my favourite all time moose recipes and it's always gone in a flash. The addition of whiskey appeals to my Irish side of course, but If you don’t drink go order a pizza. Seriously, they’re just not the same without the whiskey. Staggering Moose Meatballs

Rouladen is a German dish typically stuffed with mustard, bacon, onion and pickles. I'm not German but this is one of my favourite "comfort" foods. I've taken the more unhealthy version and cleaned it up a little while still maintaining it's full flavour. I try to sneak vegetables into everything I make as I am just like you and would rather have a steak and baked potato over a salad any day. That being said I also know I have to eat them and I'm no longer a screaming toddler

No Vacation Time Left Taco Salad Makes 4 servings I love vacations. I love tacos. I simply tolerate most salads and eat them mostly because I know I should. Let’s face it, very few of us stare at our salads with the same breathless anticipation as we would for say a perfectly char broiled steak. This salad however is a game changer. The best part of this recipe is that you can make a very large amount of it and freeze it in measured portions. It reheats in a snap and tastes j

Prime rib is and perhaps always will be the king of holiday roasts. There is nothing so primal, so celebratory, so downright majestic as a hunk of well-marbled beef, served medium rare on the bone, with a crackling, well-browned exterior. If you want to get straight into the action, there are only a few things you need to know. Start with bone-in, well-marbled beef. Bones don't add flavor, but they do regulate temperature, increasing the amount of tender, medium-rare beef you