Sylvia Rose

Fiery Chipotle Chili (a slow cooker recipe)

January 3, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 8 Comments

This fiery chipotle chili hits the spot on the coldest of days. Learn how to prep it, set it, and forget it with this easy slow cooker recipe.

EVERY POT OF CHILI HAS A STORY

My cooking journey began the day I started university.

Prior to that, the extent of my cooking prowess was preparing a pot of Kraft Dinner for my brothers and heating soup.

Left to my own devices and being too frugal for the school cafeteria, I began navigating my way around the kitchen.

One dish I learned how to make was stovetop chilli. I would brown my meat, toss all of the ingredients into a pot, bring it to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.

I would finish it by dousing it with Tabasco sauce because I didn’t know about chipotles in adobo sauce.

The onions were crunchy, but I was proud of myself. Then one day, to my great insult, someone suggested that I sauté my onions.

How dare they!

They were right, of course, and thankfully I took it to heart.

Then several years ago I was gifted a Crock-Pot for Christmas and that changed everything.

Over the years, my spices and core ingredients have stayed consistent with minor tweaks here and there, but slow cooking and the discovery of chipotles in adobo sauce dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s.

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15 Ways to Keep Warm and Cozy this Winter

December 31, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

When the Christmas lights get taken down and winter becomes long, bleak, and seemingly endless, it’s time to take action. Here are 15 ways to keep warm and cozy to survive the winter with a cheery heart.

fireplace — `Photo by Jayden Wong on Unsplash`

GETTING HYGGE

In 2017, Meik Wiking published The Little Book of Hygge, which introduced the Danish concept of coziness and convivial cheer to the Western world.

Pronounced “hoo-gah”, hygge quickly exploded and became a means for marketers to sell candles and plush blankets.

I can understand why.

Living in Canada, I’m not a stranger to long cold winters. The sun rises at 07:00 and sets by four in the afternoon, so for those folks who work 9-5, winter can be an unhappy time.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s very real and affects millions of people. We need as many ways to keep warm and cozy as we can get!

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Four Easy Elixirs to Keep You Warm This Winter

December 27, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 4 Comments

Whether you need a way to keep warm or something to relieve an aching throat or sinuses, these easy elixirs are bound to make you feel better. Learn how to make these hot drinks so that you can make them when you need them the most!

In Canada, winter brings so many wonderful things that I look forward to every year. Unless I’m going somewhere, I love being hit by huge snowstorms and digging my way out. Ice skating and skiing hold a special place in my heart, as do long winter walks. I usually focus on the things I like, which makes an otherwise harsh season more bearable, but there are two things I am constantly battling with: keeping warm and staying healthy. These easy elixirs check both boxes, and if you are feeling under the weather, they will help to soothe and perk you up. The best part is that you probably have all of the ingredients you will need!

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A Simple Christmas Tale of Rustic Longings

December 24, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

This is a personal reflection on what Christmas was like growing up and how all I ever wanted was a simple Christmas. In a consumer-driven world, getting back to basics is more important than ever…

snowy evergreen trees — `Photo by Jeremy Gallman`

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

First off, it’s December 24th. Usually, I’m in my kitchen, but today I’m in the country, celebrating Christmas in a rustic family cottage. This is the first time in years that the cottage has been opened for Christmas. It’s cold and we’re all bundled up in sweaters and slippers, huddling around a blazing fire. It’ll get colder when we go outside to go to church together, but it always feels warmer coming in from the cold. There’s good food, fine wine, and family all around. This is what it’s all about.

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Eggnog French Toast with Bourbon Maple Syrup (in a cast-iron skillet)

December 20, 2019 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

This eggnog French toast recipe is drizzled with boozy bourbon maple syrup. When the Christmas holidays roll around, breakfast calls for an extra sparkle and this one will put you in a right jolly mood!

The word for french toast in French is “pain perdu” which, translated, means lost bread.

This classic breakfast used to be a means to use up stale bread.

Waste not, want not and such. It’s one of my frugal kitchen rules, not letting stale bread go to waste.

Nevertheless, a truly exceptional french toast recipe begins with the bread.

Unless you have bread that’s past its prime, I recommend a loaf that’s either homemade or from your local bakery.

My favourite picks are a fruit and nut bread, cinnamon raisin, brioche, or a good loaf of sourdough.

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Raclette Dinner Party Ideas (and how to make sure it’s successful)

December 17, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

Need raclette party ideas? A raclette dinner is a wonderful way to gather around your favourite people for a fun and delicious communal meal. Learn how to throw one of your own for an evening to remember!

WHAT IS A RACLETTE DINNER PARTY?

What does it mean to host or be invited to a raclette dinner party?

It means you can expect to be seated around a table with other friendly faces, much like you would with fondue.

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Instead of a burner and a pot, there’s a raclette grill and everyone has a little tray that they fill with the available fixings.

Underneath the raclette machine’s griddle, there’s a broiler that everyone fits their trays under for the cheese to melt.

Yes. There’s cheese.

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