Life
Life is like a box of chocolates,
you never know what you’re going to get.
– Forrest Gump

Being Real and Adding a Recipe Index Page
If you have been one of those friends who has followed me since I started this, you know that I started this website for a

2026: A New Food Year
It’s early in the New Year of 2026 and as I look in the review mirror at 2025, I took a peek at my post

New Years: 365 New Chances for Happiness
It’s here, again: New Years Eve is upon us. 2025 flew by in the blink of an eye. And tomorrow we transition into bigger and

Conquering the Fear of Baking Bread, One Loaf at a Time
I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve become obsessed with bread. And not the kind you buy pre-sliced at the store—the kind that makes your

Dames who Dine: The Gift of Friendship Later in Life
We have this dinner club. Well it’s not really a dinner club but that sounded cool. We have this friend and coworker (retired) who turned

Savouring the Journey: On Trying, Writing, and Everything Delicious In Between
I have been doing this for a minute or two now, and today, I find my self reflecting some. This will probably never be perfect,

To the Loss of Fear and Loathing of Baking Bread
Today I took a “quiet day” as someone referred to it for me. I woke up exhausted and quite frankly not feeling like I could

Greetings: Long Time No Post and On Failing, Life et al
I told you at the beginning of 2025 that I believed setting resolutions was pretty much setting myself up for failure. And hear we are

On the First Month of New Years, My True Love Gave to Me …
A 12-month plan of dining experiences! Now I am not going to lie, I don’t know if my husband is going to buy into this,

New Me, New You, New Year!
As we enter into a new year it is often a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the new. In

How Its Okay to Not Be Okay
There was an atmospheric river recently so I sat down with a coffee, and worked on some posts while making a pot of soup! One

The 007 / James Bond and Grouse Mountain Experiences
At Christmas my daughter gifted me two experiences to enjoy whilst visiting my hubby in North Van: James Bond and Casino Royale in Concert at

Happy Birthday Canada – Joyeux jour du Canada
Happy 157th Birthday Canada. Do you feel old? I feel old, and if you take off that hundred from your age this year, you have

Hey Mom I Made It
Fridays at work are the days that are super quiet for me and I usually end up plugging in my ear phones to listen to

A Day Just for Dad: Happy Father’s Day
It’s the third Sunday in June which signifies Father’s Day! In North America, Father’s Day has been celebrated since June 19th, 1910. Sounds like it

Life is Like a Circus Merry Go Round Spinning
It’s crazy how time gets away us. Life gets so fast on us and before you know it another Christmas has come and gone. Another new year

With Thanks and Gratitude: Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of fall and is often considered the fall harvest. It’s a time where we step back and reflect on all that

Good friends are like a good bottle of wine, they both make life better!
We are week one into our wine tour. We have rented a Class C RV again and we packed up and hit the road on

Our New Life, As We Know It Now
Hi friends. After a lengthy absence I’m back ! What has been happening in my world. Lots has transpired since my last post. I

A Post About Nothing, Kinda
Its been a minute or two since I posted last. Life has just gotten in the way – in a good way. My mum visited

Weekend in Vancouver
My mum was visiting from Ontario recently (hence no posts). She only really asked to do one thing when she was here: to see a

In Remembrance
I am a proud military wife. And today, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms and privileges we continue to enjoy

Those Who Made a Difference
Fall is here and I REALLY miss my husband. The good thing is there is only one month left until he returns from this deployment.

Pass the Salt, and the Tequila, Please
So my first memory of tequila is admittedly not so pleasant. I will confess that it was at a high school party at a friends

The Bucket List
What exactly is a bucket list? I am sure many of you may have seen the 2007 film The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

My First Memories in the Kitchen
I don’t know if I was born to cook, but I definitely grew to love to cook. I think that comes from being a granddaughter

East vs. West
I grew up just outside a mid sized city in Southwestern Ontario. The Forest City. “Central Canada”. The summers were so very hot and humid

A New Adventure!
I’m starting a blog! I hope you will follow me. This is something way out of my comfort zone. It is a way to combine
Check out my other posts!
Recipe Index
Soups: Cauliflower Potato Cheddar Soup French Onion Soup Salads: Macaroni Salad Taco Salad Appetizers: Devilled Eggs Nacho Dip Mains: Chicken Enchilladas Shrimp Tacos Sausage and
Tips And Tricks Archive
Tips N Tricks – archives Check out these tips, tricks and life hacks to make life in the kitchen easier! Check out my other posts!

Life
Life Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. – Forrest Gump Check out my other posts! Food
Travel
Travel To travel is a gift. Whether across the country you live in or in another continent far away. Is it the sound of the
Drinks
Drinks Nothing pairs better with food than a cold beer or a fine wine. Check out my posts and recipes all things drinks! When life

Umami and an Easy Sweet-Savoury Pork Tenderloin Recipe Just for You
Have you ever run out of recipe ideas? Winter rolls around and it’s the same old recipes: the chilli, the meatloaf, the soups, the mac

Being Real and Adding a Recipe Index Page
If you have been one of those friends who has followed me since I started this, you know that I started this website for a

2026: A New Food Year
It’s early in the New Year of 2026 and as I look in the review mirror at 2025, I took a peek at my post

Sweet Honey Chicken: My New Crush in Recipe Form
Some recipes are just comfort food staples… and some make your taste buds do a happy dance. I have some pretty solid chicken recipes that

I Put Vodka in My Sauce and Now I Think I’m a Chef
I am always on the hunt for something new to try—especially when it comes to chicken or pasta, both of which are staples on our weekly

New Years: 365 New Chances for Happiness
It’s here, again: New Years Eve is upon us. 2025 flew by in the blink of an eye. And tomorrow we transition into bigger and

Keeping the Holiday Magic Alive with Overnight Waffles
The holidays are here so I am sharing my best waffle recipe. It’s an overnight recipe that is now the staple of our Christmas morning

Conquering the Fear of Baking Bread, One Loaf at a Time
I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve become obsessed with bread. And not the kind you buy pre-sliced at the store—the kind that makes your

Fall Cooking: as cozy as your favorite warm sweater!
Today is the start of a rainy weekend here on the wet coast. Then again, despite the World Series starting this week (go Jays go!!),

Dames who Dine: The Gift of Friendship Later in Life
We have this dinner club. Well it’s not really a dinner club but that sounded cool. We have this friend and coworker (retired) who turned

An Easy Nacho Dip that Dips into the Memories
I haven’t made this dip in years. In fact, I almost forgot all about it until recently. And it’s so quick and easy to make.

Savouring the Journey: On Trying, Writing, and Everything Delicious In Between
I have been doing this for a minute or two now, and today, I find my self reflecting some. This will probably never be perfect,

Mangos and Rice: Caught in a Sticky Situation
It’s been some time since I made this recipe. So when I asked a co-worker recently what her food fancy by ethnicity was, Thai was

Come on Down: It’s “Is the Spice Right”?
This post feels like it has been 6 months in the making. One of my all time favourite tv game shows is The Price

Was My Flank a Fluke? Slice it Right!
I have had a resistance to the flank or skirt steak for many years now. I think I gave the flank steak a go many

To the Loss of Fear and Loathing of Baking Bread
Today I took a “quiet day” as someone referred to it for me. I woke up exhausted and quite frankly not feeling like I could

A Long Time Ago and Right Before My Berry Eyes
One of my favourite fruit is the berry, although I can’t decide between the red raspberry or the blackberry or whether I like them equally.

Greetings: Long Time No Post and On Failing, Life et al
I told you at the beginning of 2025 that I believed setting resolutions was pretty much setting myself up for failure. And hear we are

Cinco de Mayo and the Best Ever Chicken Enchilada Recipe
One of my newer passions, beyond tequila and pasta, is Mexican food. It is starting to nudge right up there I think with Italian these

What Did One Shrimp Say to the Other: Taco Time!
I don’t really know when I became so obsessed with Mexican cuisine. Italian and good old European home cooking has always been what I have

On the First Month of New Years, My True Love Gave to Me …
A 12-month plan of dining experiences! Now I am not going to lie, I don’t know if my husband is going to buy into this,

The Light and Airy Life of the Krullen
In my younger days I would have told you that I wasn’t much of a sweets girl. Unfortunately, as I age, I have developed a

New Me, New You, New Year!
As we enter into a new year it is often a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the new. In

Shaken, Not Stirred: Expresso Martinis for All
There is a famous line in many James Bond movies where Agent 007 asks for his martini to be “shaken, not stirred”. While I have

How Its Okay to Not Be Okay
There was an atmospheric river recently so I sat down with a coffee, and worked on some posts while making a pot of soup! One

California: blue sky, the ocean, and feet in the sand
So the struggle has certainly been real with keeping up the website. Work has been busy – I finished my year long assignment in September

By Request: A simple summer salad
Growing up, and let’s be real, even as an adult, macaroni is a go to for me. Buttered macaroni as a side or with Cheez

The 007 / James Bond and Grouse Mountain Experiences
At Christmas my daughter gifted me two experiences to enjoy whilst visiting my hubby in North Van: James Bond and Casino Royale in Concert at

A Shot of Tequilla, a Margarita or a Taco Salad
The older I get the more I enjoy all thinks Mexican. I also have very fond memories of travelling to Puerto Vallarta before Will and

Happy Birthday Canada – Joyeux jour du Canada
Happy 157th Birthday Canada. Do you feel old? I feel old, and if you take off that hundred from your age this year, you have

A Should of Married into the Mob … for the love of pasta and all things Italian
I have been happily married for over 30 years and believe that we have enjoyed each other’s companionship for I want to say almost 36

Hey Mom I Made It
Fridays at work are the days that are super quiet for me and I usually end up plugging in my ear phones to listen to

A Day Just for Dad: Happy Father’s Day
It’s the third Sunday in June which signifies Father’s Day! In North America, Father’s Day has been celebrated since June 19th, 1910. Sounds like it

Perfect Pasta: Pairing A Pasta With A Sauce
I have shared with you that my husband is currently posted in Vancouver on an imposed restriction status. We requested this status so not to

Cruising through life one cocktail at a time
Many years back, we purchased our house here on the West Shore of Victoria. We moved out of private military quarters (PMQs) into a beautiful

Let Go of My Eggo: Waffle Mania
Most of you are probably too young to remember Eggo Waffles, even though they are still around today. In my house, they were a treat

The Devil made the Easter Bunny do it — Happy Easter!
Spring is officially here and that means longer days, more sunshine, warmer weather, and all things associated with spring including Easter which comes extra early

What’s In a Word – 27 Culinary Terms to Know
I thought I would do something different with this post. Here is a list of culinary terms from A to Z that you may or

Our First Stop in the Shipyards Beer Crawl
We are making the most of our time in North Van. The weather is warming and I want to believe that winter is in our

Life is Like a Circus Merry Go Round Spinning
It’s crazy how time gets away us. Life gets so fast on us and before you know it another Christmas has come and gone. Another new year

November’s Tips N Tricks
Boiling the perfect (hard boiled) egg. -if your eggs are coming straight from the fridge, place them in cold water -if you see any air

With Thanks and Gratitude: Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of fall and is often considered the fall harvest. It’s a time where we step back and reflect on all that

Good friends are like a good bottle of wine, they both make life better!
We are week one into our wine tour. We have rented a Class C RV again and we packed up and hit the road on

EVERYTHING is Better with Bacon
I have this co worker who when we first met was a vegetarian. She went off and had babies and was on extended family leave.

Maria, Maria: from Westside Story to Sangria
Fall is upon us, but it’s still gorgeous here on the West Coast. The days are still pleasant, with the evenings cooler and quite comfortable.

Our New Life, As We Know It Now
Hi friends. After a lengthy absence I’m back ! What has been happening in my world. Lots has transpired since my last post. I

Gratinée Parisienne
I have already made a post about soup, but it’s winter, and soup makes everything better so here I am. If I were to be

What Happens In Vegas
So during our California holiday getaway, we did a “pause” and headed for Vegas. And you know what they say about Vegas… what happens in

From Napa to Monterey
We departed San Francisco on New Years day and picked up our rental vehicle for the balance of our holiday. This trip was not one

Victoria to Seattle to San Francisco
Well the holidays have come and gone, and we were scheduled to leave the island on the 27th of December via ferry for our holiday

A Post About Nothing, Kinda
Its been a minute or two since I posted last. Life has just gotten in the way – in a good way. My mum visited

Weekend in Vancouver
My mum was visiting from Ontario recently (hence no posts). She only really asked to do one thing when she was here: to see a

May I Have Some Wine with that Cheese
There are a few staples in my life. And cheese is for sure one of them. It’s my kryptonite. I like pretty much all kinds

In Remembrance
I am a proud military wife. And today, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms and privileges we continue to enjoy

No Soup for You
Well fall has finally arrived in Victoria. After an extended summer with very little rain, the cool, damp wet weather has arrived. I recently had

Those Who Made a Difference
Fall is here and I REALLY miss my husband. The good thing is there is only one month left until he returns from this deployment.

Pass the Salt, and the Tequila, Please
So my first memory of tequila is admittedly not so pleasant. I will confess that it was at a high school party at a friends

Eggcited to Share
I still haven’t figured out what came first, the chicken or the egg! I LOVE eggs. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…. brunch. Any time, any where, just

The Bucket List
What exactly is a bucket list? I am sure many of you may have seen the 2007 film The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

BBQ Burgers and Buns
There are a few significant things in my life I am extremely proud of. The first of which is that I am blessed with three

Summer Sweet Treats
I know I said earlier that I am not much of a baker. Its been hot in Victoria this summer, and I had a craving

My First Memories in the Kitchen
I don’t know if I was born to cook, but I definitely grew to love to cook. I think that comes from being a granddaughter

East vs. West
I grew up just outside a mid sized city in Southwestern Ontario. The Forest City. “Central Canada”. The summers were so very hot and humid

A New Adventure!
I’m starting a blog! I hope you will follow me. This is something way out of my comfort zone. It is a way to combine

Umami and an Easy Sweet-Savoury Pork Tenderloin Recipe Just for You
Have you ever run out of recipe ideas? Winter rolls around and it’s the same old recipes: the chilli, the meatloaf, the soups, the mac

Being Real and Adding a Recipe Index Page
If you have been one of those friends who has followed me since I started this, you know that I started this website for a

2026: A New Food Year
It’s early in the New Year of 2026 and as I look in the review mirror at 2025, I took a peek at my post

Sweet Honey Chicken: My New Crush in Recipe Form
Some recipes are just comfort food staples… and some make your taste buds do a happy dance. I have some pretty solid chicken recipes that

I Put Vodka in My Sauce and Now I Think I’m a Chef
I am always on the hunt for something new to try—especially when it comes to chicken or pasta, both of which are staples on our weekly

New Years: 365 New Chances for Happiness
It’s here, again: New Years Eve is upon us. 2025 flew by in the blink of an eye. And tomorrow we transition into bigger and

Keeping the Holiday Magic Alive with Overnight Waffles
The holidays are here so I am sharing my best waffle recipe. It’s an overnight recipe that is now the staple of our Christmas morning

Conquering the Fear of Baking Bread, One Loaf at a Time
I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve become obsessed with bread. And not the kind you buy pre-sliced at the store—the kind that makes your

Fall Cooking: as cozy as your favorite warm sweater!
Today is the start of a rainy weekend here on the wet coast. Then again, despite the World Series starting this week (go Jays go!!),

Dames who Dine: The Gift of Friendship Later in Life
We have this dinner club. Well it’s not really a dinner club but that sounded cool. We have this friend and coworker (retired) who turned

An Easy Nacho Dip that Dips into the Memories
I haven’t made this dip in years. In fact, I almost forgot all about it until recently. And it’s so quick and easy to make.

Savouring the Journey: On Trying, Writing, and Everything Delicious In Between
I have been doing this for a minute or two now, and today, I find my self reflecting some. This will probably never be perfect,

Mangos and Rice: Caught in a Sticky Situation
It’s been some time since I made this recipe. So when I asked a co-worker recently what her food fancy by ethnicity was, Thai was

Come on Down: It’s “Is the Spice Right”?
This post feels like it has been 6 months in the making. One of my all time favourite tv game shows is The Price

Was My Flank a Fluke? Slice it Right!
I have had a resistance to the flank or skirt steak for many years now. I think I gave the flank steak a go many

To the Loss of Fear and Loathing of Baking Bread
Today I took a “quiet day” as someone referred to it for me. I woke up exhausted and quite frankly not feeling like I could

A Long Time Ago and Right Before My Berry Eyes
One of my favourite fruit is the berry, although I can’t decide between the red raspberry or the blackberry or whether I like them equally.

Greetings: Long Time No Post and On Failing, Life et al
I told you at the beginning of 2025 that I believed setting resolutions was pretty much setting myself up for failure. And hear we are

Cinco de Mayo and the Best Ever Chicken Enchilada Recipe
One of my newer passions, beyond tequila and pasta, is Mexican food. It is starting to nudge right up there I think with Italian these

What Did One Shrimp Say to the Other: Taco Time!
I don’t really know when I became so obsessed with Mexican cuisine. Italian and good old European home cooking has always been what I have

On the First Month of New Years, My True Love Gave to Me …
A 12-month plan of dining experiences! Now I am not going to lie, I don’t know if my husband is going to buy into this,

The Light and Airy Life of the Krullen
In my younger days I would have told you that I wasn’t much of a sweets girl. Unfortunately, as I age, I have developed a

New Me, New You, New Year!
As we enter into a new year it is often a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the new. In

Shaken, Not Stirred: Expresso Martinis for All
There is a famous line in many James Bond movies where Agent 007 asks for his martini to be “shaken, not stirred”. While I have

How Its Okay to Not Be Okay
There was an atmospheric river recently so I sat down with a coffee, and worked on some posts while making a pot of soup! One

California: blue sky, the ocean, and feet in the sand
So the struggle has certainly been real with keeping up the website. Work has been busy – I finished my year long assignment in September

By Request: A simple summer salad
Growing up, and let’s be real, even as an adult, macaroni is a go to for me. Buttered macaroni as a side or with Cheez

The 007 / James Bond and Grouse Mountain Experiences
At Christmas my daughter gifted me two experiences to enjoy whilst visiting my hubby in North Van: James Bond and Casino Royale in Concert at

A Shot of Tequilla, a Margarita or a Taco Salad
The older I get the more I enjoy all thinks Mexican. I also have very fond memories of travelling to Puerto Vallarta before Will and

Happy Birthday Canada – Joyeux jour du Canada
Happy 157th Birthday Canada. Do you feel old? I feel old, and if you take off that hundred from your age this year, you have

A Should of Married into the Mob … for the love of pasta and all things Italian
I have been happily married for over 30 years and believe that we have enjoyed each other’s companionship for I want to say almost 36

Hey Mom I Made It
Fridays at work are the days that are super quiet for me and I usually end up plugging in my ear phones to listen to

A Day Just for Dad: Happy Father’s Day
It’s the third Sunday in June which signifies Father’s Day! In North America, Father’s Day has been celebrated since June 19th, 1910. Sounds like it

Perfect Pasta: Pairing A Pasta With A Sauce
I have shared with you that my husband is currently posted in Vancouver on an imposed restriction status. We requested this status so not to

Cruising through life one cocktail at a time
Many years back, we purchased our house here on the West Shore of Victoria. We moved out of private military quarters (PMQs) into a beautiful

Let Go of My Eggo: Waffle Mania
Most of you are probably too young to remember Eggo Waffles, even though they are still around today. In my house, they were a treat

The Devil made the Easter Bunny do it — Happy Easter!
Spring is officially here and that means longer days, more sunshine, warmer weather, and all things associated with spring including Easter which comes extra early

What’s In a Word – 27 Culinary Terms to Know
I thought I would do something different with this post. Here is a list of culinary terms from A to Z that you may or

Our First Stop in the Shipyards Beer Crawl
We are making the most of our time in North Van. The weather is warming and I want to believe that winter is in our

Life is Like a Circus Merry Go Round Spinning
It’s crazy how time gets away us. Life gets so fast on us and before you know it another Christmas has come and gone. Another new year

November’s Tips N Tricks
Boiling the perfect (hard boiled) egg. -if your eggs are coming straight from the fridge, place them in cold water -if you see any air

With Thanks and Gratitude: Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of fall and is often considered the fall harvest. It’s a time where we step back and reflect on all that

Good friends are like a good bottle of wine, they both make life better!
We are week one into our wine tour. We have rented a Class C RV again and we packed up and hit the road on

EVERYTHING is Better with Bacon
I have this co worker who when we first met was a vegetarian. She went off and had babies and was on extended family leave.

Maria, Maria: from Westside Story to Sangria
Fall is upon us, but it’s still gorgeous here on the West Coast. The days are still pleasant, with the evenings cooler and quite comfortable.

Our New Life, As We Know It Now
Hi friends. After a lengthy absence I’m back ! What has been happening in my world. Lots has transpired since my last post. I

Gratinée Parisienne
I have already made a post about soup, but it’s winter, and soup makes everything better so here I am. If I were to be

What Happens In Vegas
So during our California holiday getaway, we did a “pause” and headed for Vegas. And you know what they say about Vegas… what happens in

From Napa to Monterey
We departed San Francisco on New Years day and picked up our rental vehicle for the balance of our holiday. This trip was not one

Victoria to Seattle to San Francisco
Well the holidays have come and gone, and we were scheduled to leave the island on the 27th of December via ferry for our holiday

A Post About Nothing, Kinda
Its been a minute or two since I posted last. Life has just gotten in the way – in a good way. My mum visited

Weekend in Vancouver
My mum was visiting from Ontario recently (hence no posts). She only really asked to do one thing when she was here: to see a

May I Have Some Wine with that Cheese
There are a few staples in my life. And cheese is for sure one of them. It’s my kryptonite. I like pretty much all kinds

In Remembrance
I am a proud military wife. And today, we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms and privileges we continue to enjoy

No Soup for You
Well fall has finally arrived in Victoria. After an extended summer with very little rain, the cool, damp wet weather has arrived. I recently had

Those Who Made a Difference
Fall is here and I REALLY miss my husband. The good thing is there is only one month left until he returns from this deployment.

Pass the Salt, and the Tequila, Please
So my first memory of tequila is admittedly not so pleasant. I will confess that it was at a high school party at a friends

Eggcited to Share
I still haven’t figured out what came first, the chicken or the egg! I LOVE eggs. Breakfast, lunch, dinner…. brunch. Any time, any where, just

The Bucket List
What exactly is a bucket list? I am sure many of you may have seen the 2007 film The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

BBQ Burgers and Buns
There are a few significant things in my life I am extremely proud of. The first of which is that I am blessed with three

Summer Sweet Treats
I know I said earlier that I am not much of a baker. Its been hot in Victoria this summer, and I had a craving

My First Memories in the Kitchen
I don’t know if I was born to cook, but I definitely grew to love to cook. I think that comes from being a granddaughter

East vs. West
I grew up just outside a mid sized city in Southwestern Ontario. The Forest City. “Central Canada”. The summers were so very hot and humid

A New Adventure!
I’m starting a blog! I hope you will follow me. This is something way out of my comfort zone. It is a way to combine