Description and Dedication

This blog is definitely not being written by a professional chef: until I was in my early twenties my recipe repertoire was limited to Kraft Dinner and tacos. But once I decided to learn, I learned from some of the best: the women who have carried on a heritage of excellent cooking since my great-grandparents began as pioneers here in the heart of the Canadian prairies. Their food is hearty, simple, and abundant, and will please even the pickiest palate.

Therefore, this blog will consist of recipes I have gathered from my great-grandmother, grandmothers, many aunts, a few uncles, cousins, brother, friends, and, of course, most often of all, from my mother. Travel as I do, being able to make their recipes makes me feel close to these people I so love and miss. Whenever I have the inclination to really cook something great, these are the recipes I start flipping through. Each time I make one, I'll take some pictures as I go, and then post the recipe and the images here.

The recipes I use often have stories attached, about how I came by the recipe, for example, or about the first time I ever saw something made, or why it was made, or what it means to me to have the recipe. I realize this may not interest everyone, so I'll include the story, if there is one, as a comment on the recipe itself. Feel free to skip or to read, to suit your taste.

For those new to cooking, I'll include some reference pages for explanations of techniques (for instance, how to separate an egg or how to turn a cake out of a pan) and conversion charts.

This blog is dedicated to Jennie, Gloria, and Terry, whose deft hands in the kitchen made me want to learn their magic. It's for everyone out there who has ever shared a recipe with me, and for everyone who wants to get their hands dirty cooking, but may not know how to start. And it's for Glenn, my own epicure, who should have my recipes even when I can't be there to make them with him.

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