Home Canned Green Beans

The primary purpose for my foodie road trip along the shores of Lake Erie was finding cherries for my husband's coveted cherry jam.  That didn't stop me from taking advantage of some of the other great finds.  I was elated to find green beans, one of my favourite vegetables to can.  They are also one of our favourite home canned vegeables to enjoy during the winter months.  I even take several jars of home canned green beans to our vacation home. 

I haven't grown green beans since moving to our new house almost four years ago.  We are away in May which really has put a damper in putting vegetables in the garden.  Green beans go in the ground well before we get home.  While I am growing a fair amount, I have been restricted to patio plants and herbs.  It doesn't help that the backyard has been under construction either.  At any rate, for now I buy my green beans.

I bought an 11 qt basket of tender green beans.  The beans appear to be Blue Lake, one of the best beans for canning.  Blue Lake green beans are long, tender and uniform with a lovely flavour.    Kentucky Wonder beans are also a good green bean for canning.  At the end of the day, I had a yield of sixteen 500 ml jars of beautiful green beans ready for the pantry.   There were enough green beans left over to enjoy green bean foil packets with our grilled steak for dinner and a few for snacking. 

Green beans are pressure canned at 10 lb pressure for 20 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet above sea level.  Green bean foil packets are lightly seasoned with butter and sea salt then sealed and cooked on the grill until al dente, about 10 minutes.

Foodie Road Trip on the Shores of Lake Erie

We are incredibly blessed to live in beautiful southern Ontario, home to an amazingly diverse culinary opportunity.  There is an abundance of locally grown and produced foods in our region.  In fact, eating locally within 100 miles of our home is exceedingly easy.  The vast majority of our food is actually grown and produced much closer to home!

Cherries are in season so I decided to take a foodie road trip to the shores of Lake Erie.  Highway 3 (Talbot Trail) runs along the Lake Erie shore between Niagara Falls and Windsor.   It meanders through small little towns, home to various annual food festivals, homestyle restaurants, and quaint shopping.  There are countless orchards and vineyards, a few mushroom farms, fisheries and so much more.  The rich fertile sandy loam produces some of the best fruits, berries, onions and carrots that you can find.   It is common to see food trucks along the route especially during the summer months.   Highway 3 really is a gorgeous route with stunning eyecandy and lots to explore.

I left the house early in the morning to make a shorter version of my normal foodie run route.  This time I made a couple of stops before heading to the lake to enjoy a bit of the beautiful scenery while enjoying a cup of coffee.  The sky was so blue!  The air was already turning warm so I headed onto a couple of orchards to the east.  My stash of goodies grew with each stop!  On the way home, I stopped at the mushroom farm.  I have been buying my mushrooms from them for about 30 years!  At one time they were less expensive than store bought but now are about the same price.  The big difference is they are fresh picked.  I only bought two 5 lb boxes this time.  My final stop was at the Dutch Market for coffee and fresh baked goodies.  I came home with a lot of fresh produce - apples, plums, blueberries, green beans, strawberries and mushrooms.  I even bought a bottle of sparkling apple cider.  All-in-all it was a very successful foodie road trip!

Solway's Farm Market Just North of Wiarton, Ontario

Over the past few posts, I've shared some of the foodie highlights we enjoyed during our road trip/camping adventure in August.  If you recall, we left beautiful southern Ontario traveling through Michigan before crossing back into Ontario where the Chi-Cheemaun ferry took us to the mainland where we camped in the Grey Bruce area before returning home.  We were away for six amazingly delightful days!

The Grey Bruce area is one of the most beautiful Ontario landscapes that you can visit.  It honestly is gorgeous eye candy!  This is Indian Head Cove at Bruce Peninsula National Park.  We hiked from our campsite to Head of Trails then took Georgian Bay trail to the Grotto.  The picture was taken from atop the grotto looking south.  This spot is a popular stop for day hikers.  It's a pleasant swimming spot even though the water is rather cold.  Many bring snacks or even a light lunch to enjoy while taking in the breathtaking view.  You can hike up the Bruce Trail along Indian Head Cove, definitely a very rugged hike.  From our location where the picture was taken, we hiked over Boulder Beach thentook the Marr Lake trail back towards the campground.

Camping especially rustic camping brings a few cooking challenges but trust me, if you 'really' want to you can still prepare a gourmet meal without the use of electricity or fancy kitchen gadgets.   I recommend using break proof dishes and sturdy pots and pans while keeping in mind that less is more so make what you bring do double duty.   Even the coffee pot can do double duty to heat up sauces.  Clean-up will involve hand washing dishes outdoors unless camping in an RV.  If cooking over an open fire, soot can build up on the outside of pots and pans but it usually comes off easily with normal washing.  In most cases, rustic camping means you will be dealing with wild life who would like nothing better to enjoy a free meal at your expense.  The best course of action to deter wild life from frequenting your campsite is to keep it squeaky clean, garbage free and free of food or left over food including little bits of left over food that gets into the dishwater.  All food should be kept in secured coolers and covered plastic totes that are stored in a vehicle overnight. 

The stretch of Highway 6 between Tobermory and Highway 21 is dotted with small towns, road side stands and farm markets.  Solway's Farm Market is located just north of Wiarton on Highway 6, on the left hand side (west) heading north.  Although the building is large, it is set back from the road so quite easy to miss.  There are a couple of signs announcing the market ahead but they too are easy to miss.  This is typical of the foodie stops along this route so we flew right on by then had to do a U-turn and back track.

Solway's is well worth the stop!  Their local produce selection is good and they have a nice selection of other foods like cheeses, eggs and specialty foods (eg. jams, jellies, maple syrup) as well as handmade sausages.  They are well known in the area for their delicious baked goods.  Oh my, the homemade pies were divine!  The grandkids really enjoyed this stop, helping us pick out all the best goodies.  We made our purchases including zucchini for freezing, green beans for canning and four large coils of sausage.  Little Master A was in seventh heaven walking out with a banana in each hand stopping briefly for Grandma to take a picture of him in front of the John Deer tractors.  Meanwhile Little Miss C carefully carried the small box of cream topped tarts.  After enjoying the tarts in the parking lot we were on our way...

Popcorn at the Campsite

Just as eating at home or our vacation home, the vast majority of meals at the campsite were homemade from scratch, much the same as they were when we were camping with our kids so many years ago.  Even the majority of snacks our kids enjoyed while camping were homemade or simply fruit.  Homemade trail mix was one of their favourites as was popcorn.  The year we camped in tents, I bought Jiffy-pop for one of the kids' snacks.  They loved popcorn, a regular snack at home, usually made in an air popper.  With no hydro, I reasoned that Jiffy-pop would be a good substitute.  It was and the kids loved watching the foil lid puff up!  The following year we bought a tent trailer so popcorn was made in the trailer or in a popcorn popper over the fire.  I never did go back to buying Jiffy-pop but the kids still remember that little bit of magic.

The kids have a Coleman stove that uses naptha (white gas) fuel under pressure.  The fuel is poured into the red canister.  Once the cap (towards top of canister) is tightened, the canister is pressurized by pumping the pressurizer (near bottom of canister).  The burner is turned on then gas lit with a match.  The burner burns with a high orange flame that gradually lowers, tightening towards the centre turning a hot blue flame for cooking.

The kids fired up the Coleman and while a pot of coffee was brewing for the adults, the Jiffy-pop cooked on the other burner.  The grandkids waited patiently in anticipation.  True to form, within minutes the magical puffed up lid appeared giving the sign the popcorn was almost ready to serve.  

The is a lot of steam under the foil once the popcorn is popped so the kids carefully opened it, revealing the hot, tender popcorn ready to be enjoyed.   The grandkids climbed up on their camp chairs, happily munching on popcorn while chatting about that day's adventurers.  As the day drew to a close, sitting around a roaring fire was a pleasant ending. 

These days, I make popcorn at home using an electric Whirly popcorn popper.  The grandkids love watching the popcorn pop large, tender morsels that aren't tough or dried out as air poppers can cause.  We are planning on getting back into camping so popcorn will be a staple snack when camping.  I'll go back to using a popcorn popper over the campfire when camping.  Still this brought back pleasant memories of our very first camping trips!

BeaverTails in Tobermory, Ontario

During our road trip/camping adventure in August, where we camped at Cypress Lake campground in the Bruce Peninsula National Par, we made our traditional trip into Tobermory.  This quaint little harbour village is simply delightful to stroll about on a beautiful summer afternoon.  This was our first time visiting with the grandkids so the village to on an extra sparkling charm as seen through the eyes of little ones!

When our kids were young, one of our stops in Tobermory was BeaverTails, located on the north side of Little Tub Harbour, beside the Blue Heron Cruises Ticket booth.  They have been specializing in unique whole wheat pastries stretched to the shape of beaver tails then float fried in canola or soy oil.  These delectable pastries are served piping hot, topped with butter and a choice of other toppings.

We slowly walked down the hill from the Sweet Shop to Little Tub Harbour enjoying the unexpected warm weather.    We wandered around the harbour, marveling at the crystal clear water dotted with ducks between the boats.  The kids headed up up the hill to pick-up a part for their tent so Grandma and Papa with the two little ones continued walking.  All of a sudden, Little Miss C (age 6) sniffled "I don't want to eat a beaver" which sent Master A (age 4) into immediate distress.  So here we are with two crying grandkids heading towards BeaverTails.  Trying to calm them without ruining the surprise, we quickly made our way closer to BeaverTails when Little Miss C spotted...

...the BeaverTails sandwich board outside.  Now, she is a quick little one who is an advanced reader for her age.  She spun around to console her brother with a "Don't worry A, they aren't real beavers!"  I don't think he believed her but we showed him the sign.  Through the tears a small smile appeared.

Beavertails are a delicious Canadian pastry than can be made at home.  It is more the method of cooking that gets the delicious results.  The prepared dough is quickly dredged through the hot oil on each side then fried until cooked through.  BeaverTails cooks each beavertail as ordered so they are always fresh and piping hot.  Each beavertail is about 10 - inches long, just the perfect size for sharing.

We ordered a cinnamon and sugar (pictured) and a triple trip with chocolate, peanut butter and reese's pieces (not pictured) beaver tail.  Grandma and Little Miss A, standing on tippy toes, watched the beavertails being cooked while Papa and Master C found a bench to sit and people watch while enjoying the beavertails.  Any tears were long forgotten as the grandkids eyes grew big at the sight of the beavertails.  I have the cutest picture of Master C giving the high thumbs up sign, a gesture he uses for foods he really likes.  Talk about cute!  Their parents arrived back just in time to finish off the beavertails. 

Beavertails are a must have when in Tobermory!  If you are in the area, be sure to stop by BeaverTails to enjoy a delicious, piping hot treat while taking in all the sights and sounds of this quaint little harbour village.  I'm sure you will love them as much as we do.

The Sweet Shop in Tobermory, Ontario

My gosh!  Here it is more than half way through October and I'm slacking a blogging.  This morning I just realized I hadn't finished sharing the rest of our road trip/camping adventure in August.  If you recall, we left Ontario, traveled through Michigan then crossed back into Ontario making our way to the Tobermory area where we camped for four days before making our way home.  The trip was amazing, bringing back a lot of memories of camping there when our kids were young.

We camped at Cypress Lakes annually when our kids were young.  The campground itself is very rustic with no hydro, pump water at various intervals for porting to your campsite and outhouses.  Once a trip we would take the kids into Tobermory.  Aside of the main purpose of the trip being replenishing groceries and laundry, it was always a day of discovery.  Tobermory is a wonderful little port village!  One of the biggest thrills for our kids was The Sweet Shop located at 18 Bay St S in Tobermory.

The Sweet Shop is a must stop for every kid and every adult who is a kid at heart!  This little gem still produces fine confections like gourmet fudges and brittles the old fashioned way.  Let me tell you the Canadian maple fudge is divine!  They have a nice ice parlour cream selection with enticing flavours like moose tracks, moon mist and crouching tiger.  Other types of candies not made on the premises are also available.  I was very tempted by the bacon flavoured candy but resisted.

This was a special trip for us.  We had the opportunity to see all the wonder and amazement in our grandkids eyes as soon as they walked through the doors.  Their eyes got bigger and bigger as they waited in anticipation for their ice cream cones, just like their parents' eyes did when they were young.  What wonderful memories.  Do be sure to stop at The Sweet Shop if you are in Tobermory!

Kitchen Memories Two A Collection of Recipes by The Little Schoolhouse and Museum in Tehkummah Township on Minitoulin Island, Ontario

During our great road trip/camping adventure we stayed overnight in South Baymouth, Ontario where we would board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry that would take us across Lake Huron to Tobermory.  The weather was cold and damp but we still took a walk-about before settling into our room for the night.  Across the main road from our motel we had a lovely view of the Chi-Cheemaun dock.  Scattered across Ontario there are a multitude of small, one room schoolhouses that have been converted into homes.  A few have been rescued and preserved as museums.  Such was the case with the was The Little Schoolhouse and Museum beside the motel to the north.  Unfortunately, we could only peer in the the windows for a glimpse of the past as the museum was closed.

We wandered from the museum around the motel pool ending up in the motel gift shop.  I always delight in finding community fundraiser cookbooks.  These types of cookbooks are comprised of a collection of recipes submitted by members of the community or organization then assembled into a booklet format to be sold as a fund raiser.  I was quite happy to find Kitchen Memories Two (June 2013), a collection of recipes by The Little Schoolhouse and Museum in Tehkummah Township on Minitoulin Island, Ontario.  This recipe book was compiled by residents of Tehkummah Township in support of the museum.  This really is a nice recipe book that I will be making a few recipes from!

These types of recipe books are a treasure not only from a cooking perspective but also are of interest to family historians and genealogists.  For example, several recipes in this book have the contributor's name  followed by 'sister' of so and so, giving valuable relationship connections useful in family history research.  Quite often recipes are contributed in honour of a loved one no longer living.  From a culinary perspective, these are very much home style cooking recipes.  Recipes contributed tend to be family favourites and family signature recipes, some handed down from generation to generation.  One thing I have found too, is the recipes submitted tend to use easily accessible ingredients. 

It is common for fundraiser recipe books to have one or more home canning recipes.  This can be problematic.  All home canned foods must be properly processed to ensure a safe product.  These types of recipe books seldom give the safe canning processing methods of boiling water bath (high acid foods) and pressure canning (low acid foods).  Some as in this recipe book may include instructions for unsafe canning methods such as oven or open kettle canning.  Someone following the instructions for canning meat in this recipe book could find themselves with a product that could make them very ill or possibly worse!  Another problem is ingredient omissions that would not be a problem when cooking but can be critical when home canning. 

I shudder when I see this type of thing.  Improperly home canned food is nothing to fool around with.  It really is like playing Russian roulette with your's or your loved ones' lives.  This recipe book was published in June of 2013 so there really is no excuse not to use current safe canning methods.  Honestly, I wish they would just refrain from publishing home canning recipes in these types of publications.  That being said, an experienced home canner can convert most of these recipes into safe-to- can simply by comparing them to tested home canning recipes, making the necessary adjustments then processing using the appropriate method. 

Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro in Tobermory, Ontario

We arrived in Tobermory, Ontario just after 11:30 AM to sunny skies despite the cold, wet and windy weather of South Baymouth when we set sail.  It had been an uneventful passing over Lake Huron although it was too chilly and rainy to sit outside on the upper deck of the Chi-Cheemaun.  The waves were high due to the stormy weather although no where near as bad as they could have been.  As boaters, the rougher waters didn't bother us.   We were quite pleased to see the sunny skies knowing we wouldn't be setting up camp in the rain. 

Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro is located at 4 Bay Street in Tobermory, kitty corner from the only grocery store in town not even a block from Little Tub harbour.  To the left just out of camera range is the facade of the restaurant with a small indoor dining area but the happening dining area is outdoors.  The very friendly waitstaff are dressed as pirates acting the part right down to the lingo making this a fun, kid friendly eatery.  The licensed bar features beer (aka their house wine) from Flying Monkey Craft Brewery of Barrie, Ontario.  It's the perfect little eatery for lunch, dinner or after hours.  Oh, and dogs on leases are allowed on the grassy sitting area above the gravel sitting area making this the perfect pit stop for those traveling with man's best friend.

Outdoor sitting is a must in Tobermory!   There are amazing sights to enjoy while people watching in this quaint little port village.  Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro caters nicely to enjoying the great outdoors.   The simple wood picnic tables are painted blue and white echoing a nautical theme.  Blue and white striped dining tents provided shade from the warming rays of the sun.  The gravel sitting area is somewhat sheltered with a small grassed area rising about 3 feet above to the right just out of camera range.  A wonderful hand painted mural completed the pirate theme.

Tobermory is in bear territory so all the refuse containers are bear and racoon proof.  Visitors are encouraged to use these containers scattered throughout the village to help discourage wildlife from becoming a problem.  Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro is set up with this in mind.

The Bruce Peninsula is well known for its Georgian Bay whitefish, a mildly flavoured local fish.  Shripwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro also refers to Georgian Bay whitefish as their house wine.  And rightly so!  We each ordered the two piece lunch special Georgian Bay whitefish & chips ($13.95).  The delectable whitefish was batter coated served on top of a generous portion of fries, garnished with a party umbrella for a festive touch.  It was served with a small side of coleslaw.  The presentation added to the atmosphere of fun dining with the emphasis on good, unpretentious food.  I really have to give this small, unique eatery two thumbs up.  It has fast and friendly service, good food and great atmosphere!

I just had to show a close-up shot of the Georgian Bay whitefish.  The texture is similar to that of cod but smaller flakes.  There is just a hint of wild to the flavour, hard to describe but incredibly delicious!  It was coated in batter then deep fried similar to English style fish (usually cod).  While I don't eat the batter, I do like fish cooked this way as it keeps the fish moist and tender.  Doesn't that fish look delicious?

Tobermory is on Georgian Bay.  The only main road south to Owen Sound is Highway 6, a small but very scenic two lane highway.  Scattered along this route are several roadside stands as well as a few farm markets selling local whitefish.  We normally stock our cooler with whitefish and other goodies to take home.

Carol's & Earl's Restaurant & Farmer's Market Ltd., South Baymouth, Ontario

We stayed in Gaylord, Michigan the first night of our great road/camping adventure.  The next morning we headed north on I-75 finally crossing back into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario just before lunch time.  After a few detours around Sault Ste. Marie we proceeded along the Trans Canada as far as Espanola, Ontario where we turned south for our evening destination of South Baymouth.  We had booked a room there and had reservations for the Chi-Cheechmaun ferry that would take us to Tobermory, Ontario the following morning. 

It was a cold, dreary day with on and off rain yet we happily made our way through the amazingly beautiful Canadian landscape.  It was our anniversary and having spent many a mile traveling together over the past 36 years, it was a rather fitting way to celebrate this milestone!  We arrived at South Baymouth shortly before 7 PM and decided to stop for dinner before going to the motel.  South Baymouth is in Tehkummah Township, population 406 (2011).  It is the northern terminal for the Chi-Cheechmaun ferry, the southern being Tobermory.  This is very much a tourist pass through point as thousands make the trek from Espanola through Manitoulin Island with a destination of Tobermory saving considerable time and kilometer in comparison to driving the northern route.  The town has access to the Canadian mainland during the winter months via Highway 6 as the ferry does not run during the winter months.  Essentially the town shuts down for the winter months.  We have driven through Espanola several times staying on the Trans Canada during the winter months and let me tell you, folks up there have no choice but to keep very well stocked pantries and necessary supplies on hand to get them through the long winter months!

Carol's and Earl's Restaurant & Farmer's Market Ltd., is located at 21306 Hwy. 6, South Baymouth, Manitoulin Island, Ontario.  It's on the left hand side of the road heading into South Baymouth.  The building is rather non-descript but don't let that fool you.  Through those door you will be greeted with some of the most delicious homemade pies I've ever seen.  They are made from scratch daily.  To the left of the doors is a small dining area then archways lead to the larger dining area under the roof peak (centre).  The restaurant seats 100 at full capacity.  I can't comment on the 'farmer's market' portion of their name as there were no signs of produce when we were there although I suspect that is what the two picnic tables were set up for.  As is customary with many farm stands in this area, local white fish and wild blueberries are often sold.  I sure would have loved to been able to buy some of either for the camping portion of our trip! 

We planned stopping at Carol's &  Earl's who specialize in home cooked meals for their yellow perch.  Yellow perch is a local fish, mildly flavoured and just down right delicious.  It is usually lightly coated and pan fried.  We both ordered the yellow perch dinners that came with a choice of soup or salad.  My husband ordered the homemade chicken noodle to accompany his meal.  Carol's & Earl's make all of their soups from scratch.  The chicken noodle soup was about as close to the way I make it as you could get starting right from homemade stock.  The soup was chuck full of broad egg noodles and chunks of chicken.  Served piping hot, it was a pleasant way to warm up after a chilly, damp day that was only getting colder.

The yellow perch came with a choice of mashed or fried potatoes and a side of coleslaw.  I ordered mashed; my husband ordered the fries.  We ordered a side of gravy.  The mashed potatoes were real mashed while both the gravy and coleslaw were homemade.  The mouthwatering pan fried yellow perch was delightful! 

Carol's & Earl's is a must stop at eatery when visiting South Baymouth.  Their food is delicious!  Their service is friendly, very much home style and they love to talk to their patrons.  We bought a cherry pie on the way out the door sure that it would be a lovely dessert at the campground.  We were not wrong!  Even if you don't stop for a meal, be sure to stop for a pie.  Originally the pies were made by Earl's Mom but now they are made by Earl.  Honestly, they are amazing!   If you visit this restaurant, they do not accept debit or credit cards.  I recommend carrying sufficient cash for fuel and meals when traveling through northern Ontario as many places are cash only.

The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen in Clarkston, Michigan

Yesterday I wrote briefly about our recent road/camping trip that took us from southwestern Ontario through the thumb of Michigan, across Lake Huron to Tobermory, Ontario, and finally back home.  The entire adventure was six days in its entirety.  Four of those days were spent rustic camping with our kids and grandkids.  Talks about a wonderful adventure!  Over the next few days I will share some of the foodie highlights we enjoyed during our adventure.

We are avid fans of several Food Network shows including Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives, affectionately known as Triple D with host Guy Fieri.  We watch one episode that featured The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen located at 54 S. Main Street in the Village of Clarkston, Michigan.  This classic greasy spoon housed in a converted 1840's wooden church holds the bragging rights as having the most macked mac & cheese.  Kid Rock frequents the restaurant as well so there's always a chance of seeing him there. 

A small gift shop, the Union General, home of the Cupcakery is located just behind the restaurant outdoor patio.  It features coffee, ice cream, sweets, bath and toys.  Be warned, this shop is heavily scented, not suitable for those with respiratory problems or asthma.

Clarkston was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District on the merit of its architectural and historical significance in 1980.  The village is home to important examples of Queen Anne style homes, well worth visiting for it's historical significance.  We planned a stop in Clarkston the first day of our travels to check out this featured eatery and do a bit of sight seeing as it was on our planned route, less than a mile off of I-75 N.

The interior decor of The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen is warm and inviting, very much church-like.  The owners have certainly maintained and built on the church-like feel.  The high ceiling, hanging lights, stain glass windows, wood floor, authentic church pews and open kitchen all lend themselves nicely to the atmosphere. Even the pale creamy yellow walls is reminiscent of many church interiors.

We had a short wait for seating but this restaurant is reputed to have rather long wait times.  There is a sitting area to enjoy while waiting in what was once the front entrance to the church.  There is seating at the very well stocked bar (middle right) in addition to the dining room seating.  Seating is close but open.  We were seated in the middle just on the other side of the two folks in yellow shirts.  The restaurant is loud (ok borderline very loud) with a very social atmosphere though, definitely not the place for a quiet dinner conversation.

We each ordered ice tea with our meals.  The nice thing about ordering ice tea in the US is it is just that, tea.  It is not sweetened.  If you want sweetened ice tea then you have to order sweet tea, but sweet tea is not always available.

The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen had a very impressive beer list, many unique artisan, small batch brew and specialty beers (eg. gluten free).  Their listing of available beers is on blackboards at the very front of the restaurant near the waiting area for seating. 

Despite their long list of beers, I decided to try a non-alcoholic beer, Buckler, imported from Holland, brewed by Heineken.  Non-alcoholic (de-alcoholized) beers and wines have less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.  They are gaining favour with those who what to enjoy beer and wine without the negative effects of alcohol.  I've been sampling several to find those to stock for entertaining.  In general, the European non-alcoholic beers and wines are far superior in flavour to those brewed in North America.  I found the Buckler non-alcoholic beer is light and refreshing.  It has only 75 calories as well.

We decided to order one entrèe and a full order of mac & cheese to share.  With a long ride ahead of us, we didn't want heavy tummies but we did want to get a good sampling of the food at The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen.  We ordered the meatloaf special ($9.75) made with house ground seasoned angus beef, topped with marsula gravy, mashed potatoes and vegetables.

The meatloaf was fine but not spectacular.  It was heavily seasoned with white pepper and there definitely was a hint of nutmeg, the cook's obvious seasoning of choice.  The seasonings clashed somewhat with the marsula gravy that had a nice flavour and smooth texture.  The mashed potatoes looked delicious but again were heavily seasoned with white pepper and nutmeg to a fault!  The baby carrots were almost an afterthought, simply boiled and plated with no seasoning or garnish.  They were over cooked as well so were lacking in flavour.  

We ordered the mac & cheese made with Canadian cheddar and mild pinconning cheeses layered with penne rigate and a crunchy crust ($13.95).  The generous full size portion of mac & cheese arrived at our table delightfully hot and bubbly.   Technically there is no mac (eg. maccaroni) in this mac & cheese but it sure did have eye appeal!  This mac & cheese was rich and cheesy but not creamy.  Once again the white pepper and nutmeg pairing appeared.  It wasn't as strong as in the mashed potatoes but it was strong enough to be noticeable.  Unfortunately, this mac & cheese did not live up to its reputation.  It was ok, lacking the velvety creamy texture of a good mac & cheese, and simply over seasoned.

The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen is a busy place with an interesting atmosphere set in a historical, quaint village.  The food itself is really nothing spectacular and I suspect many visit there for the same reason we did, we saw it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.  The prices are average to high for what you get and service can be slow.  That being said, we might go back again if in the area but we would not make a special trip to eat there.  That says a lot because we have no problem driving a couple of hours or more to enjoy a restaurant that impressed us.  If you decide to visit The Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen, don't expect the 'wow factor' for the mac & cheese. 

Pie Irons and Shrimp on the Campfire

On August 5, 2013 my husband and I left our cozy little domicile on a wonderful road trip with a final destination just south of Tobermory, Ontario before returning home.  We crossed into Michigan mid-morning then made our way to Williamsburg, Michigan.  After a brief stop there, we arrived in Gaylord, Michigan where we spent the night.  The following morning we continued on our journey enjoying several stops highlighted by delicious food to the backdrop of amazingly gorgeous landscape scenery.  We settled in South Baymouth, Michigan for the night where we would catch the Chi-Cheechmaun ferry in the morning to take us across Lake Huron to Tobermory, Ontario.   We arrived in Tobermory just after 11 AM, stopped for lunch then headed to Cypress Lake campground in the Bruce Peninsula National Park.

We began camping when our youngest was just barely out of diapers.  Our first camping trip was to Cypress Lake, a rather rustic campground on Georgian Bay, in tents.  We bought a tent trailer the next spring then a large travel trailer the following year.  We camped every chance we got, always preferring rustic, natural  campgrounds to privately owned, commercialized ones.  We sold our trailer in 2005 so haven't done much camping, mainly hit or miss.  We certainly are well versed in camping during adverse weather conditions yet the weather forecast was cause for concern - rain, cold temperatures and more rain.   This trip was four days out in tents, going back to our camping roots!  This would be a special trip, the first one enjoyed camping with our grandkids.

Cypress Lake campground is very much in bear (black and grizzly), cougar, wolf, and coyote territory.  It is home to racoons, hares, skunks and Ontario's only poisonous snake, the Massasauga rattle snake.  The park has a 'bare' campsite program meaning no garbage or food on the campsite to attract wildlife.  All food and food-related items are to be stored in a hard-sided vehicle when not in use.  Tossing dishwasher into the brush is discouraged as it may contain food bits that can attract wildlife as well.  Paper food wrappings are burnt but there are recycling facilities for newspapers, cans, bottles and plastics.  There is no hydro except at the registration office, no showers, no hot water in the comfort stations (some have composting toilets), and cell phone service is sporadic at best.  It has some of the best hiking trails and amazing scenery ever seen!

We kept our food in plastic covered totes and coolers stored in the vehicles for this trip.  After dinner as part of the clean-up the camp stove, food and coolers were put into each of our vehicles.  Any food we wanted for around the campfire were brought out of the vehicle as needed.  Any food scraps were simply tossed into the fire. 

Regardless of what camping shelter we used, cooking over an open fire was always a must.  There were very, very few times that we didn't cook over an open fire.  We usually build a campfire shortly after rising.  Unless leaving the campsite, the fire is maintained at a low burn ready to cook pie irons, hotdogs or marshmallows over, ever ready to be stoked up for a bit of extra heat.  If we are leaving the campsite, the fire is doused which is proper camping etiquette.

Pictured is the campfire with pie irons (lower left) and shrimp cooking.  Pie irons are a camper's must have.  The name refers to either the tool (aka sandwich maker) itself or the food sandwiched between two slices of bread.  The filling for pie irons can be quite creative.  These were filled with home canned pizza sauce, homemade pesto, sliced rosemary ham and mozzarella cheese.  The pie iron aka sandwich maker can also be used to cook meat and so much more over an open fire.  If it fits in the pie iron, it's fair game!  Shrimp cooks nicely in a pie iron but for larger quantities, an open flat pan with handle works nicely.  Doesn't that shrimp look delicious?

Stay tuned for more tales of our recent road/camping trip....

Leonardo's Italian Grille in Romulus, Michigan

One of our great pleasures when traveling is discovering new restaurants that offer homestyle cooking in a cozy atmosphere.  While we find some of these gems through word of mouth, quite often we discover a good eatery by shear luck.  Sometimes it is the name of the restaurant, other times the  look of the exterior and others still a combination of both.  So it was during a recent road trip when we discovered a small, cozy Italian restaurant.

Leonardo's Italian Grille is located at 7575 Merriman Rd in Romulus, Michigan about a mile away from Detroit MetroAirport.  The restaurant is owned by brothers Vito and Joe Liparoto who emigrated from Sicily to America in 1969 with their family.  Years later the brothers opened their first pizzeria, now operating as Leonardo's Italian Grille.  They have captured the essence of authentic Sicilian cuisine with the inspiration of Chef David Neal. They offer a variety of Italian specialties as well as dishes from the grill.

The exterior of Leonardo's is modern architecture  with Italian overtones of red and green.  There is a large outdoor dining patio to the left of the entrance.  The interior is cozy and welcoming with shades of taupes and greens, lots of wood, and an Italian themed mural.  There is an impressive bar with comfortable sitting in the lounge area as well as tables and booths.  The atmosphere is cozy, casual with friendly waitstaff.

The waitress brought us a basket of fresh bake twisted Italian bread stick with butter to accompany our meal.  These soft chewy bread sticks were delightfully delicious!   The texture was quite similar to a crusty roll yet a slightly different.  A little twist opened the warm bread stick forming a small pocket perfect for the butter.  This is one recipe I will be looking for to make at home!

Entrées were served with soup or salad.  We both ordered salads with our entreé.  The side salad was a simple salad greens with shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, red onion slices, cherry tomatoes, croutons and Italian dressing. 

Leonardo's serves Provimi veal, a superior milk-fed pale coloured, fork-tender veal, the finest available.  My husband ordered the veal parmesan ($19.95).  The generous portion of tender veal was coated with Italian breadcrumbs, sautéed in olive oil then topped with marinara sauce and baked with mozzarella cheese.  It was served with spaghetti in marinara sauce.  The dish was garnished with finely chopped red onion and carrot, something a bit different from the over . used sprinkling of dried parsley. 

My husband really enjoyed the veal parmesan.  It was tender with a nice richly flavoured mainara sauce and gooey melted mozzarella cheese.  This entreé was a sure winner!

I ordered the Sicilian pasta ($15.45) with a side salad.  This entrée consisted of sautéed tender peas tossed with homemade meat sauce and fresh ricotta served over bowtie pasta.  The fine textured meat sauce had a bit of a zip bordering on heat to it so I think the meat was hot Italian sausage rather than ground beef.  The Sicilian pasta was a delicious entreé!

Leonardo's is ranked #2 of 33 restaurants in Romulus on Trip Advisor and for good reason.   The waitstaff are friendly and provide fast service.  The unpretentious food is simply good, homestyle basic Italian nicely presented in a cozy, inviting family-style atmosphere.  The portion size for the entreés is substantial. It is child-friendly for those traveling with little ones but can also accommodate larger groups.  If you are in the vicinity of the Detroit Metro Airport, this is a great restaurant for lunch or dinner.

Balsamic Mushroom Slices

We often have friends and relatives stay with us at our vacation home.  During our fall vacation in October, four of the guys arrived the same day my husband's sister and our nephew left.  They were down for a week of serious golfing while enjoying the sun.  While do a fair share of eating out when they are down, we also cook meals.  Most of the breakfasts and lunches are made at home as well as about half of the dinners.  Don't get me wrong as we love eating out but getting into relaxed mode makes it easier to eat at home some days.

The nice thing is, most of our family and friends are foodies as well so they love to help with the cooking and KP duty.  This is a wonderful way to share recipes and lots of good conversation peppered heavily with laughter.

My husband picked up rib eye steaks to grill for dinner.  Sautéed mushrooms are almost a must have with steak followed closely by caramelized onions.  One of the guys was making his specialty caramelized onions in a bourbon reduction.  I decided to get creative with the sautéed mushrooms.  I started them as I normally do in a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and butter.  When the mushrooms were at the sweat point, I made a change.

Balsamic vinegar reduction is absolutely delightful and ever so easy to make.  Simply pour balsamic vinegar into a fry pan then bring to a simmer.  Continue cooking until it is reduced to the consistency of a medium thick syrup.  It is a lovely, rich, full bodied  sauce ideal for serving over meats but also works nicely over some sweets like vanilla icecream.   I reasoned a balsamic vinegar reduction would go nicely with the mushrooms while complimenting the flavour of the grilled steaks.  Instead of making the balsamic vinegar reduction separately, I added about a half cup of balsamic vinegar to the cooking mushrooms.  I thought it would infuse the mushrooms with the rich flavour of the reduction.  

I continued cooking the mushrooms until the balsamic vinegar was nicely reduced.  The mushrooms were nicely sautéed with a lovely hint of caramelization but with a deeper, richer colouring.  The aroma was tantalizing!

The whole kitchen smelled heavenly between my mushrooms and our friend's onions!  Both took about the same time to cook.  Both were simple variations of traditional toppings served with steak.  My husband had raved about our friends bourbon onions so I kept my fingers crossed the balsamic sautéed mushrooms would  be equally well received.

The meal was rather simple yet quite delicious consisting of grilled rib eye steaks, grilled potatoes,  balsamic sautéed mushrooms and bourbon caramelized onions, and a garden salad.  I could not believe how such simple variations by adding balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms and bourbon to the onions, made such a difference.  That is not sour cream on the potatoes.  It is Greek style yogurt that is lower in fat with a bit richer flavour than sour cream.

This really is what makes cooking so much fun.  It really doesn't take much to change a recipe for a totally different result.  Simply substituting one type of vinegar for another can change the flavour of a dish.  I found that out years ago with canning recipes.   Adding in flavour enhancers like bourbon, sherry or wine can make a huge difference in the flavour as well.  So don't be afraid to do a bit of experimenting substituting one or more ingredient with a variant of that ingredient.

Steak 'n Shake

I am on a lot of foodie lists because being a foodie I'm always looking for a new dining experience.  Foodies tend to talk.  They share the good, the bad and the nitty gritty of their dining experiences.  My husband and I are not big fast food diners by any stretch of the imagination so even though so many recommended Steak 'n Shake we viewed it as a fast food restaurant so passed it by.  During a recent road trip we finally decided to try Steak 'n Shake and was pleasantly surprised.

Steak 'n Shake is a chain restaurant famous for their steak burgers.  The first Steak 'n Shake was founded in February of 1934 in Normal, Illinois.  The founder, Gus Belt was determined to serve the finest burgers and shakes possible.  He would wheel in a barrel of steaks then grind the meat into burgers in front of his customers leading to their famous slogan In Sight It Must Be Right.  Steak 'n Shake is a diner style restaurant chain in the Midwestern and Southern United States.  While most have a drive-through and front-window service, the main attraction is the diner-style sit-down service.

We were quite impressed.  The restaurant was quite busy yet we were seated promptly.  The decor was delightful, almost retro.  The wait staff was extremely friendly and very attentive.   The prices are very reasonable, if even a bit lower than the main stream fast food restaurants.  Steak 'n Shake offers soft drinks, tea and coffee.  It is very family friendly, just an overall very pleasant dining experience.  I honestly would not put this eatery into the fast food category.

The burger patties at Steak 'n Shake are made from ground T-bone, sirloin and round steaks.  The burgers are packed full of delicious flavour.  My husband ordered the cheesy cheddar steak burger (not pictured) and the double steak 'n cheese burger meal (pictured) and a white chocolate milkshake (not pictured).  The burger meal came with seasoned fries.  You can buy the seasoning if you would like to make the seasoned fries at home.  The predominant flavour of the fry seasoning was nutmeg, something just a bit different but absolutely delicious.  Believe it or not this delicious burger meal was only $4.99!  Now that is a frugal meal if you ask me.

I ordered the guacamole steak burger meal (pictured).  This double steakburger is topped with fresh guacamole, lettuce, tomato, pepperjack cheese, red onion and chipotle sauce served with fries.  Oh my gosh, this burger defines the reason for discovering new eateries and I'm not kidding.  This burger was amazing!  I am definitely going to be duplicating the flavours of this burger at home!

I love avocados but seldom use them for much more than guacamole or in salads.  This was a wonderfully refreshing way to use avocados on the burger.  I really liked the chipotle sauce as well so will be working on a clone recipe for that as well!

Benders Sports Pub in West Bend, Wisconsin

We love discovering small, family owned restaurants featuring home style cooking during our many travels.  Don't get me wrong as some of the chain family restaurants are quite good but there is some unique about the family owned and operated ones.  We have visited a few attractions in Wisconsin, one of our favourite being the Cedar Valley Cheese Store in Belgium, Wisconsin.  West Bend is located in Washington County in the heart of the Kettle Moraine in southeastern Wisconsin.  It is about forty minutes north of Milwaukee.  It was home to West Bend Aluminum Company (later named the West Bend Company) that first produced a water dipper and cookware in 1911. In the 1920's West Bend introduced the Waterless Cooker and Flavo-Drip coffee maker and continued introducing new small kitchen appliances  through the 1990's.  The West Bend Aluminum Company remained in West Bend until 2003 when it was purchased by Focus Products Group, LLC headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois.  Back to Basics appliances joined West Bend during the 2000's after it was bought.  The West Bend brand celebrated it's 100th anniversary in West Bend, Wisconsin on September 27, 2011.

Benders Sports Pub is located in a small strip mall at 1102 E. Paradise Dr. in West Bend, Wisconsin.  This small family owned and operated pub has been in business for five  years. Don't let the modern facade fool you as the pub is packed full of delightful charm with a warm and beckoning atmosphere.  The wait staff is extremely friendly!  The food is delicious and the prices are quite reasonable.  There are daily specials and various events like college and trivia nights throughout the week as well as Green Bay Packers specials on Sundays.  They even have a couple of slot machine that are rumoured to be rather lucky.  It really is just a fun little pub!

Benders Sports Pub is famous for its jumbo garlic wings (pictured) and there is a story behind them.  Owner Tim fondly remembered the famous Mr. Chibs Garlic Buffalo Wings in Philadelphia.   He flew to Philadelphia, told the owner of the restaurant about the new restaurant he was opening then asked if it would be possible to get the Mr. Chibs Garlic Buffalo recipe.  The Philadelphia restaurateur gave him the recipe without hesitation.  That is how Benders got its famous, award winning jumbo garlic wings!

Mr. Chibs Chicken & Ribs Restaurant is located at S. Lenola Rd & Kings Hw in Maple Shade, New Jersey on the outskirts of Philadelphia about 8 miles to the east.  While they don't have a website I did find their menu online.  It will be a restaurant to discover when we are in the Philadelphia area.

We just had to try the jumbo garlic wings.  Don't they look delicious?  Oh they were mouthwatering, nice and garlicky, dripping with butter!  That is fresh garlic on the wings too.  Five of these beauties cost $7.99 and they were worth every penny.  Chicken wings are ever so easy to make at home.  This will be one recipe I will be working on a clone for after the holidays.

The Large Marg at Big Chief Drive-in Restaurant in Wallaceburg, Ontario)

Have you ever watched Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with host Guy Fieri on Foodnetwork?  He shares the neatest little eateries he had discovered on his travels.  These are the types of eateries we love discovering when we travel as well.  Often the outside of the restaurant is non-discript and you might even be tempted to pass it by except the filled parking lot gives a beckoning come-on in a sit a spell because we serve great food.  While some have table service others have a counter were food is ordered then picked up at the counter when your number is called.  Some offer outdoor seating of some type, usually wooden picnic tables.   Some even have drive-in dining!

Big Chief Drive-in-Restaurant is located at 5001 Dufferin Ave (Old 40 Highway) just outside of Wallaceburg, Ontario.  It is a unique little restaurant offering drive-in and limited eat-in dining.  At one time they had a waitress who took your order from the comforts of your car but now you go in and order at the counter then pick up your food when your number is called.  You can sit in the drive-in stalls to eat bringing back a bit of dining nostalgia.  They are famous for their Large Marg burger consisting of a full pound beef patty, cheese, bacon and onion rings on a giant bun.  Rumour has it that the burger was named after the owner's ex-girlfriend who was large (and in charge) and while most things are best left unsaid about her she left one positive memory...the recipe for her favourate burger.  . If you eat the whole burger, you get your picture taken to be added to their hall of fame along with other brave souls who conquered the Large Marge! 

Spaghettini Bolognese

Spaghetti has always been one of my favourite dishes to order when dining out followed by steak or fish so depending on where we are dining, it tends to be one of those three entrée choices for me.  Oh, don't me wrong as I do like to discover different entrées, it's just that those are my favourites.  Besides within the three categories there is a wide variety to discover.  During our recent visit to Niagara Falls we ate at East Side Mario's on Fallsview Ave.  This is a chain restaurant specializing in Italian food.  The food is average and reasonably priced.  The restaurant is kid friendly but our service was below average.  That could have been due to the holiday weekend however, if anything a holiday weekend is the time to shine as it is a wonderful opportunity to impress new guests gaining repeat customers.

I ordered the Spaghettini Bolognese with the all-you-can-eat soup or salad and garlic homeloaf ($14.99).  Bolognese sauce originated in Bologna, Italy.  It is a meat-based sauce with a small amount of tomato concentrate.  It is not a heavy, aromatic sauce like spaghetti with meat sauce.

The East Side Mario's version was borderline bland.  It was mixed with cooked spaghetti (not spaghettini) topped with chunks of cooked tomato.  The waiter added fresh ground Parmesan cheese.  It was a nice but not spectacular dish.  Spaghettini bolognese is an easy dish to duplicate at home.  The nice thing about a bolognese sauce is it takes few ingredients.  You could easily base it on condensed soup if desired. 
amounts of celery, carrot and onion. Prosciutto, mortadella, or porcini fresh mushrooms when in season may be added to the ragù to further enrich the sauce. Milk is frequently used in the early stages of cooking to render the meat flavours more delicate but cream is very rare in the everyday recipe and only a very little would be used. According to Marcella Hazan in "The Classic Italian Cookbook", the longer Ragù alla Bolognese cooks the better; a 5- or 6-hour simmer is not unusual.[2]

The people of Bologna traditionally serve their famous ragù with freshly made tagliatelle (tagliatelle alla bolognese) and their traditionally green lasagne. It should be noted that the Italians do not pair Ragù alla Bolognese with the pasta shape spaghetti. Wider shaped pasta are thought to hold up to the heavy sauce better.

Italian Wedding Soup

Niagara Falls being a tourist area offers ample dining attractions.  We ate at East Side Mario's on Fallsview Ave in Niagara Falls during our recent visit.   East Side Mario's is a chain restaurant featuring Italian cuisine.  The average entrée costs under $20 but includes soup or salad (all you can eat) as well as fresh baked bread.  The atmosphere is quite lovely.  During our visit we found the food to be average and the service lacking.

My husband ordered the Italian wedding soup rather than salad as a starter.  Italian wedding soup is an Italian-American consisting of green vegetables, meat and pasta, quite often spinach, endive, escarole, cabbage, lettuce, or kale in a chicken based broth.  It is popular in the United States.  The meat is usually in the form of small meatballs.


The term wedding soup is derived from the mistransation of minestra mariata, the term for married soup.  However, the term married soup actually means green vegetables and meat go well together.  There are ready-to-serve cans of Italian wedding soup on the market but in all honesty, this is an extremely easy soup to make from scratch.  The soup does freeze nicely and if you are a home canner, it could be canned for convenience without all the added preservatives as well as believe it or not high fructose corn syrup. 

Coco's in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Canada

I have been fascinated with cooking outdoors as long as I can remember.  My Mom had a clunky old charcoal grill that whe would wheel out once in awhile.  After she got sick, the grill never came out.  One of the first purchases we made as newlyweds was a hibachi followed quickly by a charcoal grill just like my Mom's.  I fondly remember our first propane grill, every grill we've had since then, and learning to cooking on an open fire while camping. There really isn't a fuel I haven't used when cooking outdoors.  Our outdoor grill is used year round despite the weather.

We stopped at Coco's in Niagara Fall, Ontario Canada.  Coco's is located at 5339 Murray Street, one block from Fallsview Blvd towards the Falls.  This unique restaurant specialized in wood fired pizza and lamb.  The tantalizing smell of the smokey fire is enough to draw you to the restaurant from a couple of blocks away.  You just can't get better flavour than from a wood fire!  It has two large and quite amazing wood fired pizza ovens as part of their pizza bars.  They are spectacular.  They also have a large, custom made wood fired pit for barbecuing lamb.  The main draw really is eating outdoors on one of their patios while being enveloped in the wonderful smokey atmosphere created by the wood burning ovens and grill.

We love pig roasts and up to the last couple of years we were able to rent a pig roaster.  Well, renting pig roasters for whatever reason is not possible anymore.  I want a pig roaster!  It is really the only way to do a pig. 

Coco's had the most amazing roaster set-up.  Granted they were roasting a lamb rather than a pig but I hear they roast pig as well.   I think I got enough pictures to duplicate it.  The roaster was about six feet long, stainless steel, wood fired and equipped with a rotisserie spit.  There was a drip pan which is something not normally used with pig roasters.  This set-up gives me a good idea as to how to set-up  a roaster at our new house. 

Coco's has two wood fired pizza ovens, one for each of their pizza bars.  These were quite elabourate with colourful ceramic tile designs on the outside.  I'm not kidding, I would love to have one of these!  I am going to be looking online for building plans.  I think this design would be great for baking bread in as well. 

Wood fire imparts a unique flavour to any food being cooked.  You can bet we will be incorporating outdoor wood cooking into our new home even if we can't go a large as this outdoor wood fired oven.  Watch for that adventure coming soon as our house is officially SOLD!

Margaritaville in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada has long been one of our favourite weekend get-away destinations.  We particularly love visiting Niagara Falls during the winter months.  Niagara Falls is impressive anytime but it takes on a whole new persona with the frozen mist in January. 

My husband is a mega huge Jimmy Buffet fan!  That translates into enjoying the Jimmy Buffet restaurant chain, Margaritaville to enjoy great food while listening to great music whenever we get the chance.  Margaritaville in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is located on the corner Murray Street and Fallsview Blvd, less than a 5 minute walk from the casino.

Margaritaville is a wonderful place to while away a bit of time.  Their service is excellent, their food is quite good and the atmosphere is...well...Jimmy Buffet!  There is a bar, lower main dining area, a rooftop patio, an outdoor patio and gift shop.  

Niagara Falls is very much a tourist area which is reflected in restaurants available as well as the price per meal.  Expect to pay $25 or more per person for dinner in most restaurants.  Appetizers are in the $12 plus price range for any restaurant within walking distance of the Falls.  Many of the restaurants have outdoor eating areas, some with entertainment.  Most of them are 'kid friendly' with kids' menus and colouring pages.  The outdoor patios provide a great people watching spot while relaxing with drinks, pub grub style food or the main meal.  Be warned that during the warm summer months there will be waiting times at all of the restaurants near the Falls.

We stopped at Margaritaville shortly after arriving in Niagara Falls then meeting up with our friend with young daughter.  We ordered drinks, appetizers and I had a Caesar salad.  My husband had the seafood quesadilla ($12.25) consisting of tortilla shells stuffed with a shrimp, scallops and crab with a creamy spinach three cheese filling served on a bed of fresh tortilla chips, sour cream and guacamole.  I really liked the presentation!

The sour cream and guacamole was formed using a scoop.  The quesadilla was topped with colourful pieces of red pepper and green onion.  This would be a very easy dish to duplicate at home.  I tasted the filling so have a bit of a guideline to work with for a clone recipe.  I would omit the hard tortilla bed even though it does add visual appeal or I would leave them but add a side of salsa.  I will be experimenting with this dish as I think it would be excellent for our vacation home menu.