I am excited to be part of this great event. Who says shopping isn't good for your health?!

Please join me at the first ever Affair of the Heart shopping night at Sherway Gardens, to be held on Sunday, November 1, 2009.

Affair of the Heart is a fashionable evening in support of women’s heart health. From 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., more than 1,200 guests will have the unique opportunity to gain after-hours access to Sherway Gardens – just in time for the busy holiday season. While getting a jump start on your gift buying, you can sip on a glass of wine, snack on some heart-healthy appetizers and take advantage of exclusive retailer discounts, ranging from 15-40% off!

You will also have the opportunity to win a Grand Prize Draw for a $2,500 shopping spree with a personal shopper at Sherway Gardens. To qualify for a free ticket in the draw, you must make a purchase from at least three Sherway Gardens retailers (additional tickets may be purchased as desired).

Proceeds from the evening will be used to purchase life-saving equipment for the Cardiology Department at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Tickets are only $75 each, but quantity is limited. More event details can be found at http://www.affairoftheheart.ca/.

I encourage you to buy a ticket for yourself, for your spouse or for both of you. And please send the link to your family and friends so you can turn the evening into a fun group activity!

You’ve got to shop anyway…so why not have a little fun while you’re doing it. Hope to see you there!

As a great Australian saying goes, my two sons are like chalk and cheese. Completely different in likes, dislikes, tastes and habits. Differences are certainly what make the world interesting but sometimes it can be a bit challenging at meal times. My oldest son, who is 8, has a palette like a European; the more savoury and spicier the better. He’s the one diving into the appetizers meant for adults and wolfing down the wasabi peas. I recently overheard him asking his friends what their favourite foods are. Most came back with pizza, pasta and bread where as he shot back with sushi and sashimi and then proceeded to describe every minute detail of it such as seaweed, raw fish, eel and fish eggs! This description was met with gagging noises only boys can perfect but none more choke worthy than my 4 year old son. He falls into the European category too but only so long as it comes with a side of pasta and garlic bread.

My meal philosophy has always been that I will not be a short order cook and as a family we will share one meal, whether you chose to eat it or not is up to you. There may be some nights when the little one goes to bed a bit hungrier than the older one but he never fails to “suffer” through dinner the next night by washing everything down with a big glug of milk. Some parents might consider this cruel but I believe that our kids are born with a fairly flexible palette and it is us as adults who impose certain likes and dislikes on our kids from an early age. In my experience every time an adult tells a child they won’t like a certain food then invariably they don’t. Whereas if you don’t make a big deal of it, keep offering different types of flavours and textures and not get frustrated or give in to the meal demands of a 4 year old, they will eventually open up their minds and their mouths.

It doesn’t happen over night however. For the last few years I have been trying to convince my son that tomatoes are really a fruit and taste sweet. Considering tomatoes are one of my favourite summer foods, I need to get the rest of my family in line with this thinking too!! This year I decided to give my youngest more control over what goes on his plate by having him pick certain vegetables to grow in a container gardens. Cherry Tomatoes which are perfect for containers were a natural choice but we have had great success also with mini cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, baby celery and green bunching onions. All small enough to grow in a few pots on the deck and easy enough for the kids to maintain. They have had a ball watching the plants develop from buds to flowers to vegetables. And they seem to be enjoying the “fruits” of their labour. The other day I spied out of the corner of my eye my 4 year old picking a baby celery stalk out of the pot and munching away on it. Never mind he probably got a bit of dirt and grit in his teeth but he did it by his own doing and not my nagging.

So although the cherry tomatoes are still being enjoyed more by the raccoons and myself than the kids, they are at least involved in their food choices from picking out the types and varieties to how their appear on their plate.

It’s not too late to plant a few veggies in a small pot and get your kids involved – they might just surprise you!

Here’s a cool sandwich idea that satisfies the sushi lover and the non-sushi lover in my family and makes the most of our mini cucumbers we are growing.

Cucumber Rice Sandwiches
Preparation Time: 20 minutes + at least 2 hours refrigeration (up to 24 hours)
Cooking Time: 30 minutes


Makes 32

Ingredients:
· 4 cups cooked warm sushi rice
· 2 ½ tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ cup cream cheese, room temperature
· ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
· 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Line a square glass baking dish with plastic wrap. Toss warm rice with vinegar and salt in large bowl. Firmly press half into dish. Spread with ¼ cup cream cheese. Layer half the cucumber slices on top, overlapping. Repeat. Cover with plastic; top with a weighted baking dish. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Lift out; transfer to cutting board. Cut into small rectangles. Dip 1 short and 1 long side of each sandwich in sesame seeds. Serve within 4 hours.

Just enjoyed chatting with Deb Bailey at Power Women's Magazine and Radio show on Blog Talk Radio in Arkansas. We were talking about the upcoming holidays for entertaining tips and so much more! Frightening thought that we are already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas!! www.blogtalkradio/powerwomenmag.com

Attention all tired parents! You can still entertain like you used to!

Mary Luz Mejia of Suite101.com recently interviewed me for my take on entertaining as a busy parent. Check out How Tired Parents Can Entertain

Had a blast this morning appearing on CityTV Breakfast Television. Talked about my new eBook The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet and demonstrated some great cocktails and easy appetizer tips. Tough gig getting up at 5am but well worth it judging from the traffic coming through my websites. Thanks for the support everyone!

Sitting in cottage country trying to figure out what I am going to buy for my friend who just had her 4th baby. NOT buying another cutsie cottage country craft!

Visiting www.marketmomsonline.com Love the fact that they support mostly women in small business! Who doesn't like to shop in the comforts of their own home, glass of wine in one hand, mouse in the other and credit card in full view! Yeah - you go Market Moms Online!

If you haven't checked out Twitter yet what are you waiting for? Surprisingly I love it considering I am not a Facebook fan! www.twitter.com/nadinehughes

Response has been tremendous to the soft launch of my new eBook, "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining."

Look for me on CTStv Real Life with Sharon Caddy on Monday June 23rd at 3pm talking about this great new book and demonstrating one of the recipes. Easy but delicious Tiramisu Affogato.

You can easily purchase the eBook for CAN$7.99 at www.groovemamma.com

No shipping or handling fees and it will be in your inbox within 24 hours!

Have a great day!

Hey all you Groove Mammas!

I'm excited to announce that my new eBook "The Groove Mamma Goes Gourmet - Easy Ways To Put The Fun Back Into Entertaining" is now available for CAN $7.99 at http://www.groovemamma.com/.

Come over to Groove Mamma and check it out. Don't forget to tell me how you got your groove back (or maybe you never lost it!). Would love to hear from you!

Getting excited about the release of my new ebook. This is the week where I'll share with you my entertaining tips and recipes to put the fun back into your parties! Stress free, low preparation with the emphasis on YOU enjoying your own party.

Had a great time at Lifewithkids.ca Step Into Summer event at Jonathon's of Oakville on June 4th. I had the pleasure of being their guest speaker and spoke to the ladies about simple tips to make their summer entertaining even easier this year. Mainstream put on a great fashion show and the food and bubbly were superb!

A few of the ladies looking Superbly Summerlicious!

Noting beats the taste of a fresh home grown tomato but we still have a little while to go in Ontario before ours are at their best. In the meantime, I’ll keep my pantry stocked with cans of San Marzano tomatoes. Considered by many chefs to be the best sauce tomatoes in the world, San Marzano tomatoes have a much stronger, more sweeter and less acidic taste than other canned plum tomatoes. Look for labels with the San Marzano origin and you’ll be in for a treat. A little more expensive but definitely worth the taste.

If you live in the Oakville/Burlington area, you might have seen the signs for Eco Chefs. Set to open in June, Eco Chefs retail stores provide ready to go meals that are made entirely from locally sourced natural food free from preservative chemicals. Menus will change frequently to reflect the seasons. I’ll be checking them out June 10th for a menu tasting but for more information check out their website at www.ecochefs.com

As I write this I am sitting outside in my backyard enjoying my first coffee of the morning. It is one my favourite things to do in the summer but even more so in the month of June. I creep down the stairs past my kids rooms, successfully avoiding the creaky part of the landing, pour myself a cup of coffee, sit on the back deck and collect my thoughts for the day. Not as hot and muggy as the traditional months of summer, June mornings seem to bring together all the right elements for the perfect cup of coffee. The air smells fresh, the grass glistens from the overnight dew, the birds happily chirp away and my coffee tastes better than it ever does. It’s the same coffee mixture I brew 365 days a year but for those 30 days in June, it seems more aromatic, the cup more comfy in my hands and the sense of satisfaction I get from it far greater.

Where and how you eat your food plays an important role in the enjoyment you get out of it. Just like my June coffee mornings, a glass of red wine in front of a crackling fire on a winter night tastes better to me than a glass of white. My kids say that cookies taste the best when I’m swiping their hands away as they sneak them off the just baked tray rather than the cooled ones in the cupboard I have no problem with them having.

The summer will soon be upon us and I vow this year to try and make our meals tastier and more memorable. I’ll spread out the picnic blanket a little more even if it’s only on the living room floor on a rainy day and I’ll take the time to walk out the few steps to the deck to enjoy an afternoon snack even if I think I’m too busy for it.

Think about how your surroundings affect you and how they play a role in your meal times. Conjure up your favourite food memories and try to recreate some of those elements into your everyday. Maybe it’s setting the table with a red and white check table cloth that reminds you of a favourite bistro or as simple as eating a Popsicle on the front step like a kid again.

Growing up, Black Forest Cake was always the cake of choice for our family birthday celebrations. Every time I see or taste the classic flavours, cherry and chocolate, I feel like it’s a birthday celebration! Here is a take on the traditional cake by making it into ice cream brownies. Perfect for a summer treat, a fun birthday dessert or a great picnic addition if packed between ice packs. Enjoy.

Black Forest Ice Cream Sandwiches
Makes about 24 brownies, 12 sandwiches
Preparation Time 30 minutes + 4 hours freezing time
Baking Time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Brownies:
1 cup butter
125g (4 oz)unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
7.5ml (1 ½ tsp) vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Filling:
1.5L (6 cups)burgundy cherry ice cream
90g (3 oz) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup cherry jam

1. Preheat oven to 185C/350F.
2. Line a 17x11 inch jelly-roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Grease lightly.
3. In large saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, mixing until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
5. Bake in centre of oven for about 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack then remove from pan.
6. Soften ice cream slightly. Stir in chocolate and return to freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
7. Trim edges from brownie. Cut in half vertically to make two 10x8 inch rectangles. Spread bottom side of brownie with cherry jam. Spread ice cream evenly over 1 piece. Place second on top, bottom side down. Press lightly. Cut into 12 rectangles by making 3 vertical and 4 horizontal cuts evenly spaced. Wrap each sandwich individually tightly in wax paper or aluminum foil. Freeze until firm about 3 hours. Store in freezer.

When I tell people what it is that I do for a living, the first question they ask is, “Where did you train as a chef?” When I reply that I am self-taught, the second question is almost always, “Did you learn from your mother?” Now if my mother happens to be there at the time, she laughs hysterically and crows, “She never picked up a pot in all her years at home.” I dryly thank my mom for her kind support and remind her that I never had the opportunity to cook or quite frankly the desire to considering I was being raised by one of the best home cooks I know.

Mom always cooked unbelievable meals for us each and every night. Even when she went back to work part time when my sister and I were old enough to be at home after school on our own, we were the lucky recipients of a fully balanced home cooked meal. So although I never helped out in the cooking (why spoil the broth with one too many cooks) I must admit my mother taught me a lot about life in a kitchen because that’s where we spent the majority of our time. My sister and I might not have been cooking but we were putting away groceries, washing vegetables, setting tables, doing the dishes and being the ever important “taster”. And it’s through my ability to taste a dish and determine what I like about it, what I don’t and how to recreate it with my own twist that has served me well over the years.

So this month as Mother’s Day arrives, I thank you mom for all the unofficial and perhaps subconscious lessons that you did teach me that have helped to craft the mom, wife, daughter and cook that I am today.

Salmon Fishcakes with Avocado and Tomato Chutney is one of my mom’s favourite recipes. The addition of smoked salmon to the fresh salmon makes these cakes moist and savoury. To keep the workload light this Mother’s Day, prepare these with store bought Tomato Chutney or if you’re lucky enough, raid your mom’s pantry for her home made one!


Salmon Fishcakes with Avocado & Tomato Chutney
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes + 30 minutes chill time
Cooking Time: 6 minutes
Special Equipment Required: plastic wrap, large non-stick frying pan

Ingredients:
1 bunch coriander
500g salmon fillet, skin removed, pin-boned
200g sliced smoked salmon
100g (1/3 cup) mayonnaise
25g (1/3 cup) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 avocados, cut into small cubes
½ red onion, finely diced
Lemon wedges, to squeeze
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
Tomato chutney and crème fraiche (or sour cream), to serve
1 vine-ripened tomato, seeds removed, finely chopped
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle


1. Wash coriander well. Roughly chop leaves; finely chop stems, then place in a bowl.
2. Thinly slice salmon fillet, then cut both fresh and smoked salmon into thin strips. Place in the bowl with the coriander, then add mayonnaise and breadcrumbs. Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well. Using damp hands, shape into 4 thick patties. Tightly wrap each fishcake in plastic wrap, place on a plate and chill for 30 minutes so they hold their shape.
3. Meanwhile, toss avocado and onion in a bowl. Season and squeeze over a little lemon, then cover and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add fishcakes and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden but still pink in the centre.
5. Carefully remove from the pan and divide among 4 serving plates. Place a spoonful of avocado on each fishcake, then top with tomato chutney and crème fraiche. Scatter with a little fresh tomato, drizzle with the vinegar and extra oil, and serve with lemon wedges.