Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, February 06 2012 06:17
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Many of you know that I won a Mommy Makeover from www.vancouvermom.ca that I am super excited about. What you may not know is that last July I also won a set of eyelash extensions on Twitter from Queen Bee Spa. I hadn't claimed them when I won the makeover in November so I asked Emily if I could have them done at the same time as my makeover. She agreed and asked if she could also give me a facial, eyebrow shaping and tinting and a manicure? Ummm.....YES!! :) Here's a link to her blog post and below is my write up of my day with her as well as before and after pictures.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Friday, January 06 2012 08:11
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January 2012 - Tip of the Month
Swiss meringue buttercream is decadent and versatile and just so much smoother than traditional American icing. It's not difficult to make and it freezes well so make a big batch and have it on hand to flavour as you choose and frost up a batch of cupcakes in a flash.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Saturday, December 10 2011 23:32
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December 2011 - Tip of the Month
A gluten-free Christmas doesn't have to be a boring one. Make it easy by choosing recipes that don't call for flour.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Friday, November 18 2011 17:22
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I had such a great day! I went to Maple Ridge with my mom and we met and enjoyed the wares of three small food businesses.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Wednesday, November 09 2011 05:50
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For the best pies and tarts, you need very cold pastry and a very hot oven.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Saturday, October 22 2011 06:06
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Written by Tina Bacon
Saturday, October 22 2011 03:58
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I love biscuits! Especially the kind that rise up tall and you can slather each layer in butter and peel it off to slather more butter on the next. Comfort...
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Written by Tina Bacon
Sunday, October 09 2011 20:57
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 The new Save On Foods in Abbotsford opened this week and I finally got a chance to pop by after church this morning. The Pink Spatula has been included in their "Choose Local" display at the front of the store. There's lots of other great products created by small companies in BC so be sure to stop and take a look. Kudos to Save On for making the effort to support local food producers.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Sunday, October 09 2011 06:02
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The wonders of social media. :) I followed Pastry and Baking North America magazine (@PastryBakingMag) on Twitter. They took a look at my website and decided they liked what they saw so they asked if I would like to submit a recipe to be included in the Regional Showcase in their upcoming edition. That was an easy decision! I'm honoured to have been included. Here's some photos.
 
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Written by Tina Bacon
Sunday, September 25 2011 23:22
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Swoon-Worthy Hot Chocolate
First, make this amazing sauce from Demolition Desserts by Elizabeth Falkner:
Dark Chocolate Sauce
4 oz (112 grams or about 2/3 cup) chopped dark or milk chocolate
½ cup (4 oz) heavy cream
2 Tablespoons (1½ oz) corn syrup
3 Tablespoons (½ oz) cocoa powder
¼ cup (2 oz) water
2 Tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Place chopped chocolate in a small metal bowl. In a small pot stir together cream and corn syrup over medium-low heat until it’s hot & steamy but not boiling, bubbles will appear around the edges of the pan. Pour hot liquid over chocolate & cover bowl loosely for 1 minute. Whisk until smooth.
In another small pot, whisk together cocoa and water. Continue to whisk over medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Pour over chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add the butter and salt and whisk till melted and sauce is smooth. Use right away or refrigerate for 1 week. After chilling, reheat gently & stir to soften back into a sauce.
Second, heat 1 cup of milk per serving just until hot and steamy, not boiling. Stir in 1/4 cup of sauce per serving until melted and smooth. Top with a Pink Spatula marshmallow and prepare to visit your happy place. Enjoy!
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, September 19 2011 20:04
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Holiday Spice Sweet Potatoes
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons agave syrup or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper6 small sweet potatoes, 6 oz or so5 Pink Spatula Holiday Spice marshmallows, cut into quarters
Cream together first 7 ingredients until smooth. (Can be prepared one week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using)
Preheat oven to 350F. Wash sweet potatoes and dry. Using a small sharp knife make a 1/2" deep cut lengthwise down the show side of the sweet potato, leaving about 1" uncut at each end. Rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet until flesh is tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to touch, squeeze ends towards the center to expose flesh. Loosen the flesh a bit with a fork. Top with about 1 teaspoon of the prepared butter and 3 small cubes of marshmallow. Return to the oven and broil until melted and golden, 1 - 2 minutes. Enjoy!
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, September 19 2011 18:25
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Irish Cream Latte
1 shot espresso2 shots Irish Cream, I use Bailey'ssteamed milk1 Pink Spatula Irish Cream marshmallow
Into your favourite mug pour espresso and Irish Cream. Fill with steamed milkand top with Irish Cream marshmallow. Allow to melt a bit before serving. Enjoy!
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, September 12 2011 16:20
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Summer flew by and I know Fall will do the same. Before you know it holiday preparations will be in full gear. With that in mind, a friend of mine has been experimenting with mincemeat. I'm not a huge fan of traditional mincemeat but years ago in an old 1995 Canadian Living magazine I found a recipe for Cranberry Apple Mincemeat and I love it! It's great combination of textures, bright flavour and beautiful red colour make it a definite must-have on your Christmas baking list. It's great in tarts but also try spreading it over baked Brie or thinning it with a bit more apple juice to make a great sauce for a simple pound cake. Make it now and freeze it until the holidays arrive or put it in pretty jars for a great hostess gift.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Wednesday, September 07 2011 03:47
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Chocolate chip cookies.... make your favourite recipe even better by using the best ingredients.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Wednesday, September 07 2011 02:37
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Cherrios is a popular breakfast cereal with our kids but there's really not much to it and they're hungry in about an hour. We've tried a few alternatives and this super easy recipe, inspired by one of Alton Brown's, has become a favourite at our house. You will need a small 8-cup slow cooker (which you can buy for about $14 at the grocery store) and you must use steel cut oats. If you use rolled oats you'll end up with oatmeal paste. I put it together just before I go to bed.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, August 22 2011 06:08
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 Peanut Butter Ripple S’mores
2 digestive biscuits
1 square Lindt 50% dark chocolate
1 Peanut Butter Ripple Marshmallow
Lay out one digestive biscuit bottom-side up and place the chocolate on top. Put the marshmallow on a metal skewer and carefully toast over a campfire, BBQ or with a propane torch. Immediately place on top of the chocolate square and gently press another digestive biscuit on top. Allow to cool slightly before eating.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, August 22 2011 05:44
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 Toasted Coconut Ambrosia
½ cup (4 oz) whipping cream
1 tablespoon (½ oz) sugar
½ cup (4 oz) sour cream
1 pkg Toasted Coconut Marshmallows
½ cup (2 ¼ oz) toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup chopped orange segments
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1 cup pitted and halved cherries
In large bowl, whisk cream and sugar till stiff peaks form. Whisk in sour cream. Chop marshmallows into four pieces each. Add to cream with rest of ingredients. Gently fold to combine. Transfer to a glass bowl. Chill for 2 hours prior to serving.
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Written by Tina Bacon
Monday, August 08 2011 00:00
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Lavender is being harvested this month. Try it with sweets and savouries.
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