Denise Pare-Watson

My Dee

We have the unique circumstance in our family of five girls where two of the sisters were born on the same day exactly four years apart. I am one of those two siblings. As a further coincidence, our first names both start with “D” so we are known as “the two Dee’s”. My sister and I have a connection that I would equate to a relationship that twins would experience. This recipe is from ‘My Dee‘. A number of years ago, my sister typed up her best recipes for my birthday, and to this day, every one of them is still a favourite of mine.

My Sweet “Dee”

Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

CHEF TALK: You will find that this recipe will be your go-to recipe when you need to fill the cookie jar, or make cookies for a coffee party or even for the simple reason that it is raining and making something in the oven just seems like a great thing to do. You might find that it ends up being your absolute favourite cookie recipe in your family, too. The combination of oats, wheat germ and coconut are wonderful! Change up the options if you are making the cookies for school by eliminating the nuts and adding sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Yield: Makes 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup coconut (unsweetened)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired

METHOD:

Cream butter, sugars and egg together thoroughly.
Add flour, oats, wheat germ, coconut, baking powder and soda. Mix well.
Stir in raisins, chocolate chips or nuts.
Drop by teaspoons onto lightly greased baking sheets.
Flatten slightly with a floured fork.
Bake at 350^o F. for 12—15 minutes.

You Might Also Like:

Nut Butter and No-Nut Butter Cookies

Coconut Orange Pudding

LEARNING TIPS:

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

Creaming
Parchment Paper
Basic Tools – Scoops for Portioning; The Simple Spatula
Oven Temperature Accuracy
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If you try my recipe for My Dee’s Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Articles about UrbnSpice

By Denise Pare-Watson

Article written for the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor in celebration of Sault Ste. Marie celebrating its “sesquarcentennial” (350th anniversary) as the first permanent European settlement in the central interior of North America.

The article is called “Inspired by the Voyageurs – Yellow Split Pea Soup”, and is featured on pages 13 – 15 of Repast summer edition: https://aadl.org/files/cooks/repast/2018_Summer.pdf

French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup with Crouton Garnish | urbnspice.com

ARTICLES FEATURING URB’N’SPICE AND DENISE PARÉ-WATSON

I have listed here a few of the articles that I have been featured in or have written for publications and newsletters. Writing articles is much like developing a recipe – there is always a sense of accomplishment and pride when the activity is finished.

Chef Profile – Calgary Golf and Country Club

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SAIT Polytechnic Alumni article: SAIT Alumni archives

LINK Magazine | SAIT, Calgary, Alberta, Fall, 2007, page 28

ARTICLES FEATURING DENISE PARÉ-WATSON

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Calgary Herald Best Muffin Contest competition article:

This recipe won the City’s GRAND PRIZE on Calgary Herald’s Best Muffin Recipe. It was created for the General Manager of the Calgary Golf and Country Club, where I worked as their pastry chef. Mr. Sherlock wanted a healthy muffin with lots of fiber, so I created this recipe. It is still being made today at the Golf Club.

Tee-Time Muffin Recipe | urbnspice.com

ARTICLES Written by DENISE PARÉ-WATSON

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Canadian Culinary Federation – Mise En Place Magazine

Page 4 of Winter issue, 2010:

ARTICLES FEATURING URBNSPICE AND DENISE PARÉ-WATSON

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Write for Travel Magazine :

About Carol Ann

Writer, traveller, RVer sharing her travel logs and information.

Craig Bay embraces Chef Denise Paré-Watson

“Wow, you’re a chef!

Vancouver Island’s Chef is embraced by the local residents

“This community is so unique with people from all walks of life and all kinds of professions and they are quite intrigued about my being both a chef and a pastry chef. That has definitely influenced what I am doing,” said Denise Paré-Watson of Urbnspice. Ten years ago people may not have been as interested in her being a chef but things have changed and now she is met with comments such as, “Wow, you’re a chef!”

Both a Culinary Chef and a Pastry Chef, Denise and her banking husband Harold retired from Calgary to Craig Bay in Parksville and absolutely love it. “This community of 426 homes is the most amazing community we have ever lived in,” says Denise. “We lived in many communities with my husband’s bank transfers.”

Retiring to Craig Bay in Parksville, Denise had no definitive plans except one thing. “I did want to write a cookbook when I retired, which I did and it grew from there.” She continued, “We would invite our neighbours in for tastings to obtain feedback for the book and it just exploded.” People became extremely excited and started asking her if she could teach them how to cook if she could run classes or cater a little dinner.

From that one cookbook, she is now building courses, writing books, developing recipes, teaching and working as a chef and pastry chef. “I do offer classes and they are gaining so much in popularity that I must admit semi-retirement seems a bit of a way off yet!”

As a child, Denise and her mother always had a market garden so there was always lovely fresh produce and fruit trees. She learned to do canning at a very young age and with her education and extensive skills she combined it all into what she is doing with her jams, chutneys and her gourmet items she sells at local special events. “The community has embraced what I am doing and they are amazing. They will come all year round for replenishment. It has been just lovely being here.”

The cooking classes are held in her kitchen with her husband Harold helping her and from all indications they are a lot of fun. Harold calls himself the ‘kitchen rat’, but he is ever so much more than that! He IS the official sous-chef extraordinaire!

Needing to make some changes Denise, with her husband`s encouragement decided in 1999 to attend the very intense one year chef training program at S.A.I.T. As the top student in her class she received a scholarship so was able to continue her training and added pastry chef to her accomplishments. The decision to take time off from work and train to be a chef has notably changed the direction of her life and she has never looked back.

Denise has written a series of books called `Chocolate Desserts Made Easy and Delicious` with plans for more in the future. She obviously loves what she is doing and the community of Craig Bay in Parksville appreciates what she has to offer. It`s definitely a winning situation. Learn more about Denise and Urbnspice at https://urbnspice.com

Happy travels,

PS: I could never even come close to what Denise has accomplished but my life has been a lot easier in the kitchen since we purchased our Kitchen Aid Processor. I never thought I needed one until I got it and now I can’t believe I managed without it all these years.

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Vancouver Island Magazine:

“Urb’n’Spice – A Taste of Heart and Home”

Urb’n’Spice was created as an extension of Denise Paré-Watson and the passion that she has for all things culinary. The experience that she has gained in her second career as a chef and pastry chef has provided her with the opportunity to engage in a number of aspects of her field.

Her culinary involvement is as varied as having participated as support member to Culinary Team Alberta in the 2004 Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany; an Advisory member for several culinary and pastry arts Advisory Boards; pastry chef at the prestigious Calgary Golf and Country Club, and today, living on Vancouver Island, she continues to share her passion through food writing, cooking classes, production of specialty artisan chutneys and confitures; and authoring four educational cookbooks on Chocolate Desserts. https://urbnspice.com

Blackberry Curd in Meringue Nests

Have you ever wondered about ………..?

By Denise Pare-Watson

Kids in the Kitchen – I love it, actually. They are such willing little helpers. It all started when my two daughters were very young. The ‘wonder’ in a child’s mind is a beautiful thing. It was my challenge to nurture that curiosity and provide opportunities for them to have sensory experiences both in food and play. One of the questions I would often ask them is, “have you ever wondered about…..?” The answers that they gave me always inspired me to continue asking the same question over and over again.

Making Edible Play Dough with Kids in the Kitchen

Being the curious souls that they were with active minds and adventurous palates, it was always exciting going for a visit to the local greengrocers (Longo’s) to help Mom to shop for “vegables” and “foooots”. It was their special job taking turns each week to help find something new that we had never, ever tried before to buy and bring home.

Beautiful Strawberry tomatoes

The staff at the greengrocers made my task easier, with excellent signage describing each item, how to pick the best one, and how to cook or eat it. The girls enjoyed this responsibility thoroughly. The other highlight of this visit was spending time (lots of time) at the display station where the staff would be busy at work carving fruits and vegetables into flowers, animals, people and other whimsical creatures. The demonstrations captured the attention of my then three and five-year-old. They stood beside me completely mesmerized by the carving talent displayed by the staff together with the other amazed onlookers young and old.

We had some interesting treats (daikon, dragon fruit, star fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, blue potatoes, striped tomatoes, baby vegetables, to name a few) – some were very popular, some not so much. Yet, it was still an experience that we all enjoyed from start to finish. As parents, we always thanked the girls for trying every item with enthusiasm, or for even it giving it a hesitant little nibble.

Have You Ever Wondered About? | urbnspice.com

Gorgeous Purple potatoes

My daughters are now grown. They have developed sophisticated palates, excellent cooking and baking skills and possess the same spirit of adventure they acquired as youngsters when it comes to trying new foods, ideas and recipes. I like to think it had something to do with our “buy it and try it” greengrocers adventures at Longo’s.

Have you welcomed Kids in your Kitchen? What interesting foods have you purchased and investigated? I can give you lots of tips on where to start your Kids in the Kitchen Food Adventures.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN:

Here are a few activities to get you started with Kids in the Kitchen:

Purple Potatoes: Make some Purple Gnocchi

A fun cookie to make with Kiddies: Vanilla Bean Poppers

And here is another fun cookie to make with kiddies: Rainbow Vanilla Bean Poppers

“Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking.

It’s about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity.”

Guy Fieri

Invite Kids into Your Kitchen and enjoy experiencing cooking and baking again through the eyes of a child. Ask them the question, “Have you ever wondered about……? I am excited to hear the answers that they give you.

Happy Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

WTF!!!??? Wonderfully Tasty Foods!

By Denise Pare-Watson

WTF! Wonderfully Tasty Foods – Gotcha!! (What were you thinking?!!)

What can I say? It was my husband’s idea. A creative guy he is – a foodie, a great cook, and a sense of humour to boot.

Since food has been such a significant part of my heritage, one of the clearest things in my recollections are food experiences – some from my childhood, and some very recent. I would like to share these experiences regularly. It is not only the memories of the food experiences, but what surprises me is how acute my senses are when I recall them – the weather, the surroundings, the smells and tastes and sounds.

Of course, there are food traditions that are very important to families. On the other hand, there are many food discoveries yet to happen. The “Bucket List for Foodies”, so to speak. So many memories, so many discoveries, where to begin? I can’t think of a better place to start than this:

Traditional Tourtiere

Wonderfully Tasty Foods: My Mom’s Tourtiere

I have had many versions of Tourtière. Some have been made by professional chefs, colleagues, relatives and friends, but none can compare to “Little Mom’s” tourtière. (More on “Little Mom”).

My Mom’s version is more savoury than traditionally prepared with its sage and poultry seasoning as opposed to the warm spices often used (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice). The aromatic fragrance of the tourtiere mixture simmering away is magical. Even writing about it makes me nostalgic. Although I have adapted the process somewhat to accommodate my “chef-y” way of doing things, I do stick to her recipe and always make enough to share with family and friends, as she traditionally does.

Buche de Tourtiere is perfect for luncheons with a salad

My Mom’s tourtiere became quite famous in a small village in Ontario. Everyone loved her tourtiere when she made them for church or village social events. As a matter of fact, when the ladies of the village church approached her for her recipe to use for fundraising activities, she generously supplied it. We are proud that our Mom’s family recipe for tourtiere made it possible for the small town to raise enough money to rebuild the church hall.

Wonderfully Tasty Foods. Do you have a food memory as vivid as this that you can share?

: Our French Canadian Family loves tourtiere during the holiday season

Gluten Free Tart Shells and Tourtiere Filling

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

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