Easy Christmas Recipes

Spicy food fan Prime Minister Harper pumps mom's lasagna with Mexican flair

VANCOUVER — A refreshing berry smoothie is a Mother's Day breakfast wish for the prime minister's wife, and Laureen Harper hopes it will be on the menu when her kids cook for her on the big day.

But when it comes to more savoury fare, it's Prime Minister Stephen Harper who has created a version of his mother's hearty lasagna by pumping it with Mexican-style heat that includes pickled jalapeno peppers and salsa.

"It's his variation of the popular dish," says Laureen Harper, whose own affection for the hot stuff led to her signature salsa recipe.

"The hotter the better," she says in an email from the campaign trail as she provides recipes for the salsa and the Mexican Lasagna to The Canadian Press.

Harper says the prime minister is such a fan of spicy cuisine that he has up to 30 hot sauces in the kitchen at any given time and that every year she tucks some in his Christmas stocking.

The Harpers, along with NDP Leader Jack Layton, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, shared some family recipes in honour of Mother's Day. Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe's staff did not provide any recipes or comments.

This Mother's Day, 11-year-old Rachel Harper, who's been dubbed a chef extraordinaire, and her 15-year-old brother Ben will take the reins in the kitchen when it comes to breakfast for mom.

Laureen Harper says the first meal her children made for her as youngsters was toast and applesauce.

"The kids made sure I ate all of it."

She says the prime minister's most cherished Mother's Day memory is making cards for his mom with younger brothers Grant and Robert when the family lived in the Toronto neighbourhood of Leaside.

The family later moved to Calgary, where Margaret Harper still lives.

As for NDP Leader Jack Layton, this year's Mother's Day family gathering, the first Sunday after the May 2 election, will be an "upbeat, celebratory brunch or dinner" with his mom Doris Steeves and wife Olivia Chow.

"It will be the pre-celebration of (Mum's) upcoming 85th birthday," Layton says. "We usually let her pick her favourite restaurant around Toronto."

"Mum spends winter in Florida and will come back to her apartment in Mississauga the day before Mother's Day."

Layton's favourite childhood recipe is for gumdrop cake, which was handed down through several generations to his grandmother, Constance Steeves.

She made the special treat when Layton and his younger siblings Nancy, Robert and David visited her in Brome Lake in the Eastern Townships of Quebec before moving to Hudson, Que., where Layton grew up.

healthy recipes, healthy appetizers, bruchetta, easy bruchetta ...

Simply just cut the tomatoes in small chunks, dice the onions into small pieces, and shred the basil leaves. Throw all of that into a bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and garlic powder, and a few shakes of oregano. Mix it all together and serve with sliced day old baguette bread.

This can also be served with chips or veggies. You can also put this mixture on top of the bread and place a small piece of provolone on top and broil it until the cheese it melted.

This honestly takes a few minutes and people rave about it! This simple and healthy dish would be a great addition to your Easter menu this week or to your Mother’s Day brunch in a few weeks.

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