If only gift giving could be as simple as picking something from the "under $30" section of Heart of the Home. Oh, wait. It can! We’ve curated a small collection of items all under $30.00 that will please everyone from the novice baker, to the life-long chef.  Be sure to stop by the store where we have helped make holiday shopping easy for you, by organizing some of our favourite gifts into themed shelves perfect for all price-points and budgets!

These are only the highlights:

Moscow Mule Mugs 
The Moscow Mule cocktail is traditionally served in a copper mug. The nickel and copper plated body helps to keep your drinks colder for longer, while the handle makes the mug easy to hold. Although the mug was originally dubbed for the Moscow Mule drink, it is suitable for any icy drink alcoholic or non-alcoholic, anything will do.

Paddywax Prism Candles
This holiday spin on Paddywax's Prism collection has all the fun of glitter without any of the mess! Keep the party going all night long with mercury glass vessels filled with wintry fragrances. Each candle is topped with a cork lid and festive hang tag. You'll want to give these playful candles to everyone you know, whether they've been naughty or nice!

​Fred and Friends Bottled Up Decanter - Booze
Lift your spirits with a distinctly different decanter. Each 1000 ml / 34 oz BOTTLED UP decanter is made of hand-blown laboratory glass with mirror-finish gold lettering. Four handsome styles to choose from.

Wine Glass Writers
A modern alternative to the wine glass charm, this 3-pack of Wine Glass Writer Markers will help you keep track of wine glasses at your next dinner party. The non-toxic ink dries in 1-3 minutes, and it washes off with soapy water after the party's over

Measuring Wine Glasses
Fred enthusiastically endorses that famous comment often attributed to Julia Child: "I enjoy cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food." So he's designed a new kitchen tool no cook should be without - crystal stemware that measures in both cups and sips. It matters not whether the wine is destined for the chef or for the pan, you'll be prepared! Sauced is a 12-ounce lead-free-crystal all-purpose wine glass, accurately marked in 1/4 cups and 2-ounce sips.

Car and Camper salt and pepper shakers
Make a wonderful addition to your table, especially during the holiday season.

Moscow Mule Tea Towel
The perfect addition to every bar! Follow the Moscow Mule recipe right there on the tea towel!

Adventure Flask
A flask that is ready to accompany you on all of your adventures!
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Kikkerland Flexible Tablet Holder
This flexible gooseneck holder clips on to your desk with a super strong clamp and holds your tablet device for easy, hands-free viewing. Great for viewing photos/videos; video chat; cooking; travel and GPS; watching movies and TV; and more. Fits tablets 5.1" to 8" wide (not included). Minimal assembly required; instructions included.

Mighty Fine Milk Chocolate Honeycomb Dips
These light and crisp honeycomb, made with honey, covered in smooth and creamy Belgian milk chocolate are gluten free, vegetarian and absolutely delicious. 

Topi Designer Toilet Paper
Add a little colour to any situation with these hilarious toilet paper designs. 

SugarSin Dry Gin Fizz Gourmet Cocktail Gummies
These unique, cocktail inspired gourmet gummies are infused with real gin, blended with lemon and topped with sweet and sour sugary fizz. We also have them in Prosecco flavour!

Fa la la la Llama Napkins
These white paper cocktail napkins add a little fa la la to your table setting.

​Molly & Rex You Filthy Animal Soap
"It’s a jungle out there. Lather up like the beast you are with this 3.5 ounce clove scented soap bar, paper-wrapped and sealed with a sticker in a gold foil-embellished box."

Wendy Tancock Canadian Mugs
Toronto based designer/illustrator, Wendy Tancock specializes in Canadian themed cards, prints and t-shirts. Her designs are equally beautiful as they are hilarious!

Good measure Drink Recipe Measuring Glasses
Mix it up with good measure! With a variety of recipes these glasses are are printed with deletable cocktail recipes that are sure to turn you into the mixologist you've always dreamed of being. 

Serves: 4 | Preparation: 15 mins | Cooking time: 45 mins

Tools Needed

• Cast Iron Skillet 
• Stainless Steel Skillet 
• Meat Thermometer 
• Meat Tenderizer
• Parchment Paper 

Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 2 cups mushrooms roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic diced
• 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
• 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
• 2 cups baby spinach chopped
• 1/2 box boursin cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE PORK

• 2 lbs pork tenderloin or two smaller ones
• 8-10 slices proscuitto

Instructions
THE FILLING

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and mushrooms and stir till they start to brown.  Add the garlic, herbs and spinach.  Saute until the spinach wilts and everything is combined well.  Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely.  Add the boursin cheese and stir to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

MAKE THE TENDERLOIN

1. First make sure to take the silver skin off the tenderloin (see notes).  Lay out a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap.  Place the tenderloin on top and pound it out until it is about an inch thick all around.  An empty wine bottle works great for this! 
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.   
3. On another piece of parchment or plastic wrap, lay out your prosciutto so that they are touching each other or slightly over lapping.  Lay the tenderloin on top.  If you have two pieces of tenderloin, lay them very close together.  
4. Spread the filling out in the middle of the pork but leaving a couple inches all around the outside.  Then take the edge of one side of the pork and lift the parchment or wrap and use it to roll the pork up like a pinwheel.   Make it as tight as you can.  
5. Place the rolled up tenderloin in an oven proof skillet (we like cast iron) and tuck both ends in under neath the roll.  Add a few mushrooms or onions and some herbs if you like, stick a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the pork and throw it in the oven. 
6. Roast until the meat thermometer reaches 137 degrees.  About 35 mins.   If your prosciutto isn't browned nicely, pull it out of the oven for a min and turn on your broiler.  When the broiler is hot, slide the pork back in and broil until the prosciutto browns.  Be careful to watch closely so it doesn't burn. 
7. Cover, and let the roasted pork rest for 5 - 10 mins before slicing and serving.
   
   
   ​Recipe Courtesy of Cooks With Cocktails 
   
   

We LOVE charcuterie boards. They are a crowd pleaser and SO easy to make! Pick your favourite meats, any cheeses of your choice, toss on some olives, pickles, crackers, apples, grapes and anything else your heart desires. And as an added touch, make little signs to mark what each item is. 

We'll say it, drinking plain water is boring. Amp it up with a bit of infusion fun! Much like the charcuterie board you can add what ever you'd like to your water. Below are a few of our favourite mixtures:

• Strawberries, lemon, and basil
• Cucumber and Mint 
• Pineapple and Coconut

Just because you are having an outdoor party doesn't mean you have to go out and purchase 100 red solo cups. But you also don't need reach for your expensive glass wares. Pick acrylic or plastic in a fun colour and style to amp up your table scape, and keep your expensive glass ware from getting broken. 

​We like to mix up our seating options for two reasons: The first is to create different spaces for your guests to mix and mingle. The second is because it's more comfortable and looks so much nicer than spreading out a bunch of lawn chairs on the grass.

• Create a cozy spot with blankets, cushions and outdoor pillows
• Decorate a picnic table with fun tapestries and a centre piece 
• Create a living room type feel with your rattan wicker sofa set

Spice up the space with colurful tables cloths, napkins, pillows and blankets. Don't worry about following a specific colour scheme just have fun with it! This will create a more home-y, comfortable feeling. 

We love to set up a little "help yourself" kind of bar situation. Include cups, straws, ice, punch and alocholic and non alcoholic options. It's always nice to provide coffee and tea to help warm up and wake up your guests during the later hours 

End off the alfresco evening perfectly with smores around the fire while you stargaze! Bonus - if you want to provide your guests with a little takeaway, take 1 giant graham cracker, 1 large marshmallow and a few peices of chocolate, wrap them in cellophane and tie it in a bow. Add a a little tag that says "S'more for Later" and hand them out as your guests depart!
 
Head over to Heart of the Home for all of your outdoor entertaining needs! 
Come over! We're Open: 
Monday - Saturday: 10am-5:30pm
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
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Hit it out of the park this father's day with a gift that is absolutely perfect your dad!

Every year, we find that shopping for Father's Day is either extremely easy or ridiculously difficult. Dad will never tell you what he actually wants so it becomes a giant guessing game. This year, we've made Father's Day gift shopping easy by providing with a gift guide of things every dad will love. 

Has your dad been watching a ton of the Food Network lately? Maybe, you've noticed that he's pulling out some new fancy moves -  a la Chef Gordon Ramsay? 

Why not get him putting those new skills to work by giving him a gift that keeps on giving? The Epicurean hexagon cutting board and board butter, and Zwilling 8" professional chef's knife are perfect for any inexperienced and veteran chefs alike. 

If your dad's favourite thing to cook is a classic grilled cheese sandwich, help him up his game with the "Grilled Cheese and Beer" cook book which is fill with simple, delicious, hoppy recipes. Happy hour just got a lot more tasty! 

Upgrade your dad's favourite - whiskey on the rocks - with whiskey stones and glasses that will be the perfect addition to his liquor cabinet. 

Your dad is a grill master. In fact no one loves grilling as much as he does. Set him up for success with everything he needs for all of his grilling endeavours. From beer can chicken and perfectly glazed steaks all the way to grilled beef tenderloin with fire-roasted red pepper and goat's cheese.

image: ​http://www.thymes.com/Blog/Introducing-Neroli-Sol/

For the mom who loves her furry friends, pick up an adorable piece or two from Wrendale Designs. Add a splash of the British countryside to your mom's kitchen with the charming hand-painted fine bone china tableware, cutlery and giftware. The perfect addition to every animal lovers home!

For the Mom who seems to have it all, we bet she's still missing a few key pieces in her kitchen! Does she have a microplane classic series zester/grater? Does she chop her garlic rather than use an Epicurean garlic press? Read our 10 Must Have Kitchen Tools blog and make sure your Mom has everything on the list! 

Ah... mastering the art of pancake making. It's a simple recipe but creating the perfect pancake certainly doesn't come easy! It's taken me years to master the perfect shape, fluffy-ness and texture and this recipe is my all time favourite. 

​Enjoy!

​-Katryna 

Old-Fashioned Fluffy Pancakes 

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of Butter Milk
• 1/4 Cup of Oil
• 1 3/4 Cups of Flour 
• 2 Tablespoons of Sugar 
• 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder 
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt 

Instructions 

1. Beat together the eggs, buttermilk and oil.
2. Slowly add in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt
3. Pour batter onto hot pan - set to medium/low heat
4. Wait until you see bubbles coming to the surface than flip
5. Cook for another 3-4 minutes
6. Take off and place on a serving tray
7. Continue steps 3-6 until all the batter has been used
   

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*Feel free to make the pancakes as big or small as you please 

Support Local
Supporting local has become a regular, everyday thing for most Edmontonians. We feel so lucky to a part of such a strong community of local businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs and fully understand both the environmental and economical necessity of supporting these local entities.
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The food and products that you bring into your kitchen, and home are just as important as every gadget and appliance that you own. That is why we urge you to purchase local whenever you can. With local farmers markets such as the City Market (on 104th street in the summer, and in city hall in the winter) and 124th street Grand Market, you are able to purchase food and goods that have come direct from a local farm or grower. On top of less transportation pollution, purchasing local foods means you are ingesting products that are devoid of preservatives, biocides and many other chemicals that can be found in conventional foods.