Blackened Burgers On The Big Green Egg

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Updated January 26, 2026

With the long weekend starting in several hours, I wanted to share one more Big Green Egg recipe with you that my family loved.

Last weekend, I tried out Bobby Flay‘s recipe for blackened burgers with pepper jack and remoulade.

Burgers are always a hit in our house, and this recipe added in one of my favourite flavours – heat.

The blackened aspect of the burger is explained in Bobby Flay’s cook book, Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction, as doing it Louisiana style in a cast iron grill on high heat.

Good thing I have a cast-iron grill because it worked like a charm.

Basically, you make up a dry rub and put it on the side of the burger. Put it in the pan on very high heat and sear the meat so it has that black and charred crust that adds so much flavour.

Radio Ga Ga? Talking About Dad’s Life On CBC’s Maritime Noon

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When I first moved to Nova Scotia several years ago, one of the first things I watched on TV was the supper time news on CBC. At the time, the host was Norma Lee MacLeod. She was filling in for the regular anchor, who was away at the time.

It was a small part of my transition from Ontario. Watching the news and getting an idea of where I was and what was happening.

As the years went on, Norma Lee moved on to other avenues at CBC and eventually landed on the radio doing a lunch time show called Maritime Noon.

I have listened to it before and it was always good background noise while eating.

Since being a stay-at-home-dad, “Marnoon”, as we call it, has become a staple in our house while I feed the baby and try to have a bite of my own.

So, how cool was it when one of the producers of Maritime Noon contacted me to be on a show about stay-at-home-dads and what the life style was like.

Really? I was going to be on the show that I listen to every day regardless of the topic?

I was more than excited.

Why I Wanted To Take Paternity Leave

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A classic post from when I was staying home with one of my sons. Just one of the many parenting stories I share on this blog. Please enjoy.

As I enter the fifth month of my paternity leave, I wanted to answer a question that is pretty common when I tell people I chose to stay home with our baby boy.

The question, Why did you want to take paternity leave in the first place?

When I am asked this question, it always has this amazed and surprised tone to it. As if I was tricked into staying home with the baby.

Did I lose a bet? Did I draw the short straw? Or did my wife just really want to get the hell out of the house and back to work?

None of these were true.

Parental Leave Is Starting To Get That Sunday Night Feeling

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Don’t be confused, that’s not Charlie. I just like the photo. 

If you have ever worked the usual Monday to Friday grind, you know what it feels like on a Sunday night.

You are bummed the weekend is over.

You have a lot on your mind as you get ready for the new week.

You wish it would all just slow down a bit.

That is how my current run of parental leave is starting to feel.

Now before you start giving me grief about feeling bad that a 6-month run of being away from work is coming to an end, I get it.

I am a lucky guy to be experiencing this journey with my baby boy. I am not looking for sympathy. I am just starting to get that feeling that it is all starting to slip away, and at a very fast pace.

It seems like yesterday that is was April and I was just getting my feet wet.

With August coming to an end, everything is starting to feel like a Sunday night.

Off To The Movies With Dad – Planes

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This weekend, I got to do something very cool. I got to take our 3-year old son to see his first movie theatre, big screen, big popcorn, holy crap this is an awesome movie.

We went to see Planes.

Ever since I showed him the movie trailer a few weeks ago, his life has been all about planes.

Building planes with Lego, reading books about planes and even pretending to be a plane.

The movie was a can’t miss.

First Rule Of Dad’s Club – Don’t Forget The Diaper Bag

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This is a post I did for HRM Parent that originally ran on August 13th.

A Dad’s Life: Diaper Bags!

Forget American Express, as a Dad of young kids, you should never leave home without a diaper bag.

Don’t assume it is packed already. Don’t assume that Mom put it in the car. Don’t assume that your wonderful little guy or gal won’t take the opportunity to make you wish you remembered.

It will all come crashing down without one of the most important accessories a parent has.

I am sure we have all been there. Out of the house with the kids and an accident strikes, usually of the smelly and messy variety.

Where are the extra diapers? Oh, no biggie they are probably in the diaper bag where your better half so smartly keeps them.

Wait, where is the diaper bag? Yep, on the table by the door at home.

Like A Dad’s Photos Of The Week – August 16

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I love taking pictures. Whether it is of my kids, grilled meat or anything else that catches my eye.

Every Friday, we will be wrapping up the week with the best of the photos added to Like A Dad’s Instagram page.

The last week went by so fast, that I don’t even think I took that many snaps. Regardless, there are always some worth sharing.

Here are some of the best photos I posted to Instagram this week.

Former Iron Chef Winner Likes My Cooking

The timing could not have been better. It was just the other day that we watched the finale of season 9 of Food Network Star, which ended up being won by Damaris Phillips.

One of the other contestants, who was an early favourite to win, was Viet Pham.

His claim to fame besides his restaurant in Utah (Forage), is that he beat Bobby Fley on Iron Chef America. That is a huge accomplishment to put on the resume.

So, the guy knows food.