Feeding: An Addiction

A Shift In Blogs

2011-01-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post...I know it's been a while. I wanted to let you know that I haven't completely abandoned blogging I've just been re-thinking my approach. I've found that I love posting about food and recipes I've been cooking, and wish to continue, but I also have so many other things I want to blog about too. So I am moving to a new blog where I will be blogging about a wider range of topics that interest me like fashion, make up, friends, life and of course food.

Any recipes or food posts will be now incorporated into that blog so if you wish to check it out here's the link: http://gisforgalore.blogspot.com/

Hope you will enjoy this new direction as much as I expect to.

Chocolate Banana Bread

2010-06-09T11:21:00.001-07:00

I don't think I am capable of getting through a bundle of bananas. There always manages to be one or two that start to go before I can get to them. Good thing my freezer is kind enough to keep them ready for future banana bread endeavors.

I really like banana bread. It's probably one of the things I've baked the most. In addition to using up my not-so-ripe bananas, it's also really delicious. Dense bread with moist hunks of banana and maybe a swipe of butter while it's still warm. Oh my...heaven! I have a few go to recipes for a more traditional bread. But my all time favourite is my Chocolate Banana Bread recipe. It makes a really tall and super yummy loaf and usually leaves me with enough batter for some large muffins (pictured in this post) as well.

The key to this bread, for me, is that I replaced the walnuts it called for with white chocolate chips. In my opinion this makes it ten times better. But my opinion always calls for more chocolate, so it can't completely be trusted.

Chocolate Banana Bread

1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk, soured (mix 1 TBSP vinegar with 1 cup milk; let stand 5 minutes)
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.

In a bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in bananas, eggs and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Alternately stir into banana mixture: 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of milk.

Pour into loaf pan, filling it 3/4's of the way full. This bread tends to rise a lot and may overflow if pan is filled to high. Use any left over batter for muffins if you want.

Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

2010-03-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness, I misplaced my camera for a little while so I was unable to capture the food I have been making. Unfortunately that included my blogversary party. I also seem to have a touch of spring fever and would rather be outside then in front of my computer. My blog isn't taking it very well, in fact I think we're fighting. Perhaps these Teriyaki Chicken Wings will cheer it up?

This is yet another recipe that I have acquired from my Mother. It's been around for quite a few years and happens to be one of my Father's favourite dishes. He frequently pulls the bowl, full of sticky delicious wings, in front of him plops one or two on my plate then announces that the rest are for him. With these wings there are never leftovers.

That Mother of mine, she seems to be the master of finding simple and yummy recipes that everyone loves. I've come to the decision that I want to be just like her when I grow up.

I have it on good authority that these wings will be making an appearance at my parents house for dinner this weekend...and I didn't even have to ask for them.

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

3 1/2 lbs Chicken Wings
Oil
2 TBSP Water
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 cup Mild Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 cup Sugar

Cut wings into 3 pieces, discarding the tip. Place into a large skillet and brown in oil.

Add water; cover and steam for 10 - 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine ginger, soy sauce, garlic and sugar. Pour over wings. Cook for 3/4 hour until tender and sauce is thickened.

Makes 6-8 servings (unless you have a very hungry father then you're lucky to get 4)

Winter Fruit Crisp...For Those Cold Sunday Mornings

2010-03-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

I have been busy menu planning for an upcoming dinner party. My little blog is turning one this weekend and I am having some of my friends over to celebrate. I will fill all 7 of you readers in (most of which will be at the dinner but *shrug*) Next week. Meanwhile I wanted to share my fruit crisp with you.

Sometimes all you need is a really good crisp. I mean really, think about it...breakfast, afternoon snack, dessert? When you want something warm, comforting and little sweet that won't immediately make your thoughts stray to the gym to work it off. The answer is fruit crisp.

Well at least MY answer is fruit crisp. I still tell myself that it's completely healthy even if my brown sugar to oats ratio is a little ridiculous. Or the fact that I may occasionally add sugar to the fruit as well...

...or maybe that I add a healthy dollop or two of ice cream, whipped cream or whatever I have on hand to the top of the warm crisp.

Mmmmm....crisp. This particular crisp was just a simple mix of apples, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. I tossed them together in a bowl and put them in a oven proof dish sprinkles some oats, brown sugar and cinnamon on top and baked until warm and gooey. What's simpler then that?

A First Foray Into Fondont

2010-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Everywhere I look lately I see fondont. Blog posts, bakeries, and all over television. For the last little while I've been saying to myself "man I gotta try that!". And after much talking and thinking, I've finally ventured into the wonderful world of fondont. Another thing to check off my to do list.

Kristine (also known as "my brothers girlfriend" but we try to call her by her actual name every now and then) messaged me a little while ago to inform me of a recent purchase of hers. She had scored a really neat cake decorating book that takes you through all the different ways you can work with fondont and gum paste. Naturally it was up to the two of us to test out this book.

We gathered on a Saturday. We stirred, baked, rolled and decorated to our hearts content. And even though my cakes may not have been decorating perfection...I loved them anyway. It probably helped that they were delicious.

A few points that we learned about cake decorating:
1) There is a lot of waiting involved if you do not make your cakes ahead of time. So bake your cake the day before and store in the freezer so you can get right to the decorating part.
2) Kristine likes watching Cake Boss and thus will refer to the crumb coat as "dirty icing".

3) Leftover royal icing does not settle well in your stomach when eaten straight out of the bowl
4) Flour your counter in moderation lest your workstation becomes a winter wonderland
5) When eating your cake keep your fork ready and your eyes on your significant other...they will steal your last bite of cake right out from under your nose the minute you are distracted

6) Cake. Is. Wonderful.

Bread & Butter Pickles...A First Attempt

2010-02-17T23:37:00.000-08:00

I made pickles! And to answer your question...no, that isn't the only thing I've made over the past month. In fact I have plans to barrage you with all the things I have not posted. But I'm starting with these pickles.

I've kinda always wanted to pickle and/or can things, but I was a little intimidated by the process. Then I watched someone make pickles on the Food Network. And it didn't seem so daunting. So I girded my loins (I hear that's what all the brave people do) and set to work.

First up I tangled with the deadly mandolin. Trepidation would be the word that comes to mind when I think of this sharp toothed kitchen gadget. Our relationship has been a rocky one and continues to be so. Yes, even the greatest caution still ends in mangled fingers. But it also produces super adorable (at least in my opinion) wavy discs of soon to be pickles.

Next I made the brine. It was much simpler (and safer) then the slicing part. This being my first go round I decided to buy pickling spice. Turns out the brand I bought had way too much coriander in it. I would find this out later. But for now, lets just say, next time I will be making my own pickling spice.

I really love pickles. They are one of my favourite things to snack on. I stand in front of the fridge and use my fingers to pull out little juicy morsels of deliciousness. This was my initial intention with my homemade batch. When they were ready I excitedly opened the jar, grabbed a couple perfect looking pickles, and popped them in my mouth. As I bit down my taste buds were assaulted with a not so bread and buttery flavour.

So it's sad to say that the pickles did not turn out as wonderful as I had hoped them to. They weren't bad, but neither were they fantastic. The only way I could eat them was stacked on top of some sloppy joes that I had made that day as well. I ended up offloading at least half of my pickles on my Mum who seemed to enjoy them more then I did. I just couldn't bare to see them wasted knowing that I wouldn't get through them all.

Although slightly disappointed with this batch, I am now determined to make a perfect snacking pickle. I may try the bread and butter ones again with my own spice combination. But I think my next batch will be of the dill pickle variety.

Stay tuned to find out how my next attempt turns out.

A Cake of Epic Proportion.

2010-01-07T23:56:00.000-08:00

So I went a little AWOL from the internet over the holidays resulting in a major lag in posts...leaving my cookie extravaganza to fall a bit short. So I thought I would start the new year off by posting this cake.

Four heavenly high layers of devilishly deliciousness appropriately named...The Heaven & Hell Cake.

My darling friend Elizabeth had a birthday dinner party back in December. Her Mom made the most delicious food. Deep fried cauliflower, chickpea salad, pasta, chicken, ribs...I stuffed myself to the bursting point and still wanted to eat more! A few weeks before her party, I told her she could pick what kind of cake she wanted and I would make it. After some flip-flopping around she finally settled on the Heaven & Hell Cake. I think everyone was quite happy with her decision.

The above picture is the napkins they had at her party. The cute phrase on them "domestically disabled" prompts me to take a moment and talk layer cakes and how much I suck at making them. I never seem to have a problem making them taste good, but my layering and decorating skills still leave much to be desired. The cake layers always manage to be a little rough around the edges and slightly lopsided no matter how hard I try. Then, if I manage to do a decent enough icing job, once I try to add any writing or extra decorations it's all down hill from there. The good news though, is a part from myself, no one ever seems to mind.

Now back to this particular cake. A heaven and hell cake consists of two layers of devil's food cake, two layers of angel food cake with a super delightful layer of peanut butter mousse in between each layer. This is all topped off with a chocolate ganache icing. To put it succinctly it's simply to die for.

Since most people have a go to recipe for each of the cakes used I thought I would simply post the peanut butter mousse recipe (which coincidentally happens to be my favourite part of the cake ^_^).

Peanut Butter Mousse

4 Cups Smooth Peanut Butter
3 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar
3 Cups Cream Cheese at room temperature
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

Beat peanut butter, sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Place in fridge until ready to use.

When making the cake start with the denser chocolate cake on the bottom and layer from there.

Enjoy!

December Cookie Extravaganza Part 5 - Jam Thumbprints

2009-12-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

Jam Thumbprints are probably my favourite non-chocolate Christmas cookies. I always manage to eat a truck load of them every year under the premise of "hey at least there's fruit in these ones". It's a slippery slope my friends.

These lovelies are made with a pretty basic dough rolled into balls, dipped in egg whites, covered in walnuts, indented and baked.

Once cooled you fill the indent with jam (hence jam thumbprints). This year strawberry jam was used in place of the usual blueberry. They were almost as good^_^...but surely much better then the raspberry jam my Mum wanted to use.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

2/3 cup butter; softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 slightly beaten egg whites
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3-1/2 cup jam

In a large mixing bowl beat butter until creamy. Add half of the flour. Mix in egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until fully incorporated. Add remaining flour and mix well. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip dough into the egg whites then roll in walnuts to coat. Place on a lined cookie sheet approximately 1-inch apart. Using your thumb, or the back of a wooden spoon, make an indent in each cookie.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned (if indents lose definition push them back down when they come out of the oven). Cool on a wire rack. Once cooled fill with jam.

December Cookie Extravaganza Part 4 - S'more Bars

2009-12-20T10:33:00.000-08:00

Chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers...one of the best combinations of food ever. I realize that for most people s'mores are reserved for marshmallow roasts around campfires. But really how often do we get campfires? And I am a naturally impatient person with the tendency to crave that which is out of season. So I was VERY excited when I found this recipe (though I can't for the life of me remember where) for S'more Bars last year. Some of the excitement may have been heightened by the fact that I am still currently banned from using my s'more maker (yes I do own such a wonderous gadget - think fondue like apparatus), since I almost burned down my parents house the last time I attempted to use it.

The sad part about these is that I had a very hard time photographing them. They are so plan to look at and kind of blob-y that I feel my pictures don't properly portray how wonderful they are. So please make a batch so that you can get the full effect. Because, trust me, they are a fan favourite and don't last very long. In fact I believe it was these very bars that someone proposed marriage to me over last year (of course it was just a joke proposal) but that's got to say something for these little guys.

S'more Cookie Bars

1/2 cup butter; softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized chocolate bars
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

In a small bowl mix flour, salt, baking powder and graham crumbs, set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Pour in flour mixture and blend until combined.

Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Press half of dough mixture into bottom of pan. Place chocolate bars in a single layer on top of dough. Spread marshmallow fluff over chocolate. Spread remaining dough on by flattening small sections and placing them one by one on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting.

I store mine in an airtight container in the fridge then either let them come to room temperature or pop them in the toaster oven to get them all gooey when I want to eat them.

December Cookie Extravaganza Part 3 - Chocolate Chunk Snowballs

2009-12-15T21:54:00.000-08:00

Next up to the plate for your baking and eating pleasure we have Chocolate Chunk Snowballs...

These are quick and easy to make. No rolling, molding weird shapes, cutting or any other such things. Just mix the ingredients, form into balls, bake, cool and toss into icing sugar. Now that's my kinda cookie!

Chocolate Chunk Snowballs

2 Cups Butter; softened
1 Cup Icing Sugar
3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
6 Squares Bittersweet Chocolate; coarsely chopped
1 Cup Walnuts; coarsely chopped
Icing sugar for dusting

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in flour & cornstarch until combined. Add in chocolate & walnuts.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until lightly brown.

Cool completely on wire wrack. Toss in icing sugar to lightly coat.

Enjoy!

December Cookie Extravaganza Part 2 - Chocolate Thumbrints

2009-12-14T23:58:00.000-08:00

Things got a little busy on the weekend so I wasn't able to post any new cookies. But it's a whole new week and I've got a gem to share with you...Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies.

When it comes to Christmas cookie baking, I have a list of my Mums tried and true recipes that I always use. But I also like to mix things up a little bit and try new things. Which is why when I saw these cookies on the Martha Stewart website I knew I had to give them a try. These delectable little morsels of chocolately goodness may be new to my repertoire, but I have a feeling they will have a recurring role in years to come.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
(adapted from Martha Stewart recipe)

1 Cup Unsalted Butter; Softened
1 1/3 Cup Sugar (plus a little extra for rolling dough in)
2 Egg Yolks
2 TBSP Heavy Cream
2 TBSP Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup & 1 TBSP Cocoa Powder
2 tsp salt
Chocolate Vanilla-Bean Ganache *

In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in cream, vanilla and egg yolks until well combined. Mix in dry ingredients.

Shape dough in balls using roughly 2 tsp of dough for each. Roll in sugar. Place onto lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Using your finger or back of a wooden spoon push gently on the dough to form an indent.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookie is just set. Let cool slightly on sheet before transferring to wire rack.

Once completely cooled spoon warm ganache filling into centers. Let set 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

*Chocolate Vanilla-Bean Ganache

1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1/3 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Bittersweet Chocolate; finely chopped
2 TBSP Unsalted Butter; softened & cut into pieces
1/2 A Vanilla Bean; Split & Scraped (reserve pod)

In a medium saucepan combine cream, honey, vanilla seeds & pod. Over medium heat bring mixture to a simmer, stirring until honey is melted. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 20 minutes.

Place chopped chocolate into a blender. Place cream mixture back onto stove and return to a simmer. Remove vanilla pods. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Blend until mixture is smooth. Add butter and continue to blend until combined. Let cool slightly, then use immediately.

December Cookie Extravaganza Part 1 - The Shortbread Cookie.

2009-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

I am decidedly not much of a Christmas person. I don't jump up and down with glee at the thought of snow, I view most decorations as tacky eyesores, I am in no way, shape or form associated with any type of religion and the sound of Christmas carols are like nails on a chalkboard to me. Furthermore, even though I am a good little consumer who goes out with the masses to buy gifts, I don't actually like the concept. I have, however, learned that people don't react well when you attempt to skip Christmas, so I go along for the ride.

I'd like to also state here that I am not one of those "Grinch-y" people who walk around in a cloud of hum-buggery ruining the experience for those who enjoy it. I do get excited about some aspects of the Holiday's and choose to focus on those instead. For example, I do adorn my apartment with a few tasteful decorations. My motto here is simple but classy - black and silver with a couple pops of ruby red for good measure. I have a black tree and a matching black garland that I hang a couple small things on for colour. I also have a small silver snowflake wreath that I hang on my door. And that's it. No singing doormats, no dancing Santa's or glowing reindeer. A girl's gotta draw the line somewhere.

More of my likes include, hanging out with my family and friends, cracking open a few bottles of wine and sharing conversation over a crowded dinner table covered with food. Yes, I can easily get into anything that involves the cooking and consuming of food. Which of course brings me to my favourite part of the Holiday Season...Christmas cookies. If there is anything during this time of year to jump up and down about it is tins and tins of delicious cookies. I love making them, I love eating them and I love gifting them to others. And in honour of this, over the next couple weeks I am going to be posting this years fare. So sit back with your disgusting Eggnog drink and a hunk of hard fruitcake and enjoy!

I figure the best place to start when talking Christmas cookies is the traditional shortbread. Easy to make, easy to eat and just about everyone loves them. Ironically the last thing I made will be the first I post.

My Mum and I decided to bake our cookies together to quicken the process and allow me to bake in a real kitchen with a proper sized well working stove. We managed to blast through just about all the things we needed to bake in one day. Unfortunately we saved the shortbread until the end, and even though we had the heat turned down really low, the oven was still too hot and just about liquified our cookies in the oven. Because of this my Mother has boycotted shortbread this year. Sad, but true. So I've taken up the mantle and made them on my own, it's not really Christmas without them.

Shortbread Cookies

1 Cup Butter; softened
2 Cups Pastry Flour
3 TBSP Fruit Sugar
3 TBSP Rice Flour

Beat butter with a spoon until creamy. Stir in flour until well mixed. Blend in rice flour and sugar.

Roll out flat and cut into shapes or form into balls and press down with a fork.

Sprinkle with red & green coloured sugar.

Bake at 275 degrees until faintly brown (approx. 10-15 mins depending on your oven)

One cookie down...nine more to go!

Tourtière...A Little Piece of Comfort.

2009-11-12T08:27:00.000-08:00

Just about everyone has certain favourite comfort foods that they love. Something that reminds them of the simplicity of being a child, when your mom would spend the evening in the kitchen cooking and you would sit around anxiously waiting for her to yell "dinner's ready!". Filled with excitement you would run full tilt down the stairs in hopes of being the first one at the table and thus eligible to choose the most delicious morsels.

As someone who has a healthy obsession with food, I probably have a much longer list of favourites then the average person. But I maintain that each and every one of them gives me a different level of comfort wrapped up in warm memories. Take for example, my Mums tortière...

This is definitely on my top 5 list of "Things My Mother Makes That I Love". I think part of what makes this dish so special, aside from the fact that it is delicious, is that she only makes it once a year right around Christmas time. Whenever I dig into a piece of tortière it brings with it the memories of past time spent with friends, family and good food wrapped up in a tasty package of meat and potatoes.

A couple weeks ago, busy and lacking proper sleep, I was plagued with a craving for a piece. After some wheedling my Mom eventually agreed to give me the recipe (even though we're only supposed to have it once a year). A couple days later Cory and I sat down to enjoy my first go at making my Mum's tortière and it was exactly what I had needed. A little taste of comfort.

Mum's Tourtière
Serves 6

1 pound minced pork
1/4 cup chopped onion (we like to add more than this since we love onions so much)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp sage
dash pepper
1/4 cup boiling water
1 cup mashed potatoes (we also like to up the amount of potatoes)
Pastry for 2 crust 9-inch pie

Combine pork, onion, seasonings and water. Simmer uncovered, stirring ocasionally, until meat is cooked (about 25 minutes). Let cool and skim the fat off. Stir in the potatoes.

Line a pie plate with half of the pastry. Pour the pork mixture into it. Cover with the second pastry and seal the edges. Cut steam vents into the pastry.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for approx. 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

Enjoy.

Graveyard Cupcakes

2009-11-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

I know that most people have already put Halloween behind them and are already well on their way to Christmas. But I like to remember the spookier side of the year for a little while longer and I didn't get a chance to post this until now.

Halloween is my all time FAVOURITE time of year. I jumped at the chance to throw a party this year complete with spooky food. I had another huge camera fail and didn't take pics of everything. But, I did manage to get some shots of these graveyard cupcakes that are just *ahem* to die for.

The grave stones are lady fingers that I , along with Cory's help, wrote on with melted semi-sweet chocolate. The bones, sadly, are not edible. I bought some decorative skeletons from the dollar store, cleaned them then cut them up into little bits.

For the cupcakes I made a rich, extra moist chocolate batter and baked them in square muffin tins. I was running a little short on time, so I did something I don't normally do and used *gasp* a boxed cake mix. I know, I know it is something I almost steadfastly stay away from. But when faced with little time and a lot of food to make, with a little bit of adjustments, boxed works just fine.

Graveyard Cupcakes

1 chocolate cake recipe (be it homemade or boxed)
12 ladyfingers cut in half (to equal 24 gravestones)
handful of semi sweet chocolate chips
green icing sugar
tooth picks
Small plastic skeletons (or if you can make edible bones go for it!)

Prepare cake recipe. (For the boxed recipe I left out some of the liquid it asked for and replaced it with a splash of vanilla extract and some brewed espresso. The coffee really helps bring out the chocolaty flavour without you actually being able to taste it.)

Pour batter into square cupcake pan and bake 15-20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the grave stones. Cut the lady fingers in half (1 lady finger = 2 gravestones). Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Using a toothpick scoop up a small amount of chocolate and write RIP on the lady finger gravestones. Put aside and let chocolate set.

Once the cupcakes are cooled spread the green icing on top. Take a gravestone and spread a bit of melted chocolate on the bottom (you can skip this part if you want I just found that it helped it to adhere to the cupcake). Slide a tooth pick into the grave stone about halfway in. If desired use a toothpick to create some wisps of grass on the bottom front of the gravestone. Place gravestone on top of cupcake making sure to leave enough space in front to place skeleton bones. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Take your skeletons and wash thoroughly to make sure they are clean. Using scissors cut the skeleton into bits so you have various amounts of legs, arms, skulls, ribcages etc. Place on top of cupcakes pressing down slightly or inserting parts into the cupcake to make sure they don't fall off.

Place on a spooky platter and enjoy!!

My New Favourite Way To Make Meatballs.

2009-10-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

J'adore the Food Network. I could watch cooking shows for hours and hours, and in fact do. I am a little sad about how much of the programming time has been taken over by "reality" cooking shows/competitions. I find that there is increasingly less cooking and more drama happening on a regular basis. Honestly if I wanted to watch drama I'd be on a different station.

So please Food Network Gods, if you're out there and you hear me, can the reality shows, nix the constant re-runs of 10 episodes of restaurant make-over and amp up the cooking. Afterall you are called The FOOD Network.

One show I surely can't get enough of is Jamie At Home. So it's no surprise how excited I was when I was given the book for a gift. And for the record it is quite lovely. A little while ago I brought this very book over to my friends house so that we could cook dinner for her parents. We decided on the quick sausage meatballs with tomato and basil sauce spaghetti. I'm not really fond of the name but I definitely like the dish.

I honestly don't know why I never thought to make meatballs out of sausages before. Cut the casing on the sausage and push the meat out in little hunks, form them into meatballs, cook. It's simple yet delicious. And depending on what kind of sausages you buy, the flavour combination is endless.

Since we were making a pasta dish we decided to accompany it with some bruschetta. Nothing like fresh bread piled high with tomatoes, onions, garlic....yum.

Everything about this dish was simple but tasty. I've always liked how Jamie Oliver can jump from basic meals to more lavish dishes, but he always builds a really solid flavour base. As any good chef can do. Even the pasta sauce, not much more than crushed tomatoes, basil, garlic and a couple simple spices was bang on. I do also happen to love a good pasta sauce...and I'm fussy. To be honest I just about never order pasta when I go out for dinner because I am almost always disappointed with it. But I will eat it constantly at home in every way, shape and form.

Okay, so I have a bit of a confession to make now. Despite all the camera action going on in the kitchen that day we somehow, in our excitement to eat, forgot to take a picture of the main dish. I have all the bits and pieces documented but the final thing all put together...not so much. So I've been forced to include the picture from the book as a substitute. I'll try harder to tamp down my overeagerness to eat next time to take a picture.

By some strange fluke, I did somehow manage to take pictures of the super cute bowls that we ate from. I think my priorities got a little mixed up that day. Frankly, I blame the pre, during and post dinner drinks.

A Thanksgiving Dinner Built For Two.

2009-10-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving was this past weekend. Which of course means food, food, more food, cooking, baking, food and...oh yeah food! I ended up with 3 separate dinners. One being the standard family get together, another one with my brother's girlfriends family and the last (even though it was the first to be eaten) one being a dinner for two with The Boy.

Cory's and my family dinners were allotted to happen on the same day so neither of us were going to get to attend the others. However we both wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner (our first one in fact) together. So I decided the only course of action was for me to make a meal on the Friday for just the two of us.

I didn't want to make a whole turkey, but I did want the look of turkey, so I went with a couple of cornish hens. I really like cornish hens because you can serve one per person and they hold the perfect amount of stuffing for one serving. Though those little wings have a tendency to burn really badly if you don't tie them back. So, unfortunately for me, trussing is a must.

Fact: my trussing is not exactly picture perfect. I tend to be a little awkward at it and drop the bird and the string multiple times before I manage to get it all tied up. Cornish hens only make it harder for me since they are even smaller. As the saying goes the smaller they are...the harder they are to truss. Okay so there is no actual saying but you get my point. Keep on trussing. (okay I'll stop now)

I accompanied my birds with a Cranberry Wild Rice Stuffing and Oven Roasted Root Vegetables. Let me state now that I will never make traditional stuffing if I can help it. I have a strong dislike for bread stuffing. No matter how many times I try it I just don't like it. So I was really happy when I found a recipe years ago in a pocket sized Canadian Living magazine (long since lost) for the wild rice stuffing. It is just to die for. At least in my opinion.

Now how about a desert? Low and behold I still had a little bit of pumpkin puree leftover along with some frozen tart shells. So I made mini pumpkin tarts to finish off the meal (and thankfully that huge can of pumpkin!).

And of course I'm never the one to forget a generous dollop of whipped cream! Sometimes too generous..at least when I'm "dolloping" it into my mouth instead of onto the desert. Cory did manage, at the risk of life and limb, to wrestle the bowl of whipped cream away from me and into the freezer. Though I'm sure he snuck a few spoonfuls first!

A wonderful meal for us to share, even if it did end up being eaten at 10:00pm. And Cory even cleaned up all the dishes afterwords.

And, for those of you who don't like traditional stuffing or just want to try something different here is the aforementioned stuffing recipe.

Cranberry Wild Rice Stuffing
Adapted from a Canadian Living recipe

3 TBSP each Butter & Oil
1 Large Onion; Chopped
1 Cup Chopped Carrots
1 Cup Craisons
3 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP each Thyme & Sage
1 1/4 Cup Uncooked Wild & Long Grain Rice Blend
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup White Cranberry Cocktail

In a pot, heat butter & oil until butter had completely melted. Add in the chopped onions, carrots and craisons. Cook until they are tender.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar, thyme, sage and rice. Add the chicken broth and the juice.

Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer covered until all liquid is absorbed and rice is fully cooked. (If the liquid is almost gone but rice is not cooked add a little bit more broth or juice and continue to cook)

Stuff into the cavity of a turkey or chicken. It can also be served right out of the pot as a side dish.

Pumpkin Pancakes...Not Just For Breakfast.

2009-10-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

I guess I bought a really big can of pureed pumpkin. Even after all those Iced Pumpkin Cookies I still had lots to spare. Needless to say I decided to make some pumpkin pancakes with some of the leftovers. But, being me, I naturally decided to make them for dinner on one cold fall evening last week. They were definitely just what the doctor ordered.

I know what you're thinking now: why are your pancakes triangles? Well, the funny thing about my pancake cooking technique is that I don't particularly like to cook pancakes in a frying pan. The oil/butter is always too hot or too cold or my sad excuse for a stove isn't working right. Plus I hate standing around waiting for them to bubble. So I stand by my tried and true method of cooking them in my handy dandy sandwich maker.

Yes you heard me correctly, I cook my pancakes in my sandwich maker. And they are wonderful! I can pour the batter in, close the lid and walk away knowing they won't end up burnt. The dual heat from both sides at once allows them to rise much thicker then they would in a pan, becoming fluffy morsels of goodness. And the convenient triangular shape is perfect for on the go snacking.

And really? How sad would it be if I only used my sandwich maker for grilled cheese when in fact many things can be made in it? My parents model even came with a recipe for Twinkies!!!! Which for some odd reason I have yet to attempt to make....though I'm sure my curiosity will win out sometime soon. But, in the meantime, pancakes are the name of the game.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from many assorted pancake recipes the I have accumulated

1 Cup Canned Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice ( or a mixture of cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg)
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 Cup Milk
2 Eggs
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and mix until just combined.

Cook using your standard pancake making method....or if you have a sandwich maker pour some batter in and give it a try.

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin: A Little Taste of Fall

2009-10-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

October is here! Over the past week I've traded in my sun dresses for leggings, boots and sweaters. My umbrella has become a permanent resident inside my purse and my cravings for pumpkin everything have begun. October is by far my most favourite month. I may flirt with Springtime, and have a serious crush on the Summer but my heart will always lay with Fall.

Since this weekend marked the beginning of October, and baked goods for a car ride trip were requested (*cough* demanded *cough*), I figured now was as good a time as any to crack open that pureed pumpkin and get baking.

As it so happens I used to HATE pumpkin. I loved buying them, scooping out the insides and carving a face into them. But I just didn't like to eat them. I don't know if it was the spices most people used or the pumpkin itself, I was having nothing to do with it! I do, however, have a rule for myself when it comes to food. Every year or two I will force myself to try out a food that I have previously disliked. Weather it is in a dish I have had before or a new preparation I have to try it.

This little experimentation has actually allowed me to learn to enjoy some things that I have previously disliked. I've done it with brussel sprouts, ginger (albeit in very small doses) and even oatmeal. Granted with the oatmeal I simply had to get past the texture by forcing myself to eat it every day for 2 weeks until I loved it. But I digress.

It so happens that last year around this time I volunteered to cook a Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house. One thing that my Father demanded was pumpkin pie. Naturally I did not want to make one, but decided to give it a shot anyways. I ended up making a slightly less traditional version of it and made myself try at least one bite. Well turns out that I liked it and it sent me off onto a pumpkin baking spree for the rest of the fall. Thank goodness for changing palettes!

This year I'm kicking off my fall baking with some Iced Pumpkin Cookies. I can't remember where I got the recipe from, but it is a delicious one. They're soft and chewy, even a few days after they are made, and have almost a muffin like consistency. Good thing it makes about 3 dozen cookies because they go fast!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt

For The Icing

2 cups icing sugar
2 TBSP milk
1 TBSP melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of your stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the egg, pumpkin & vanilla.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. Pour into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto a lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes then remove and cool on a wire wrack.

Combine together the ingredients for the icing. (I ended up with a lot of icing left over so you may want to halve the amount and make more if you run out). Drizzle, or if your like me spread a generous amount, of icing onto cooled cookies. Store in an air tight container.

Cooking Around

2009-09-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

A couple Friday's ago Cory was brave enough to accept the challenge of cooking me dinner. He is a self expressed non-cooker. When he cooks for himself he leans towards take out, frozen dinners or other simple to heat up meals. Of course I don't mind this since it gives me more reasons to cook when he's around. Especially since it's much easier to cook for two people instead of one.

Now on top of my challenge for him to cook, he had challenged me to make him lemon meringue pie. Well actually, my Mother mentioned to him how good I was at making it and he yelled "Prove it!" at me from across the dinner table. So I told him if he cooked me dinner I would provide dessert.

The chosen dinner was a chicken stir fry, and a wise choice in my opinion. Fairly straightforward, not too difficult or labour intensive, especially if you buy pre-cut fresh veggies.

It also happens to be a fairly well rounded meal. All in all the dinner was very yummy and earns an A. Naturally I don't let my personal bias towards the chef cloud my judgement or grading.

Now on to dessert! I took a slightly lazy route with the lemon meringue pie. Actually I ended up making tarts, which are no less delicious but more practical for transport. Not to mention that I happened to have a small batch of frozen lemon curd I had made a while ago in my freezer that wouldn't have filled an entire pie shell. So tarts it is!

Speaking of lemon curd. This leftover batch I used was (if I can remember correctly) from an Ina Garten recipe for lemon raspberry tarts I had made a while ago (but didn't survive long enough to be photographed or blogged about).

Lemon Curd
adapted from Ina Garten Recipe

Zest & Juice of 4 lemons
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter; room temperature
4 large eggs
1/8 tsp salt

In a food processor, pulse zest and sugar until until zest is broken down and mixture is
combined.

Cream butter with lemon sugar. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each until combined.

Add lemon juice and salt. Mix.

Heat mixture in a saucepan on low heat until it reaches 175 degrees

Take mixture off heat and spoon into tart shells, pie crust, or freeze for later use.

I will leave you with this picture of my soldier fighting in the trenches of the kitchen.

Hamburger Dinner...Or Cupcake Dessert?

2009-08-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

I spend a great deal of time on the computer, both at work and home. I'm sure it's no surprise that some (a large majority) of my home time is spent reading food blogs and finding new recipes to tackle. A week or so ago I happened upon this recipe for Cupcake Sliders and Sugar Cookie French Fries over at Bakerella. Knowing that I had to give them a try, I sat around trying to find a good reason to make them. It just so happened that my cousins bridal shower was coming up the next weekend, so I jumped at the opportunity and my little hamburgers and fries were born.

And what a birth it was! The labour was long, and though not terribly difficult, it was a finicky process involving much cutting, folding and taping. Oh and of course baking, we can't forget all that baking. I'm fairly happy with the outcome but would definitely change a couple things the next time around (oh yes there WILL be a next time!).

First off, I decided that I was going to make everything from scratch. Good idea for the quality of the product. Bad idea for someone with time constraints, who happens to be baking late on a Friday evening in a very small kitchen. The brownies, which I made from a recipe out of a church cookbook my Grandmother gave to me, turned out great. The cupcakes, some of which rose too much due to my over filling the cups, also managed to turn out nicely (if not as perfect as I would've hoped). Alas in my rushing I forgot to take pictures of both of these.

And then there were the sugar cookie french fries...

The recipe I went with (although tasty) was much too soft and difficult to work with. After a couple maddening attempts to cut the dough (which were accompanied by a few frustrated sighs and more then one expletive) , I gave up late Friday night and shoved it into the fridge in hopes of hardening the dough enough to work with in the morning.

Saturday morning arrived and I resumed my hectic race to get everything, myself included, ready in time. I fought with the dough some more, and by rotating in intervals the cutting, baking and placing of dough in the fridge/freezer, managed to produce a finished product.

I mixed the icing, with only one mishap involving the knocking over of my red food colouring resulting in a red stained foot. I then placed the icing into bags, packed up all the various components into containers and set off, red foot and all, to the party.

Now, a few days before I had also downloaded the ingenious, and super cute, templates posted on the site so I could make cardboard baskets and fry sleeves.

I slightly underestemated the amount of time it was going to take to cut out said baskets and sleeves (and how stiff and lacking in feeling my fingers would become). In fact, even though I had started cutting a couple days earlier, I ended up a little bit rushed the day of and had to finish cutting and taping them together during the car ride with the generous help of my Mother.

One thing, in addition to timing things out better, that I wish I had done was cutting the food a bit neater. Since I was rushing through most of the process the fries weren't quite the shapes I wanted and the cupcakes were a bit sloppy and not always evenly cut. Next time I will for sure cut more carefully and take the time to tidy and even things out before I begin to build.

In the end, with the labour pains behind me, we all got to sit down, watch my cousin open presents, hang out and eat a ton of food, my creations included. All in all they were received very well and tasted delicious despite the fact that they weren't as pretty as the ones at Bakerella. But they were still mine and I loved them regardless...as any good mother would.

On The Chopping Block.

2009-08-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a month. Well, technically it has been over a month since my last post. I admit it! I am officially in a rut. I have pictures, stories, heaps of recipes, a never ending list of things I want to make, re-make, never make again or just plain roll in the wonderfulness of. The one thing I seem to be lacking is the proper words to express all of said things. I've lost the spark, that little extra edge I have...had? Intend to have again! It seems no matter how many times I've sat down and tried to compose a proper post for my waning blog nothing seems to work. I am annoyed, slightly frustrated and greatly disappointed in myself.

I looked back through my last few posts and there are mostly apologies, a few pictures and a couple witty phrases. Nothing too attention grabbing and certainly no recipes. Even my brothers girlfriend gave me a look of disappointment a little while ago. It was a "a post about cheese curds? really?" kind of look. Nothing mean or terribly horrible, but I took it seriously. I'm hoping that if I just lay my writers block out on the kitchen table for all to see, perhaps I can finally push past it and get back to the reason I started this blog in the first place. My unwavering love for food and bestowing said food unto others.

Lets hope it works.

Cheese Curds and a few of my favourite things

2009-07-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

I went to Whittamore's Farmers Market with my Mum this weekend. Initially we had planned on going strawberry picking, but the rainy weather put a damper on those plans. So we decided to go and browse the Market instead. It is small but boasts a nice assortment of fresh and delicious fruits and veggies. Not to mention the bakery (of which we sampled some tarts none of which lasted long enough for me to photograph). There is also ice cream, jams, syrups, and all sorts of pickled things to peruse through. Oh and cheese curds.

I LOVE cheese curds. So when I happened upon the bags of cheese curds, which were so much cheaper then the ones found in the grocery stores near me, I knew I had to get some. Me and my brother used to devour bags of them as children. The trick for me was to eat as much as possible (before my Brother ate them all) without getting a stomach ache from too much cheese. I know, I know, how could you eat too much cheese? I smile just thinking about my bag of ugly little bites of cheesey goodness. So I started to think of other foods that make me smile...

For example: crisp, bright green snow peas fresh from the market just waiting to be tossed into a stir fry.

Or: a little Peanut Butter Cup, chilled to perfection in the fridge, that waits until you bite into it before it begins to melt in your mouth, chocolate and peanut butter swirling together in flavour combonation heaven.

I can't forget the satisfying simplicity of a plate of cheese, crackers, kielbasa and sliced apples for dinner.

And even though I don't really drink pop, I've re-discovered the childhood joy of a Root Beer Float, which goes quite well with an evening of watching a baseball game.

Last, and certainly not least, there is my Chocolate Banana Bread....occasionally turned into over sized muffins with a healthy dose of white chocolate chips stirred into them.

Yum. ^_^

So now I pose a question: What kind of food brings a smile to your face?

An Unplanned Break

2009-06-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

I have a new camera full of food pictures. I have been remiss with installing the software on my computer to upload said pictures. Not to mention my lack of blog-age over the past couple weeks. I am currently in a de-cluttering and re-organizing my apartment mode and it has briefly taken over my spare time. Do not fret however, I will soon be bombarding you with multiple, way past overdue posts. In the mean time, please bare with me, as I catch up on work and sleep so I can (hopefully) get back to my poor blog next week.

Capsicum, Spinach and Chickpea Soup...A Rainy Day Remedy

2009-06-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

So I've been slacking again. Not completely, I've been cooking...A LOT. But it's all been so good I haven't quite managed to capture it all. Plus I'm on a spinach salad kick right now, which isn't very exciting for most people to read about. I have to admit I've also been pretty distracted by watching baseball lately. Which has led me to neglect my poor blog. Sorry blog, I will try to do better, I promise. It's also been rainy, and a little chilly in Toronto over the past week or so. Which is severely cutting into my picnicking plans. The one upside is that the rainy weather inspired me to make some soup.

More specifically a Capsicum, Spinach and Chickpea Soup...which is both healthy, hearty and delicious (ha! I bet you were expecting three H words from me on that one.. I can be slightly unpredictable in my writing, on occasion)

This is a very simple soup, but provides lots of flavour. I find the basic ingredients not only yummy (yes that's my technical term on this one) but they allow you to build off of it easily with your own touches and add ons. My little tweaks were shredded Haloumi cheese (which I am currently enamored with especially when it is pan seared and served a top a spinach and avocado salad. See how easily I return to spinach, not to mention my tendency to stray off topic in the first place). I also made some super easy garlic polenta croutons.

Actually I found this soup so satisfying that I didn't even feel the need for dessert, which for anyone who knows me is a small feat in and of itself.

Capsicum, Spinach and Chickpea Soup

Adapted from Best-Ever Soup Recipes from Bay Books

1 TBSP Olive Oil
8 Green Onions, finely sliced
1 Red Pepper (capsicum), finely diced
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 cups Italian Tomato Passata
3 cups vegetable stock
1 10 1/2 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
3 1/2 oz baby spinach leaves, roughly torn if you desire
Haloumi Cheese
Garlic Polenta Croutons*

In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in green onions and cook until softened. Add red pepper, cumin and garlic to pot and cook for a minute.

Pour vegetable stock and passata into pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduced heat and let mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, vinegar and chickpeas and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Add baby spinach, stir and cook until it is wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place into bowls and shred a bit of haloumi cheese on top and add 2 or 3 croutons.

*Polenta Croutons

1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
shredded haloumi cheese (if desired)
garlic powder

In a medium pot bring water to boil, reduce heat then slowly pour in cornmeal; stirring constantly. Once cornmeal has thickened take away from heat and stir in salt, olive oil and cheese.

Spread evenly into a pan and stick into fridge to cool. Once it has cooled cut into cubes.

Heat butter or oil in a small frying pan. Add garlic powder. Toss cubes into the frying pan coating them well in the oil. Fry until crispy. These could also be baked in the oven if you so desired.

Pizza From The Pantry.

2009-05-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure by now most of you have realized that I have a tendency to not grocery shop as consistently as I would like and in order to not waste food I try to just buy a few odds and ends to last a couple days. In theory this is a good strategy, in practice it often leaves me with an empty fridge and lacking the desire to go shopping. It would seem that I do have an okay store of basics that occasionally allow me to improvise on lazy evenings.

It was on one such evening, as I perused through my pantry that I looked at a package of active dry yeast and thought to myself...it's gonna be a pizza night! Well actually I really thought "What Would MacGyver Do?". But it all comes out with the same result in the end. At least in my mind.

With my bare fridge in sight, I knew this was going to be a simple endeavor. I tossed the yeast into the bowl of my stand mixer along with water, salt, olive oil and flour and put my (not nearly used enough) dough hook to work. Once the dough had risen (the recipe I use takes an hour) I realized that I didn't really feel like properly rolling it out, so I pressed it onto a baking tray into a squar-ish shape (not the prettiest of specimen, but I like to think of it as a rustic approach rather then me being lazy).

With the dough sitting there ready to be adorned I pulled out my trusty olive oil and Italian seasoning herb blend. I'd like to state that I do enjoy a good marinara sauce on my pizza as much as the next gal, but I adore olive oil based pizza's to the enth degree. There is something about the fragrance and taste of the oil mixed with the dough that just does it for me. Plus it really lets the rest of the ingredients shine through. I mixed the oil and herbs and brush them generously onto my dough, and followed them up with thinly sliced red onion, a few scattered cherry tomatoes (halved) and a light dusting of shredded colby cheese. I admit it wouldn't have been my first cheese option but one works with what ones got.

The pizza turned out simple but delicious. The odd bite with a cherry tomato on it bursting with juice. I will admit here that I do (only slightly) regret not properly rolling out the dough. It ended up rising quite high making the pizza a little more doughy than I would have liked. But a lesson learned for next time. But regardless nothing beats a homemade pizza.

Herbed Olive Oil Pizza

Start with a recipe for pizza dough. If you have one that you prefer use that, or you can even pick up pre-made pizza dough at the local grocery store. Here is the one I've had kicking around for a while, though I don't remember where I initially got it from.

For Dough

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 3/4 cups flour (I like to use whole wheat when I have it)
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp salt

Toppings

A few TBSP of olive oil
Italian Blend Herb Mix to taste
Quarter of a red onion thinly sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes halved
Shredded cheese of your choice

Empty package of yeast into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a normal bowl if you don't have one). Pour the warm water in, and stir until yeast is dissolved.

Add the rest of the ingredients and turn on the stand mixer. Once the dough starts to come together continue mixing until a smooth elastic ball forms. (If mixing without a stand mixer, once the dough starts to come together you will have to knead it on a floured surface.)

Put the dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise for an hour.

Once dough has risen roll out to desired thickness and place onto a pizza tray (don't skip this part like I did unless you want a really thick pizza crust).

Combine the Italian Seasoning with Olive Oil and brush onto dough (I added an extra sprinkling of rosemary as well which is my all time favourite herb).

Place on onion and tomato then sprinkle with chosen cheese.

Bake in 350 degree oven until crust is crispy but not burnt.

Enjoy!

Afternoon Musings

2009-05-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Something slightly off-topic from actual recipes and pictures of food from me today. I started a new book. Well the book itself isn't new, in fact it's been around for a few years, but I had yet to read it. It's called "French Woman Don't Get Fat: the secret of eating for pleasure" by Mireille Guiliano. I'm sure tons of people have read it or have at least heard about it.

I must admit I usually read Fantasy/Sci-fi/Horror books with a small spattering of History thrown in for good measure. Really the only non-fiction I tend towards are cook books (and rightfully so, they are my adult picture books, keeping me entertained for hours). However, I had heard some good things about this book, and am currently in a bettering myself phase at life. Not that I should call it a phase, I am trying to look at it as more of a permanent lifestyle change for the better. I've been trying to eat better, excercise more, expand my mind and enjoy life as it comes. Though I must admit that although I am making progress, and am the happiest I have been in quite a while, I am not quite as dedicated as I would like to be.

Luckily, I am a girl who responds well to positive motivation. My neighbor Liz actually is one of my best sources, sometimes something as simple as a knock on my door to let me know she is going for a run (usually followed by: do you want to come or have you been to the gym yet this week?). Which got me thinking about other ways to motivate myself. Which in turn lead me to this book, that I had remembered hearing about in passing. So far I am only 4 chapters in, but feel it could be another nice little kick in the butt for me (which I so often need) to really get on course to leading the happiest healthiest lifestyle I possibly can.

Who knows...but we will see.

Mother/Daughter Sangria Shenanigans

2009-05-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Oh Mother's Day...an excuse for me to make tons of fattening foods and for me and my Mom to drink copious amounts of wine. And this year I decided to go all out. We kicked it off at about 12:30 drinking homemade Sangria consisting of: Red Wine, Soda water, brandy, lemon and orange slices and a splash of Orange Juice. My dad kicked it off with a strong roll of his eyes as "his girls" started getting sloshed..again.

I don't usually buy gifts for my Mom for Mother's Day...all she ever really wants is a good meal and a decadent dessert (which I am more then happy to provide her with) and everything I pick gets run by her first for approval. To be honest, I made so much stuff on Sunday, I feel that I can't properly give enough time in one post to properly honor them all. So I will leave you with a list, pictures and a promise to post recipes and further descriptions sometime in the future.

The Line Up:

A delightfully light Caesar Salad with fresh bacon bits, homemade whole grain croutons and homemade dressing.

Whole Grain Spaghetti cooked in red wine, then tossed in an olive oil, butter, fried garlic and (more) red wine sauce. Served with bacon wrapped chicken and fresh parmesan cheese.

An oh-so-delicious Chocolate Tiramisu.

In addition to this meal I wanted to surprise her with something else this year. About a week before I found a recipe for Baklava Muffins and my Mom happens to LOVE Baklava. So naturally it was fate that the recipe fell into my lap just in time. They were gratefully received and hungrily devoured.

I would tweak a couple of things for the next time I make them however; reducing the batter in the bottom, adding more filling and more honey. But they were still delicious non-the-less.

All in all I'd say another successful Mother's Day all around.

Love you Maman!

Trudging Through Thursday...

2009-05-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well I've dropped the ball again. Last week was beyond crazy. I was out every single night, leaving my home and cats neglected in the name of socialization. Needless to say it eventually caught up to me on the weekend when I attempted to party it up. So I've taken a hiatus this week from going out and have spent it at home cleaning and exercising....unexciting, but necessary. I did manage to make a bunch of scrumptious things last week however...unfortunately I was still lacking in a camera, so I am devoid of pictures of most of them. Tragic, yes I know.

I started Saturday off with a bang making some Giant Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies (think the size of half a kaiser bun).

(I saved two cookies all week until I replaced my memory card so I could at least share pictures of them with you...never say that I don't care ^_^)

Cory and I used these cookies as our basis for our hamburger-sized ice cream sandwiches. Which were beyond delicious, and oh so filling. After finishing mine I promptly decided that I needed a nap.

But no rest for the wicked, I still had two dishes to make for a potluck dinner party I was attending in an hour and a half. So onward and upward.

Next on menu was a Lentil Salad aka the too-many-pots-used recipe aka the recipe that wasn't...good that is. Lets just say the lentils stewed in a pot for a while, were mixed with the other ingredients..then I stewed the rest of the night over how wretchedly they turned out. We will leave it at that and move on.

Lucky for me (and everyone else) I am an unable-to-make-just-one-dish kinda gal and had another pot luck treat to make. It came in the form of a curried cauliflower dip and baked pita chips. Now, I realize that I posted not long ago about the Curried Cauliflower Sandwich, in fact it was only two posts ago...but I couldn't NOT make more curried cauliflower. So the dip was made, and it was good, not fantastic but still tasty.

The real winner of the day ended up being the Ice Cream Sandwiches....that weren't shared with anyone else.

Baseball, Bobbleheads and Pasta Sandwiches

2009-04-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

I have been rather lax with my blog this past week. In my defense it has been hectic and I have been prone to naps instead of blogging. I doubt this week will be much better, but I will try in earnest to remedy this fact. So this post is about a week late, and possibly not as good as it deserves to be, but I am hoping you won't hold it against me (*fingers crossed*).

A week ago Sunday I hit up the baseball game with Cory. It was Lyle Overbay Bobblehead Day (yes it does deserve capitalization) and despite the pesky pigeons on the field harassing Rios, the Jays won. We ate some radioactive popcorn and a pretzel shaped hunk of undercooked-over-salted dough. I spent a good portion of the day texting back and forth with Liz who was also there, up in the 500 level, plotting to attack some poor unsuspecting fan in hopes of procuring a bobblehead of her very own (which she missed getting probably by minutes). Luckily for her I'm such a super nice neighbor that I generously donated my bobblehead to her cause and probably saved a fans life (or at the very least Jen Davis' sanity). Afterward we all went out for a pint, and Liz invited us back to her place for a small (but important) dinner party being held in the name of Chris Jackson and Pasta Sandwiches.

Now there are a couple things you need to know to really grasp the importance of this dinner:

1. There were meatballs made in the slow cooker by Liz (who is a steadfast, minus a caesar or two, vegetarian).

My infamous neighbor Liz as she constructs greatness

2. The concept of the pasta sandwich was thought up by Liz, Chris and their friend Nadine during their adventure to New Orleans. It has been explained to me how it came about, but I don't think I could tell it quite like Liz does.

I won't lie, I totally made Chris take a picture of the buns. I saw them sitting there all photogenic and knew what had to be done.

3. Everyone took a slightly different approach to the construction of their sandwich. Some on a white bun, some on whole wheat. Some of us had the meatball sauce, others the mushroom, and still some combined both. I ate my salad on my sandwich, while others kept theirs on the side. My glorious creation (pictured below) was stacked perfectly, enabling me to eat it with my hands, others resorted to a fork and knife.

The mighty pasta sandwich guarded by non other then the Lyle Overbay Bobblehead.

4. No matter how you stack it, the Pasta Sandwich is nothing but carb-filled deliciousness.

Due to the memory card in my camera dying a horrible horrible death, all pictures of said meal are provided by Mr. Chris Jackson and his handy iPhone. Huzzah.

Cool As A Curried Cauliflower Sandwich.

2009-04-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Okay here it is, the moment you've all [but mostly just Liz ;)] have been waiting for. A non dessert post. And let me tell you now....it's lovely, and it goes by the name of Sweet Curry Cauliflower Sandwich.

There is this awesome little button called Stumblupon that I like to use when I am bored. It takes me to all sorts of things: LOLcats, web comics, artwork, history, and most importantly other food blogs. So when I state that I stumbled upon this recipe...I really did. It comes courtesy of Gabrielle at Honest Fare, who was kind enough to let me post it here.

I find the idea of cauliflower in a sandwich very intreaguing and slightly unconventional, which naturally I am drawn to. Plus this sandwich is super tasty and very easy to make. The cauliflower is cooked perfectly. Soft enough to enjoy but still with some crunch to it, the red onion offsets the curry beautifully and the cheese brings it all together with it's ooey-gooey-yumminess.

When I first read the recipe I immediately thought of my cauliflower-loving neighbor Liz and how much she would probably enjoy such a meal. Initially I was going to try to make it for the first time with her, but our schedules are busy and I am adorably impatient. So I went ahead without her and spent an evening relishing in the wonderfulness that is cauliflower. So officially this post is dedicated to her.

Sweet Curry Cauliflower Sandwich
Adapted from this recipe at Honest Fare

1 Head cauliflower
Half a red onion
Pita Bread
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 TBSP curry powder
1 tsp honey
3 TBSP water
3 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup raisins roughly chopped
Part of a cucumber thinly sliced
Handful Cherry Tomatoes(to serve on the side or place inside)
Provolone cheese
Pinch Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine cayenne pepper, curry powder, honey, water, olive oil, and salt.

Slice cauliflower and red onion. Place on a baking sheet and cover on both sides with the sauce. (I tried to leave the cauliflower in big flat pieces so I could easily slather in sauce and flip them quickly while they were in the oven, then cut them a bit smaller once they were cooked.)

Bake for 8-10 minutes, turn over and bake another 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped raisins and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Place cheese and cucumber slices into the pita with the cauliflower mixture. At this point I put my sandwich into my George Foreman grill (I find the only use I really have for it is a sandwich/wrap press). If you don't have a sandwich press you can press the pita a bit then stick it back into the oven for a couple minutes to help melt the cheese and crisp it up.

(not the most attractive picture I know and certainly doesn't do it justice)

I served it with some cherry tomatoes on the side. Then promptly finished it and went back into the kitchen to stand over the counter picking more off of the baking sheet. Needless to say it will most likely become part of my regular repertoire.

The Tretcherous Tart and the Girl Who Wanted to Love It.

2009-04-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry kiddies no recipe today. Instead you will have to bare with me as I tell you a tale of a tart gone terribly wrong.

There once was a girl who loved Easter with all her heart. All the chocolate to be had filled her sweet tooth with glee and all she wanted was to share her joy with her family. So she set out to make the perfect Easter Dessert: a chocolate tart with a pretzel crust. So simple, she mused when looking at the recipe, but it will be great. She set off to acquire all the ingredients she would need for her task. She lovingly set out everything on the counter, taking extra time to caress her new fluted removable-bottomed tart pan with excitement. She quickly started her work, crushing pretzels, measuring flour, cracking eggs, mixing (which was done with a wistful sigh that she was not at home to use her stand mixer). And then the waiting game commenced. Mix dough, press between plastic wrap, wait. Roll out, press into pan, wait. Bake in oven, take out, wait. Make filling, cool in bowl, wait. Brush crust with melted chocolate, wait. Fill crust with filling, chill in fridge, wait. Every step so simple, but patience was a virtue she did not gracefully posses.

Her tart sat in the fridge all night. She slept well and deeply thinking about how wonderful it would be to slice into it the next day. She arose in the morning, cheerful and adorable with her sleep mussed hair and half awake eyes. She crept down to the kitchen and checked her, what was supposed to be fully set, tart. To her shock and horror it was still liquid and did not resemble the wonderful thing she had been anticipating. Not to be sidetracked she quickly devised a plan and placed it in the freezer. Yes, she thought to herself, this will help you set my dear sweet tart.

Once it was time to leave and head out for family dinner the tart seemed almost set. Packing it carefully into a container with freezer packs to keep it cold, the girl and her family trekked to her aunts house. Once there she quickly put the tart into the fridge and went about her day. Eating, laughing, and consuming red wine. Finally the time for dessert had come. The girl rushed into the kitchen and got her tart out. She stood there on the tiled floor staring at her tart, the filling sloshing around in the center of the crust. NO! She thought, this couldn't be! It was almost set....how did this happen? In hopes of still salvaging her precious dessert, she threw it into the freezer again and set about making whipped cream. As family gathered around the assorted dessert table, and began serving themselves, the girl removed her tart from the freezer again. It was not set. With a heavy heart she placed it on the table and sliced into it. The liquid filling oozed out of the crust and went everywhere. Determined she placed the crust on her plate and poured the liquid filling onto it and added a glob of whipped cream for good measure. It tasted delicious that was for sure, but messy and it was hard to sop up the pool of un-set chocolate from her plate. She sat there and fumed at her dessert gone wrong. Ruined, everything was ruined!

Later on the car ride home, despite her mothers attempts to settle her thoughts, the girl continued to stew over the whole mess. That tart, she thought with a quiet determination. The bane of my existence. I will concur thee one day.

The End.

Another Non-Savory Delight

2009-04-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry Liz! I know you are waiting for me to post a non-dessert item on here, and it will happen, don't you worry. But I cannot sit by and not post about these cookies. Especially not when they are so soft and fudge-y and delicious (as you, Ms. Murray, can no doubt attest to).

Okay, I am fully aware that I am a Chocoholic. Anyone who knows me even a little bit is probably aware of this fact as well. As a result of this, I lean towards chocolate recipes, or chocolate versions of recipes more times then not. I am sure you will all realize this as time passes and more and more chocolate recipes pop up in this blog. I would apologize for this, but really is there a need to be apologetic towards chocolate? Good, I knew you'd see it my way. Now on to the main event. Genna vs The Fudge Drop Cookie (except in this match EVERYONE is a winner).

These cookies remind me of two-bite brownies (except waaaaay better then those little store bought, quick to turn into little hockey puck brownies). A King Arthur Flour recipe that was just begging for my attention. Not a lot of fuss, or muss, but LOTS of chocolate for me to lick off the spoons. In short, perfection.

I actually made these cookies on Saturday when my Mum was over for brunch. I like to use her as my guinea pig for new recipes, and she whole-heartedly takes up the task with an empty stomach and enthusiastic sweet tooth (sometimes a little too enthusiastic). In fact, after tasting these cookies, she declared them unfit for sharing and tried to confiscate them for herself. After a brief discussion, in which I explained how these cookies were an integral part of my sweetly evil plan to further woo a certain guy that was coming over the next day(and a promise to pack her a generous doggy bag of them), she relented her claim on the whole batch. But it was a close thing.

Fudge Drop Cookies
adapted from King Arthur Flour Recipe

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
3 tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

In a double boiler, gently melt the chocolate and butter. Be careful not to over heat it.

In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until combined. Add the hot melted chocolate, then the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour to make it easier to handle.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drop the cookie dough by the tablespoonful onto greased or lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 11-12 minutes until the tops are shiny and cracked. They crack near the very end so watch them carefully to make sure you don't over cook them or the will turn out hard instead of soft and chewy.

Remove cookies from oven, allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

A Brunch of Blueberries.

2009-04-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

Oh Saturday how I love thee let me count the ways. One helping of clafoutis, two helpings of clafoutis...oh yeah and don't forget the blueberries.

Earlier in the week I noticed that my Saturday was blissfully devoid of any plans and that I hadn't cooked very much (*cough* or at all) the entire week. I'm sure my empty fridge didn't help too much but we're not gonna talk about that. I decided to remedy this by inviting my Mother over for some gossiping and brunch.

I have never tried nor made a clafoutis before today. I happened upon it while looking for an appropriate brunch idea that wasn't too sinful, my mother and I have a delightfully bad habit of eating copious amounts of desserts when together. After reading a few descriptions and multiple recipes on it I felt it was the perfect choice. Clafoutis is a French dish usually made with cherries, but really you can use any fruit you'd like in it. It is described as a mix between a custard and a pancake (though I would lean more towards custard, a delicious delicious custard ..mmm). Well I can never do anything traditionally, it's just not in my makeup, so I decided a blueberry clafoutis would be for me. I adore blueberries. Their taste, texture and beautiful colour appeals to me on every level. But this story isn't just about blueberries....it's about clafoutis too.

I couldn't believe how simple clafoutis is, a few ingredients make up the batter, scatter some fruit into a baking dish or some ramekins pour the batter over bake and enjoy. I can really get behind a dish like that (and by get behind I mean consume mass quantities of). So I mixed, and scattered and baked. Then when impatience overcame both me and my mother, we dug in to the still too hot clafoutis, the blueberries bursting in our mouths and turning our tongues blue.

Oh heavenly clafoutis, where have you been all my life?

Blueberry Clafoutis

put together from a large assortment of recipes.

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
6 tbsp flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
zest & juice of 1 lemon

In a large bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mix well. Place blueberries into the bottom of a cassarole dish, pour batter over them.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature (if you can wait that long). I sprinkled sugar over top of mine once it got out of the oven, but thought afterwards that a mixture of brown sugar and oats or flour crumbled over it while it baked would've made a wonderful crust on top. Definitely a thought for next time, and there will be a next time.

Pretty pleased...with a cherry on top.

2009-03-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

My fridge is empty! I haven't gone grocery shopping in a week, it's quite sad. After a cooking and baking marathon the week before I gave in to my laziness. I spent all of last week sitting on my couch with a stack of library books, a sink full of dirty dishes... and did nothing. My dinners mostly consisted of cheese and crackers or the odd sandwich. I'm slightly ashamed of my behaviour, but sometimes a girl just needs to read. But not to fear, I still have a few delightful recipes that I saved for a rainy day (and it's looking pretty cloudy out there).

This particular recipe comes courtesy of my brothers girlfriend Kristine. When she told me about a recipe for Black Forest Cookies that didn't quite turn out as expected, I was more then happy to help. After all I am never one to turn down a challenge, or a recipe that involves chocolate for that matter. She emailed me the recipe telling me that the main problem with the cookies was that they were dry. And no wonder! There was hardly any wet ingredients, just some softened butter and an egg. I made a few notes on different things I could add and saved the recipe to try out at a later date.

A couple days later I felt the baking itch hit me and knew I needed to make something or go crazy. Now, I like to find as many excuses to bake as humanly possible, and this particular week I had many. Not only did I have a recipe waiting patiently on the sidelines for me to tweak, but I also had some farewell parties to attend and friends to wish bon voyage to. And nothing says it quite like baking. So on a Thursday evening when I was supposed to be at the gym, I was at home surrounded by cherries and chocolate. My first action was to halve the recipe. I decided that making the full amount, which would leave me with 66 cookies, could be hazardous to my health (and waistband). Next I added a generous splash of vanilla and a few spoonfuls of the syrup from my maraschino cherries and it was all that the recipe needed. I ended up with soft, chewy bites of chocolately-cherry goodness, which I packed up in little boxes to give to my friends that were leaving.

Black Forest Cookies
adapted from Company's Coming Cookbook

1 cup butter softened
1 package instant chocolate pudding powder
1 large egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp syrup from maraschino cherries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
66 maraschino cherries, drained and blotted dry
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp hard butter

Beat first amount of butter in bowl with pudding powder. Add egg, mix well.

Add flour in 2 additions, beating well after each. Roll into 1-inch balls then roll the balls in the sugar (I found the dough to be very sticky and had some trouble forming them into balls, so I scooped them up with my measuring spoon and dropped them into the sugar and molded them into the balls once they were coated.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Dent each with thumb. Bake for 5 minutes, press dents again, then return to oven for 10 more minutes until firm. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool. Place one cherry in each dent.

Meanwhile, heat chocolate chips and butter in small heavy saucepan on low heat, stirring often until chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Spoon into piping bag with small writing tip, or a small re-sealable freezer bag with the corner snipped off. Drizzle small amount of chocolate in decorative pattern over each cookie. Let stand until set.

**Recipe note: the above recipe is for the full 66 cookies, when I halved it I still used the full package of pudding powder and the whole egg**

Cheesecake, a good place to start.

2009-03-25T09:01:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it's been over a week since my first post and I've been meaning to get to post number two, but truthfully I've been very nervous. I wanted my first official recipe post to be perfect. Something delicious, described with wit and charm by yours truly. I have made many things over the past couple weeks, and have written, deleted, and re-written many possible posts about them. But the time for procrastination (and let me tell you I am the Queen of the Land of Procrastinators) is over my friends. So here I go. Try not to be too disappointed.

About a week and a half ago we had a birthday dinner for my Mom. Naturally it fell upon me to come up with a suitable menu for the occasion. I spent the week before mulling over cookbooks and recipes trying to find just the right thing. I bounced between many ideas, none of them seeming right enough. Then after an impromptu dinner date with my neighbor Liz, during which she served me the most simple and delicious salad, I decided that a salad like that would be making an appearance. Using that as my jumping off point for inspiration, I decided a simple dessert was in order as well. Initially I was going to make a big multiple-layer Chocolate Espresso cake, but after I decided on more simple flavours a Ricotta Cheesecake overruled it.

Cheesecake has to be one of my all time favourite desserts. But as nice as it is to have chocolate, caramel, berries and whip cream piled high on top (and believe me I do love such things), I much prefer mine plain. I like to savour the wonderful cheesecake-i-ness without the hindering of, what I deem unnecessary, toppings. Needless to say I have consumed many different types of cheesecake (good, bad and indifferent) in my 24-odd years, but this recipe is my favourite thus far.

This particular recipe I found in my Baking Illustrated Cookbook which is by the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine. It is currently one of my go-to books for baking, and has 5 cheesecake recipes in it alone, which doesn't even count the hundreds of other recipes for pies, cakes, cookies and other such bake-able delights. But I digress. The texture and flavour of this cake is quite different from a standard cheesecake made with cream cheese. It's lighter and smoother, using lemon zest as it's main flavour base, which to me is just perfect. So without any further ado, here is my first official recipe post:

Ricotta Cheesecake
(adapted from the Baking Illustrated Cookbook)

Amaretti Cookie Crust:

2 cups Amaretti Cookies processed into fine crumbs (I couldn't find amaretti cookies in my dismal excuse for a grocery store so had to substitute vanilla wafers)
5 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 TBSP butter melted for greasing the pan

Ricotta Filling:

2 pounds ricotta cheese, drained
4 large eggs, seperated
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light rum (I ended up using dark rum since all my light rum accidentally got consumed)
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.

For the crust: In a small bowl combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Toss with a fork until evenly moistened. Brush the bottom and sides of a springform pan with most of the remaining butter, making sure to leave enough to brush the sides again after crust is cooled. Empty crust into springform pan and press them evenly into the bottom. Bake until fragrant, about 10-13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Brush sides of pan with remaining butter.

For the filling: Place drained ricotta in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Add the egg yolks, sugar, rum, flour, lemon zest, vanilla and salt and process until combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into ricotta mixture. Pour mixture evenly into the cooled crust.

Bake the cheesecake until the top is lightly browned, about 1 1/4 hours. The perimeter should be firm but the center will jiggle slightly.

Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife between the cake and the side of the pan. Cool until barely warm 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Wrap pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 5 hours.

Final Dinner Menu:
simple leafy green salad with cucumbers, celery, avocados and a light dressing.
pan roasted chicken with a chocolate balsamic viniagrette (simpler then it sounds trust me!)
basmati rice
caramalized cauliflower
ricotta cheesecake with whipped cream

A Tentative Beginning

2009-03-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

I love food. It increasingly takes up more and more of my time and thoughts as the years go by. There is a distinct possibility that anywhere between 80-90 percent of my day is taken up with thinking about, talking about, cooking and consuming food. So I find myself sitting in front of my computer trying to find a way to express in words how I feel about it.

It started out as a mild flirtation with cooking and has since evolved into a full-blown love affair. As a teenager I needed something to pass the time when a lack of hours at work left me sitting around my parents house one summer with no money and nothing to do. So I started pulling out cookbooks from my moms’ shelves and using my family as guinea pigs to explore further into the culinary world. It has been full speed ahead ever since.

So this is my humble and somewhat nervous beginning into the world of food blogging.