wannafoodie.ca

Eats & Smiles: Argentina

2012-03-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Our recent trip to Argentina was abundant with wine and some pretty spectacular meals. While I typically do not offer up restaurant reviews per se, I thought that this collage would be a great way to share some great menus and some places that you should definitely consider visiting should you venture so far south.

keep reading and salivating...

Orange and Blackberry Marmalade

2012-02-28T19:04:00.002-07:00

I've been trying to be better about making sure that I use up all of the odds and ends in the fridge lately, rather than finding myself pitching formerly useable food after I left it to spoil in the far corners of the crisper. Oh, the shame. It has certainly never been intentional but sometimes you lose sight of a lemon or bit of herbs or that last few baby zucchini. It takes a slightly concerted effort to adequately survey the fridge and plan accordingly but it's the right sort of effort that reminds you that food is not disposable and that sometimes the best bits of creativity stem from using what is at the ready, as opposed to running off to the shops.

This Orange and Blackberry Marmalade was just one of those bits of creativity. Nothing was yet spoiled but it was one of those situations where I didn't get through as much fruit as I had planned that week and was faced with a slew of oranges and berries on the edge. In avoiding a killer kanker sore, I opted to do something else with the oranges rather than set a bowl before myself and start peeling.

Now, this is not a very sweet marmalade. It gives you just a hint of sweetness but really leaves it to the sweetness of the fruit. It's more about the fruit in general. (Though I am convinced that, thinned out, this could be a decent glaze on meat.... thoughts?) Far be it from me to dictate how sweet your fruity concoctions should be. We eat more than enough sugar around here, so it feels good to me to reduce it here and the low sugar pectin allows for that. But tweak away! Add some honey or agave nectar for a more complex sweetness. Add some more sugar or brown sugar. Up to you.

The best thing to do is to taste your marmalade after it stews together a bit (maybe at the 40 minute mark or so) and decide if it suits your taste, keeping in mind that the orange rind may be a bit tough still. Just remember you're tasting for sweetness not doneness!

keep reading and salivating...

Paprika and Maldon Salted Almonds

2012-02-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, while enjoying a great dinner as part of a girls night, I ate the most wonderful paprika almonds. They were wonderfully salty, rich in a smoky paprika, and coloured the most perfect red. We devoured them. Then we went to a movie. Then I went home.

And then I dreamed of smoky paprika almonds.

I adapted my recipe from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from another source as well. While I kept the sugar ratios similar, I increased the spices significantly... even sprinkling a bit of extra paprika on some of the cooling nuts afterwards.

These were ridiculously addictive. I don't know how often I can make them and have them in my house. I don't have overwhelming needs to eat all of the chocolate in the house or finish the bag of chips or spoon or spoon and spoon until I reach the bottom of the ice cream tub. I like a treat, then can typically put it away and carry on. These nuts ruined me for that. I would eat one, then two, then another five, then another handful... I. Could. Not. Stop.

And I'm okay with that. I think you'll be okay with that as well.

keep reading and salivating...

Candied Ginger and Lemon Cornmeal Scones

2012-02-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Between the lemon curd and the marmalade, I had visions of a Sunday tea with scones and crustless sandwiches and pinky fingers in the air as we sip from our china tea cups.

keep reading and salivating...

Pate a Choux

2012-02-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

The other night, I was thinking about my foodie goal of spending more time in the world of French cooking. Aside from watching Julie and Julia and enjoying my Mastering the Art of French Cooking (mostly for the mother sauces), I really haven't spend much time experimenting with French cooking. As I pondered, I got up from the couch (that seemed to require a great deal of effort yesterday after the lengthy dog walking trek that we had in the mid afternoon) and grabbed that tome of Julia's expertise, returned to the couch and started flipping through.

After going back and forth, I decided on something that I had been intimidated by previously and was so completely French that there was no doubt that it was one more step towards my foodie goal.

Pate a Choux!

keep reading and salivating...

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

2012-01-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

I love these meyer lemons... the warm yellow peel, orange perfume, underlying sweetness, then resounding tartness just leaves your senses debating... Orange? Lemon? Orange? Lemon?

All love aside, I had now made a beautiful lemon curd and still had another ten or twelve lemons to go! I figured a nice and easy way to use up at least 4 or 5 lemons would be to make a marmalade (not to mention, you could do this with just about any fruit and use up any super ripe bits in your fridge). Very little prep involved and a lovely return on investment.

You could easily preserve this through water bath canning but it's a small recipe yielding about two cups of marmalade. We're making fast work of it here, so you may as well...

keep reading and salivating...

Meyer Lemon Curd

2012-01-25T21:11:00.001-07:00

When faced with a veritable vat (yep... a "veritable vat") of meyer lemons, I did what any person, who did not want to see them go to waste, would do... I made all things lemon. And I mean all things lemon. Doug probably doesn't want to see another lemon cross our threshold for quite some time.

So, one of the first things that I wanted to make on this lemon journey was lemon curd. Momma R made some lemon curd at Christmas and it was heavenly, so I figured I would give it a shot myself.

Apparently it freezes nicely, so you can portion some out for use (refrigerated for about a week) then freeze the remainder in an ice cube tray (then transfer the frozen cubes into a plastic bag) to thaw as needed to serve as that perfect accompaniment to a scone or yogurt or fruit or whatever else suits your fancy!

keep reading and salivating...

Returning to Roots: Making Butter

2012-01-21T14:22:00.001-07:00

Butter. Yep, butter. One of my favourite food groups.

Well, maybe not a food group but it's right up there in my books. I don't really do the margarine thing. Just another personal preference but I love the creamy dreamy rich smoothness of butter. Salted or unsalted. For cooking or for baking. I love butter. Not to mention, it seems that everywhere I turned online, I would stumble across another blogger or site writing about how easy and satisfying it was to make your own butter. My curiousity was peaked and I too had to try.

Does this also constitute a contribution towards my French food goal for 2012? The French also seem to love their butter. I think that counts then. hahah.

Here is a fast-forward of the process...

four spoonfuls at various stages of the "churning."
From top left/counter clockwise: Whipped cream,

beginning of separation, unrinsed butter, rinsed butter.

keep reading and salivating...

BA Cleanse: The Progression

2012-01-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

You would laugh if I told you how many comments I got last week with the general theme of "is this really a cleanse??!" hahah. I asked the same question! Honestly, it didn't really matter to me if it was a capital-C cleanse or not. I thought it would be a good way to kick off some healthy eating in 2012.

keep reading and salivating...

BA Cleanse: Make Ahead Pantry and Dinner One

2012-01-08T19:08:00.001-07:00

After about two hours and two stops this morning, I have nearly everything that I need for the Bon Appetit Food Lover's Cleanse. I couldn't even tell you the last time that I shopped for that length of time with such a comprehensive list. While I did manage to spend a bit of time prepping for the trip and determining what I already had on hand, I overlooked grouping needed items as they are arranged in my grocery store. Since I'm still new to this city and my grocery store, certain items are illusive on a regular trip... let alone a trip where I need to find coconut water and miso paste and French lentils.

If you're going to follow along too, then grab the four files from Bon Appetit's website. There is a fantastic and fully comprehensive Shopping List (it assumes that you do not have anything required, which is great because then you can assess yourself and determine what you need to buy... rather than starting your prep and realizing that you are missing key spices or pantry items because you missed a recipe page when writing your own list), there are two Food Lover's Cleanse recipe documents (one for Week One and one for Week Two), and there is a schedule of all meals laid out in a two week calendar.

So, my recommendation on prepping for this little excursion would be to not only review your fridge, freezer and pantry to see what you already have BUT also to read, not review, the shopping list a few times and group any items accordingly. Otherwise, bring a buddy with you to stand with the cart while you run back to a passed aisle to grab that missed ingredient or as you wander aimlessly attempting to locate one of the more specialty items.

The other recommendation that I have, or maybe it is just a moment of honesty, is to do as much as you can but don't pull your hair out over following every aspect of this cleanse completely. I do give complete credit to those obviously talented chefs and food lovers at Bon Appetit for creating such a neat and appealing cleanse concept. I wish I had a larger pantry, a larger budget and a degree more patience in which to follow this cleanse fully. That said, I don't have any of those three (well, I do have a reasonable amount of patience), so I am making adjustments where I need and my substitutions mean no disrespect! I wasn't buying the fermented black beans and the lentils that I have already might have to do. Walnut oil was proving difficult and I have a really beautiful and nutty extra virgin olive oil here already. I think these substitutions are just fine. If nothing else, I am following a great deal of the plan as it is laid out (despite having a general aversion towards rice milk), am allowing my own culinary creativity to flow when I need to make changes, and recognizing that the whole point of this cleanse (and escapade) is about being intentional about eating and making some lovely detoxifying choices... that will allow me to tox myself back up later. hahah.

keep reading and salivating...

Eats & Smiles: Plans for 2012

2012-01-07T13:33:00.002-07:00

Happy new year! Well... happy new year and how was your first week of 2012??

My year has started off with a bang. We enjoyed great holiday time with our families and friends in each city. There is never enough time in that regard! New hours at work are getting my butt out of bed much earlier but also out of the office at a staggeringly wonderful 4pm. I've been diligent about packing lunches and snacks and we've been eating in more than eating out. The dog is getting at least two solid walks each day and has is getting one step closer to being a "big boy puppy" with no more lunch time bathroom breaks. We've also dedicated time to doing a big hike or walk each weekend... though the first attempt at 6km ended up at roughly 20km and finding ourselves on the opposite side of a ridge than our car. There aren't words for the gratitude that we have for the family who let the two of us and the puppy into their van and drove us the 20+ minutes (by highway!) to our car. That said, we made it home... I enjoyed a long hot bath with my homemade bath salts and we lived to hike another day. We also are looking forward to many adventures in 2012... my sister's wedding, several weddings near and far, a trip to Buenos Aires (only one month away!) and a trip to the cottage in Ontario! And that is just what is planned right now... woo hoo!

Charlie really liked the hike... all 20 km of it.

So, I am thinking about kick starting this blogging year with the Bon Appetit Food Lover's Cleanse. It seems like a wonderfully tasty way to spend two weeks and get rid of any holiday meh in time for travel holiday woo!

In addition to using that as a starting point for my foodie journeys for 2012, I have been thinking about what things I would like to cook or bake or slurp or chomp this year... in no particular order.

[ 1 ] Mastering the creme brulee... this has been an absolute favourite dessert of mine for years. I love the hard sugar surface and the ever-enjoyable cracking and shattering that follows to reveal a creamy dreamy custard. Plus, I really want a kitchen blow torch. Yep, I said it.

One Ordinary Day - Creme Brulee (source)

[ 2 ] Bread bread and cheese! I've started making my own bread, though not as often as I would like. While I tried to challenge myself to make all of the bread for our home, it didn't quite work out that way. That's alright though. I can still make a mean bit of dough and just need to do that more often. So, I'd like to make a bit more bread this year but also expand into the wonderful world of cheese. My sister Susie has ventured in and produced some beauties, including some amazing mozzarella. I want to add this to my repetoire.

[ 3 ] More brunch with friends... Our aim is to have brunch with friends each month, saving December when things seem too frantic with Christmas and parties and open houses and such. That said... maybe it becomes a Brunch with Friends Open House. hmmm... food, or rather brunch, for thought.

Brunch with Friends: Menu One

[ 4 ] Curing and preserving. Our first impromptu preserving escapade this year turned out to be a raging success. I cannot wait until for the spring and trying to grow some of our own produce, while buying more and other great wares at our local farmers markets. In addition to rolling up our preserving sleeves again, I would love to try curing meats and such. I treated myself to a beautiful book on curing that makes it seem possible for a gal like me. We shall see...

Preserving!

[ 5 ] More Mexican! After yet another trip to the country to the south, I have again affirmed how much I enjoy some really rustic and authentic Mexican cuisine. Couple that with being completely awestruck by Rick Bayless on reruns of Top Chef: Masters (here is a great article about him from another food crush of mine, Jay Rayner), I really need to wander through this world beyond the taco. Oaxacan black mole, anyone?

[ 6 ] More Soul... I missed out on Soul Food on New Year's Day this year (just one of those things that happen when you are celebrating the holiday season in two different cities... you can't be everywhere at once). That said, I need to get in gear for next year. Black eyed peas (as suggested by Mon), collard greens, corn bread, chicken and ham... time to grab that Black Pot Cookbook that I received as a graduation present and start practising!

[ 7 ] Ice cream!!! This one deserves three exclamation marks. For Christmas this year, I was spoiled nicely and received the ice cream maker attachment for my KitchenAid mixer. Doug has already made a beautiful berry sorbet... I just can't decide what will be my first attempt.

[ 8 ] French cooking... unless something else ends up catching my eye. A birthday present has been burning a whole in my indecisive pocket for months now - a gift certificate for a cooking class at the Cookbook Company! I always seem to lean towards Italian in terms of my cooking but I thought French country cooking would be an amazing way to expand my culinary horizons. Though that tagine one looks intriguing too... hmmm.

Julia Child (source)

[ 9 ] Infusing. I need to start thinking about this now, so that the liquors are ready for cocktail season this summer (not that infused liquors are limited to the summer, it just seems that is the time of year that I enjoy them the most).

[ 10 ] Donuts or doughnuts or however you feel it should be spelled. I got a faux-nuts baking tray and a donuts cookbook at Christmas too. Not in line with Year of Health but definitely in line with Year of Yummy.

What else should be on this list?

What is on your foodie hit list?

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

2011-12-18T09:55:00.001-07:00

As I share this with you, I am sitting cozy on my couch, tree lit, presents (mostly) wrapped, cradling a mug of pumpkin spiced goodness.

I have been trying to perfect this for a few weeks now... first, I came up with my own pumpkin spice blend using ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and so on. It was too gritty. I cut back on the spices and added vanilla. It wasn't rich enough. I tried with two tablespoons of pumpkin. Getting closer... but not quite right.

I needed to capture the rich spiciness without the gritty texture... then it dawned on me! A sugar syrup. You wouldn't think that this is such a jump since the big coffee shops use a sugar syrup as a flavour base in their drinks but it never occurred to me sooner that I should just make this at home too.

keep reading and salivating...

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

2011-12-11T20:21:00.001-07:00

When word spread about a cookie exchange for food bloggers, I paused... could I pull this off? Could I be creative and produce a cookie that would make a food blogger also pause? I've so enjoyed making sweets and treats for my friends and family that I wasn't even sure why I was concerned! I gave my head a shake, surfed on over to the sign-up page, and signed myself up!

Let me say... I am so glad that I did that! Thoughts of the cookie that I would create took over my thoughts. I scribbled ideas onto scrap paper and post-it notes. I made several trips to the craft stores to find appropriate packaging. I eagerly made and mailed my little care packages, then waited in very eager anticipation for the arrival of cookies in my mailbox and my cookies in the mailboxes of my fellow bloggers.

This whole exchange really put me into the holiday spirit but also challenged me to come up with a creative and new cookie to share... it kick-started the rest of my Christmas baking and introduced me to a community of bloggers that I found so inspiring... A big thanks again to Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil (and her Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Malted Milk Chocolate Buttercream) and Julie of the Little Kitchen (and her New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie). I can't wait for the next Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap.

keep reading and salivating...

Eats & Smiles

2011-12-07T11:51:00.001-07:00

After all of the appearances on blogs and Pinterest,

I have been trying to come up with

my perfect version of the pumpkin spice latte.

Current attempts feature my own pumpkin spice blend,

pumpkin puree, milk, espresso and vanilla... still tweaking.

I received my first batch of cookies from the

Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.
Thanks, Carole at theyumyumfactor.blogspot.com!

More photos to come with the full cookie post next week.

Both the cookies and the lattes have been a treat

while I work away on my Christmas offerings at the dining room table...

Outside the window, the birds on our bird feeder and on the ground below

are a delightful distraction, for me and for the cats.

Not so much a smile then but rather one for the memories,

my Santa figurine (that I've had since wee) plummeted from the shelf above the television

to a shattered demise below. A few tears... then back to it.

Another glorious weekend...

Doug, Charlie and I trekked about the snow and trees and bridges.

Eats and Smiles.

Peppermint Marshmallows

2011-12-05T11:15:00.001-07:00

I have been on a real marshmallow kick lately. It's partially because I am obsessed with my Christmas baking but also because of the cold weather... what better to make than hot chocolate with marshmallows (as evidenced in my Eats & Smiles post last week).

In addition to those two very compelling reasons, I had one other very exciting reason for the marshmallow making... I signed up (a few weeks ago) for a food bloggers cookie swap! This swap was the brainchild of Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. What a great way to connect with a very vibrant food blogging community and share your wares!

They will be doing a round-up of all of the swap recipes (I will include a link once the recipes have been posted). You can also follow #fbcookieswap on Twitter to see some of the action unfold!

While I cannot yet share my cookie swap recipe here (come back on the 12th!), I can and will share the Peppermint Marshmallows with you!

keep reading and salivating...

Eats & Smiles

2011-11-30T10:54:00.001-07:00

By way of introduction... I have been wracking my brain to come up with something special to celebrate my 100th post. Many bloggers enjoy "Wordless Wednesdays" and share photo posts with few or no words accompanying them. As I am a woman of typically MANY words, I will likely opt for the "few" as opposed to the "no" but thought this might be a great new wannafoodie feature that will help me to share with each of you and alleviate the pressure of coming up with a new recipe in order to blog. Let's face it... there are some weeks where I eat pizza or taco salad nearly every day (albeit homemade but that wasn't necessarily blog-worthy).

So, thank you for reading... and being part of my wannafoodie world. Time for me to be silent(ish) and just share the things that make us smile... in food and in life.

A day not too long ago...

Charlie, our 11 month old black lab

Doug and the retrieving puppy.

Me, trying to be an outside person.

A day more recent...

Butternut squash soup with goat cheese, balsamic caramelized beets and vino.

Hot chocolate with homemade peppermint marshmallows.

Eats and Smiles.

Chocolate Stout Marshmallows

2011-11-22T19:57:00.001-07:00

Last year, a great night with my girlfriend Caitlin parlayed into a guest post and some very pretty festive treats over the holiday break... Pretty, swirly red, vanilla kissed marshmallows made their way into the hands of fortunate friends and many a mug of steaming hot chocolate.

This is one of two times during the year that I am interested in marshmallows... generally, I'm not a fan. BUT during those cool, dark nights around a campfire in the summer OR the frigid winter while curled up on the couch under blanket and cuddling a mug, I could eat marshmallows until the sugar coma hits.

Winter has only recently hit and already I am in marshmallow mania. While grabbing supplies at the grocery, I did nab that tiny bottle of peppermint extract (which I will probably not find again in a few short weeks when everyone is Christmas baking up a storm) for some future marshmallow making... otherwise, it was the regular suspects before grabbing a bag of pretzels then heading across the street for our new star - beer!

keep reading and salivating...

Brunch with Friends: Menu Two

2011-11-13T14:27:00.001-07:00

Well, I think it is safe to say that Brunch with Friends is going to become a regular feature here on wannafoodie. I spend hours dreaming up these menus and thinking about how to build levels of flavours into such warm, comforting, start-your-day food. How will each component connect with the other once it is on the plate? How do I make each component stand out while complimenting the others? How do I elevate the more simple components into something truly memorable? It has really been an energizing and inspiring experience... and hopefully one that you will get on board with.

This time, we were hosting Doug's sister Kate, her husband Alan and their daughter Emma (for shame! I didn't nab a photo of the family... next time!). Oh, and I can't possibly forget Boo, their pup, who came for a play-date with Charlie, our eleven month old black Lab. It was such a nice excuse to catch-up with Kate and Alan but also to see the ever-changing Emma, who two short weeks ago was barely walking and now is charging around without a care in the world. (How fast they grow!)

The flavours that I played with today are ones that warm me as the weather cools... cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin and citrus. They have been woven throughout all...

keep reading and salivating...

Autumnal Sugar Cookies

2011-11-04T12:31:00.001-06:00

Pinterest has been the most ridiculously addictive website for me... it's like an ever-changing, ever-accessible inspiration board of ideas, wishes, plans and such. I dream of a completely customized home with an expansive porch complete with swing, his and her sinks in the master bathroom off the master retreat (which, of course, has an awe-inspiring walk-in closet), an open central stairway filled floor-to-ceiling with art and photos and memories, a cupboard to a secret room a la Narnia, and a rolling ladder reaching to the upper echelons of a private library... and so on and so on. Oh, to have all of the money in the world.

Anyway, this really did start as a food blog post! (I did say that Pinterest got my imagination soaring...) So, I have been enthralled with photo after photo of beautiful handmade gifts, and wrapping and packaging that are as beautiful as the gifts within. I bookmark or repin and plan to make something like these. Today was that day.

After zipping to Michael's, I returned with a sale score of $0.80 cookie cutters in the shape of a ghost and a pumpkin! Sugar cookies were on the brain... and now they were going to be Halloween themed.

I'm not a fan of the sickly sweet, overly iced sugar cookies. Maybe they aren't sophisticated enough in terms of their flavour or I'm just a snob (maybe a bit of both)... I wanted to make a more "grown up" sugar cookie (mostly anyway!). A bit less sugar and a bit more spice.

keep reading and salivating...

Brunch with Friends: Menu One

2011-10-20T11:25:00.001-06:00

September and October have always been hectic months for me. Ever since I was a little girl, Momma R would tell me that I was busy as a bee during these months and would end up sick at some point during or towards the end of it. Well, true to form, I am sitting in a hotel room in Whitehorse and, instead of breaking bread with friends tonight, I am drinking neo citran and watching pixelated food network. At least, it gives me the opportunity to take a break, process some photos and give wannafoodie some overdue attention.

Our new plan for breaking bread and sharing time with friends is to host them for brunch. Brunch has always been one of my most favourite meals... it has the best of everything - sweet, savoury, boozy and a civilized hour! hahah. I enjoy dinner parties but Doug and I have a newfound appreciation for brunch parties - prepping in advance, hosting our friends, then still having our whole day to fuss and muss and reset for the week.

In the midst of our chaotic fall and just prior to leaving on our Mexican adventure and wedding celebration of our friends, Cary and Des, we took a welcome reprieve and invited the soon-to-be newlyweds to kick off our Brunch with Friends series.

keep reading and salivating...

Preserving! Hibiscus Syrup

2011-09-15T21:19:00.000-06:00

I've always been slightly spoiled by my intrepid travelling friend, Dean. As he has travelled the world for work, Dean has seen and experienced things that most of us only read about. No lie. And, as he has travelled, he has generously brought me unusual and interesting souvenirs... carpets and scarves from Pakistan to carved wooden masks from Africa to an evil eye from Turkey. Most recently, I was spoiled with a ridiculously large bag of dried hibiscus flowers and no idea what to do with them. (Momma oozed with jealousy after having recently purchased a significantly smaller bag for more than $12.)

So, Dean regaled us with tales of a hibiscus drink that the locals would make, as the hibiscus added a very refreshing tone to sparkling water or juices. And while we haven't had four months of summer full of hot days, we have had some beautiful days worthy of thirst quenching.

You might laugh here... or nod your head in commiserating agreement. This recipe actually started as an attempt at making hibiscus jelly, which I thought would be the most amazing addition to a cheese plate or just on some lovely airy scones. Well, alongside this "intention" was my complete lack of canning and jelly making knowledge. By "complete lack," I mean precisely that. I had never ever attempted to make jelly before this. Everything went exceedingly well until I blindly added the pectin, jarred the mixture, then processed it (for a requisite 10 minutes)... never to see the mixture jell. Honestly, I just assumed that it would. That said, my newfound preserving confidence (after purchasing the cookbook and ambitiously attempting about five+ more recipes in one weekend) led me to this conclusion... my jelly may not have jelled but my syrup turned out perfectly.

keep reading and salivating...

Preserving!

2011-09-14T19:38:00.000-06:00

With the abundance of beautiful ripe fruits and vegetables seems to come the overwhelming need (or, sometimes, guilty conscience) to preserve said produce and save it from over-ripening and being destined for the garbage bin... Couple that general urge (or guilt) with two super-preservers (yep... I mean you, Heather and Amanda) and this wannafoodie got her butt kicked thoroughly into preserving gear.

My first foray into preserving was last summer with my good friend Heather. She and her husband turned their thumbs green and yielded a corner garden full of lovely things. In particular, there was a great abundance of green beans. And Heather and I, being Heather and I, thought immediately of amazing spicy pickled beans to adorn our caesars. The whole escapade was fraught with squeals of uncertainty, splashes of vinegar and several large jars of (pickling) beans.

This year, I was regaled with tales of Heather's preserving (including some incredible tasting apple butter) and Amanda's days of preserving her and her boyfriend's produce. I was inspired. And, thus, I got to work.

Pictured (from left to right): Hibiscus Syrup, Carrot Jam, Bread and Butter Pickles, Corn Relish, Spiced Golden Plum Jam, Peach and Onion Chutney, Spicy Pickled Beans, Dill Pickles, Spicy Dill Pickes, Silk Road Dill Pickles, Pickled Carrots.

keep reading and salivating...

No Knead Bread

2011-08-14T21:27:00.000-06:00

Despite the warm temperatures and general reluctance to turn on the oven at any point, I had issued a challenge to myself... I was going to bake all of the bread for my household. Or, at the very least, I would bake the majority of the bread required (or desired) for myself, boyfriend and bread-loving cat, Wally.

I have sung the praises of my Momma and her intuitive bread making abilities. I too wanted to create wonderful, yeasty presents and be revered by all who taste it. hahah. Well, maybe that is a bit lofty. That said, I truly do want to hone this skill and become one of those people who can manipulate four simple ingredients (and sometimes a few more) into a wonderfully satisfying, tastes like home, loaf of happy.

As a starting point, I have looked to build my confidence with Jim Lahey's (Sullivan Street Bakery) No Knead Bread. I kneaded (hahaha) some wins before I embarked on some more challenging (or even seemingly challenging) loaves. This was a great starting place.

keep reading and salivating...

Truffled Pizza

2011-07-24T17:16:00.000-06:00

Ever since the slow rise pizza dough lesson at Eat Alberta, pizza seems to be in weekly rotation. It's just such a fantastic canvas for nearly any ingredient or those fantastic clean-out-the-fridge end of week meals.

If you like earthy, rich flavours (and mushrooms, obviously) then you will enjoy this pizza. If you're not a big fan, then I wouldn't bother. I find that truffles and those intense mushroom-y flavours are not for the faint of heart.

keep reading and salivating...

Eat Alberta 2011: Slow Rise Pizza Dough

2011-07-11T12:00:00.002-06:00

I was very excited to secure a spot in Yann Chartrand's slow rise pizza dough making class at Eat Alberta this year. Yann is a master breadmaker and owner of Treestone Bakery in Edmonton, so he would be an ideal person to teach us to master our own breads or, in this case, pizza doughs. And really... who doesn't love pizza?!

We were breaking the rules and making this dough in our one hour session but were able to take our little dough balls home and give them a bit more time and kneading to bring them through a roughly three day fermentation process. (If we could wait that long...)

Working in the world of bread, often means that the cups and teaspoons need to be set aside... ratios and weights govern your task here. Your flour can be heavier and densier, requiring less to meet a 300g portion in your recipe. Or conversely, your salt could be lighter... If you've ever embarked on bread or pizza dough making with cups and measures and been disappointed with your result, this could be one of the reasons. Now, I don't have a fancy electric scale, but I do use a kitchen scale... and I haven't been disappointed with my results yet. I urge you to grab a kitchen scale (could be a mere $15) when you're next out and about. It will be worth it.

keep reading and salivating...

Aperol Spritz

2011-06-27T12:30:00.003-06:00

Picture this: You're in an old piazza in Northern Italy. The sun is shining and a gentle breeze is blowing... stirring the air slightly but not disrupting the scene. Waves of beautiful people move through the piazza and their conversations twirl around you like ribbons, dancing over your skin and fading into the distance. Your companion approaches the bar and points at a striking and vibrantly orange-hued beverage spotted in the hand of one of those beautiful people. "Two, please."

As romantic and ridiculously dramatic as that scene may seem to you, it felt just that romantic and ridiculously dramatic to me when I was in Italy last... though instead of two, the order was somewhere in the forties. hahah. We had a wonderful group together to celebrate the wedding of a fantastic couple (and very dear friend of mine).

This was our spritz after a long day of moving...

no ice, couldn't find the oranges,

but we managed to chill the Prosecco.

It was divine.

Making these spritzes at home was one way to transport myself back to those special days in Northern Italy and -in particular- Verona, without the costly airline ticket. And with the long overdue (enter: cheers of "finally!") arrival of summer, I can think of no better way to celebrate it than with a spritz!

keep reading and salivating...

Cara's Cookies... or Vanilla Cream Cookies

2011-06-21T13:56:00.000-06:00

Recently, on the wannafoodie facebook page, I shared the photos for some absolutely beautiful Vanilla Cream Cookies... or Cara's Cookies. The Cara of Cara's Cookies is one Cara Cotter... and she is graciously sharing the recipe and a few of her tips here with us!

I met Cara several years ago through our mutual girlfriend, Sarah (another talented woman and the brains behind STUFF). Sarah has a real knack for bringing together smart and talented women. I remember one girls night in particular... mattress on the living room floor to extend our lounge space, sweets and treats including Cara's cupcakes and Sarah's poutine with actual Quebec gravy, and Working Girl on the television... uhhh, maybe you had to be there.

Back to Cara... she is one of those women that make it all seem quite effortless. I don't doubt that a great deal of effort goes into everything that she does but, like I said, she manages to accomplish so much without -seemingly- breaking a sweat. This is one smart cookie. Raising a family of two handsome boys with her husband while growing two incredible businesses while still finding time to bake beautiful little cookies like these (with puff pastry FROM SCRATCH!)... I'm one impressed woman.

So, while these cookies bake away and fill your kitchen with that sweet satisfying aroma, please check out her other two babies... So Pretty Jewelry ("Part of the magic for me is finding gemstones that I haven't seen anywhere else... a certain cut, amazing quality, or a color that catches my eye for the current season's trends. Just like a chef that searches their local market for the best produce in season I'm constantly searching for the finest stones and materials out there.") and glass.ful (hand blown glass tumblers that "can be used as a candleholder, a vase, a drinking glass or give a splash of color to any room"). I think you'll find yourself equally impressed.

keep reading and salivating...

Raspberry Maple Croissant Pudding

2011-06-09T12:36:00.000-06:00

It's quite funny... when I tweeted about making this delicious little treat, Aviv at Sidewalk Citizen Bakery (and my Momma... though not via Twitter) replied with something that I agreed wholeheartedly with... that is a sin to let croissants go stale!

It certainly wasn't the ideal situation. I love croissants. Plain and cold. Slightly warmed and crisp. With bright, tangy raspberry jam. With marmalade and fresh fruit. I ate croissant after croissant but couldn't quite get through the 12 or so that I bought before they started to go slightly stale. At that point, I decided to embrace the stale and welcome it into my kitchen with open arms... and bathe it in custard.

As is often the case for anything that I make, the inspiration often comes from what I have on hand... raspberries, stale croissants, maple syrup and cream. And a delicious sweet-treat started to take shape.

keep reading and salivating...

Eat Alberta 2011: Apple Pie and Pastry Making

2011-05-23T18:06:00.002-06:00

One of the first sessions that I experienced at Eat Alberta was the Apple Pie and Pastry Making 101, which featured the pastry talents of Christian Miller. A pie baking aficionado, Christian first learned how to make pies from her father... and has since catapulted that talent into many trademark pies and culinary creations.

While this session did not mark my first attempt at pie making, I figured that there was plenty to learn. All bakers have a slightly different take on how to best create his or her ideal pastry... and just like traditional family recipes that have been passed through generations, typically each is faithful to their version.

I was challenged to "work the lard hard" and produce a crust in a very different way from what I had in the past... yet equally tasty!

keep reading and salivating...

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

2011-05-14T17:03:00.001-06:00

I was trying to come up with some new snack options for myself without indulging in the office vending machine, which seems strategically placed to mock me as I pass it each time I need to use the ladies' room. Despite its token granola bars, low salt nut packs and 0 calorie beverages, if I am going to purchase an item from the vending machine, it isn't going to be faux-healthy. It is going to be a calorie-laden treat that makes the indulgence worthwhile.

Anyway... I need to curb this indulgence. While only happening once, maybe twice, in a week, that chocolate bar is just a gateway snack item... ready to coax me into a 'balanced' meal of cashews, potato chips, tuna-snack pack and soda.

Enter: chickpeas. I wasn't in the mood for hummus... so I thought I'd come up with my hummus-inspired version of roasted chickpeas. It's a win.

keep reading and salivating...

Eat Alberta 2011: A Celebration of Our Local Food Heroes

2011-05-01T13:48:00.008-06:00

Six weeks ago, I posted about the first-ever, and then upcoming, Eat Alberta conference to be held in Edmonton on April 30, 2011. I was so excited about the opportunity to learn and share and connect with fellow food lovers. If I was able to, I would have registered for every session that was to be offered.

That excitement held through until the actual conference day... yesterday... and carried me, enthusiastically, through a very full day.

keep reading and salivating...

Backwoods (Bastardized) Banana Cream Pie

2011-04-27T21:23:00.001-06:00

You are probably already laughing from the title of this post... and, if you know me at all, you know that I have never seen nor likely know anything of what said "backwoods" are like. I have been a self-proclaimed "inside girl" for many many years now. It's not that I don't like the outside... I have allergies... I whine... I get cold... I whine... hahah. Wow, I'm really giving myself the good sell, aren't I?

The addition of the pup to the zoo has been good for kicking my butt and getting me into the vast "outside world." Don't get me wrong... I'm no backwoods convert and my camping experience will be limited to the queen-size air mattress that I found in the discount bin at Superstore (a steal at $12.40!) but I have come to really love and enjoy my morning (and afternoon and evening) walks with Charlie.

Ok, ok... back to the backwoods (bastardized) banana cream pie. I was tasked with coming up with dessert options for the BF's upcoming backwoods canoe trip. This is beyond the camping that most of us have experience with. They carry everything that they will need for 10 days... themselves... in backpacks... (insert: shocked expression). So, their supplies are dried, dehydrated or freeze-dried within an inch of palatable. There would be absolutely NOTHING better than a sweet-treat at the end of a long day of hiking, portaging and canoeing.

So, for the backwoods campin' man or woman in your life... or, for yourself, if you are so inclined... here is a guide (I can't bring myself to say recipe) for an easy sweet-treat.

keep reading and salivating...

Breaducation... Who doesn't heart bread?!

2011-04-16T14:27:00.000-06:00

There has been so much breaducation in my life of late...

I've taken my own stabs at breadmaking... dreaming of the days where I will nuture and grow my own sourdough starter like a precious child... but loving every leavening moment and yeasty-bready perfume in the interim.

Then there was the Breaducation night (here's the story, courtesy of Edmonton food blogger and photographer Maki of In My Element) at the lovely Sarah's coffee boutique, Luzzara, on Whyte Avenue (Edmonton, AB) featuring the bread-making stylings of Owen of Prairie Mill Bakery (found in both Edmonton and Calgary) and Chris of eatingisthehardestpart.com. Partially, it was a great opportunity to learn more about making a great loaf... but also an amazing excuse to eat the amazing loaves produced by each of these gents (some amazing artisan sourdoughs from Chris and my favourite Corn Millet (among others) from Owen). (Lots of links there... but lots of great people for you to "meet"!)

Next up, Momma became a bread making fiend as she prepared for her artisan bread making class that she was teaching in St Albert. As her prep seemed to necessitate baking a loaf a day, I found myself happily immersed in the land of bread.

Bread! Bread! Bread!

Twitter has been amazing for connecting me with everyone that I mentioned above... and that is exactly how I ended up finding my new fave for bread and other bakery goodies, Sidewalk Citizen Bakery. I have been envious of those ordering loaves of bread for delivery to their offices on Tuesday and tantalized by the weekly creations available in their storefront.

keep reading and salivating...

Banana, Pecan and White Chocolate Muffins

2011-03-19T18:59:00.003-06:00

This recipe started out with mushy, brown, "fragrant" bananas on my counter. Staring me down in the way that overly ripe food does... implying guilt with every pass. "Save me, save me," is the subtitle in their pungent scent. My internal subtitle says, "get it together, Christine... don't you dare toss those bananas into the purgatory that is your freezer... until you throw them out as freezer burned shadows of what they could have been."

I started to think about the banana chocolate chip muffins that my mom used to make and then we used to make as kids. The recipe was so simple and there was very little better than tearing open that creamy muffiny goodness studded with semi sweet chocolate surprises.

Typically, I have the full gamut of options in my baking cupboard. Several different dried fruits, various chocolate chips and chunks, nuts, coconut and so on. Well, it looks as though my store has been pillaged. No standard dark chocolate chunks or chips here! I remember being quite concerted about using up several items but didn't realize that effort would stand between me and my perfect banana chocolate chip muffins now.

Regroup. Reassess. What did I have? I had a giant bag of pecan halfs, another of dried cranberries, smaller bags of peanuts, butterscotch chips, mint chips, white chocolate slabs and chunks... I grabbed the pecans and white chocolate chunks and got back on track.

Tea and a warm banana, pecan and white chocolate muffin

keep reading and salivating...

Only one place to be on April 30th... Eat Alberta in Edmonton!

2011-03-14T23:55:00.001-06:00

I cannot think of a single better place to be on April 30th... in fact, I think the ONLY place to be on April 30th, if you can do it, is in Edmonton at Eat Alberta, presented by Slow Food Edmonton!

The array of speakers, keynotes and information session are just amazing... Just take a tour through the Eat Alberta site and see. Registration opened today, so move and shake your way over to Sign Up page and expand your culinary horizons.

Hope to see you there!

Pecan Coconut Brittle

2011-01-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

I really haven't had much experience with candy. Aside from my annual batch of Chipotle Caramel Corn, a recipe which I can't seem to let go of quite yet, my candy thermometer rarely emerges from its place in my utensil drawer.

This winter, for some odd reason, I could not stop thinking about brittles. Not only would they be a great thing to package up for friends and family but I seem to keep refilling the tin that sits on my hutch... it's the perfect salty-sweet bite when I'm craving something after dinner on Saturday night.

Like so many other recipes, I think this is one of those where you create the candy base and can add to it whatever flavours you are currently enjoying... or those bits of nuts or chocolate or whatever are kicking around your baking cupboard. It's the candy equivalent of a fridge cleaner dinner... it's the pantry cleaner of sweets.

keep reading and salivating...

My Ratatouille

2011-01-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

After the excessive consumption of the holiday season... too much sugar... plethoras of cheeses and meats and fats... I seem to find myself craving the colour and nutritional merits of proper vegetables.

Momma R either always made ratatouille or the times when it was made were extremely memorable for me. I remember the thick stew of vegetables perfuming the house before being plonked down in front of us, usually matched with a slice of bread. Though, on occasion... if we were so lucky, thick slabs of mozzarella were melted into the top. Lovely and decadent. And so good for you!

I don't think I have ever made Momma R's ratatouille but I haven't been able to get it out my head lately, so I decided to embark on my own ratatouille attempt.

keep reading and salivating...

Turkey Pot Pie

2011-01-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite at the point yet where I despise my turkey leftovers... I hope you're not at that point yet either or this post will seem wholly unwelcome.

I can usually manage to eat one meal of turkey leftovers before I'm done with the traditional fare... the white meat, no matter how moist, continues to dry out. The potatoes go chalky. Buns stale. And the gravy runs out. At this point, I usually toss the remaining turkey into the freezer while I figure out what to do with the three pounds that remain.

Enter: Turkey Pot Pie. I figured that this was an easy-creamy-dreamy way to get rid of the last bit of turkey. I could freeze the pies for a time when my turkey-love returns. And I could cram these pies chock full of veg and feel virtuous about eating these leftovers... further justifying my breakfast of chocolate.

keep reading and salivating...

Festive Vanilla Marshmallows

2010-12-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hello wannafoodie readers! Caitlin here from northoftheforty-ninth.com. Some of you may recognize me from the wannafoodie header (I'm the one wiping my mouth in the stripes). I'm so excited to give you a peek into the marshmallow-making date I had with Christine last week! I wasn't sure we'd be able to get through making two batches of marshmallows in my teeny-tiny kitchen, but our mission was accomplished.

I was first inspired to make marshmallows when I was thinking of a Christmas gift to give the members of my book club. I wanted to make them something that they could drink or eat while curled up with a book on a cold winter night. Homemade hot cocoa and marshmallows seemed like my most adventurous bet. So, armed with my laptop, I set out to find the most manageable marshmallow recipe I could and I stumbled across this recipe from the Joy of Baking. The first batch went off without a hitch and I invited Christine over to make a second batch for stocking-stuffers. We decided to adapt the original recipe slightly using vanilla bean pods and food colouring for a more festive and flavourful feel.

keep reading and salivating...

Caramelized Banana French Toast

2010-12-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

I loved making french toast when I was younger. It was wonderfully satisfying and delightfully simple to make. Something so decadent about it. That lovely custard sopped up by a previously forsaken slice of stale bread... vanilla and cinnamon... sometimes some nutmeg... some sort of fruit, if I was so inclined... otherwise a healthy smear of butter and dosing of maple syrup. Perfection.

The sheer simplicity of this breakfast favourite almost made (and makes) me giddy with excitement. It's almost laughable how stale bread, some eggs, cream and some seasonings can transform into a ~$15 brunch item at a restaurant. This past weekend's brunch at home reminded me how easily I could compete, not pay $2 a cup for my much-needed gallon of coffee and eat in my pajamas!
keep reading and salivating...

Poutine... (or gravy on the fly)

2010-12-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

There are days when I feel completely less than virtuous as far as it comes to cooking... and certainly when it comes to eating. Oh yeah, these are the days where you just want to eat your stress. Or, eat your feelings as I joked to Amanda earlier today.

Ok ok... this is probably not how I should preface this little bit of tasty goodness. The truth is that eating broccoli doesn't always cut it. There are times when you need something unapologetically fatty or salty or sweet to satisfy that craving in your belly.

That said, I think that this is a slightly more virtuous version of one of my favourite stress-day indulgences... the glorious poutine. The fries are the baked fries from a few months ago... you can find those wonderfully squeeky cheese curds in any decent cheese market or deli section... and the gravy, while not laboured over while cooking a meaty chunk of something, is a step above a powdered version. Considering all of that, I will sit proudly, fork in hand, and enjoy every morsel of this satisfying treat.

keep reading and salivating...

Toothy-Grainy Brown Bread

2010-11-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

When I said that I made a toothy bread and forecasted this post, I was asked -repeatedly- "what's a toothy bread?" It never even occurred to me that toothy would not immediately give images of a wonderful chewy, sink your teeth into it, dense, grainy bread. I mean, come on... why wouldn't you immediately follow that thought process??

I can't quite recall where I first heard the word "toothy" in relation to a bread of this sort but it was so apt, in my opinion, that I can't quite replace it.

Anyway, this whole bread-making escapade began when I was trying to figure out breakfast this past weekend. I've made bread and buns (cinnamon, mostly), so it wasn't a whole new path... but I wanted to make a nice, yes, toothy bread to have Eggies and Toast. I had no bread... I was sick and miserable... and winter had descended upon our fair city, so leaving my house seemed like an epic feat. I scanned the cupboard and saw that I had two packets of quick rise yeast.

This is where you tell me that I'm crazy... when making bread seems to me to require less effort than taking the five minute journey to the market for a ready-to-eat, fresh made loaf. To which, I respond with, it doesn't require nearly the effort that you would think and that the smell of fresh baking (hell, even rising), bread perfuming your house makes it infinitely justifiable. Further, I abhor the cold and anything that I can do without leaving my house in a parka-scarf-mitts-hat-boots-combo (for something as simple as bread) will always be the easier option than the trek.

keep reading and salivating...

wannafoodie at the Christmas Craft Sale!

2010-11-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

In the few and far between free moments that I have had, I have been frantically baking and preparing for an annual Christmas Craft Sale. This Christmas Craft Sale is held over a Friday and Saturday in November in a lovely home in St Albert. And it just so happens that this sale is THIS WEEKEND!

(Pictured: wannafoodie doggie biscuits and training treats)

Here is a preview of some of the items that I will be selling at the Christmas Craft Sale (shared through the wannafoodie facebook page)! UPDATE: I just got home from the first phase of set-up and added photos of many of the other sale items. Even more items are to be added this morning! This really just 'isn't your typical craft sale,' as coined by Suz.

If you live in the Edmonton area, please do check out this sale. There are a great many talented artisans selling everything from crafted felt iPod holders to ceramics to crocheted wares to beautiful cards to natural cleaning products to jellies to beverage mixes and on and on and on and on... There is so much and it is all made by local craftspeople. Some items sell out on the first day, so try to be quick on the draw!

Here are the details:
Christmas Craft and Bake Sale
(click here for the facebook event and share with your friends!)
Friday, November 12, 2010 from 3:00pm - 9:00pm
and
Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 10:00am - 6:00pm

Located at 72 Greer Crescent in St Albert.

Fries!!

2010-10-22T10:31:00.000-06:00

Ummm... lots of potatoes around my house. And I'm addicted to fries.

Fries are awesome. But I can never bring myself to deep fry them in my house... that whole process is fussy and temperature specific and can be smelly and I can justify eating fries more often when if they are baked and not fried. (I probably just jinxed myself and will be writing something about deep frying in a few months... we shall see.)

BUT! They must be crispy! It is NOT worth eating a fry if it is a soggy mess... and these are not soggy messes of fries.
keep reading and salivating...

Super Duper Louise Potatoes

2010-10-16T11:52:00.000-06:00

Look at that cutie. Yep, I am blatantly putting the most adorable, coyly smiling child in front of you in order to soften my absence. I'm not above that... not one bit. hahaha.

Really, I am sorry for being so AWOL. August was what August typically is - lots of drinks on the patio with friends (when we had nice evenings), movie nights, travel, dinners, walks, some bike rides after I bought my new bike (super functional with it's flower appliqués and white basket). With September came welcome house guests followed by overstay guests (a bathroom renovation gone long and a move to my mother's house), a wedding in Vancouver (big love to K&I), a fantastic holiday and celebration of my birthday and Rhi's (momma bear to this adorable little girl) in San Francisco and Las Vegas (big love to Dean, Jay and Rhi!), a move back to my house and an attempt to get back to my normal. And, all of a sudden, I found myself two months (+) later than the last time that I sat before you.

Ahhhh.... life..... how it gets in the way sometimes. And how I wouldn't change that one bit.

So, with the summer and the garden has come the abundance of potatoes and with that comes an abundance of potato eating... And the reason for the cute child at the beginning of this post. She was the Chef and we made "Super Duper Louise Potatoes."
keep reading and salivating...

Orange Chocolate Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

2010-07-28T23:00:00.000-06:00

I tried to shrink the name of these cookies somewhat... but I certainly didn't shrink the ingredient list (though there was not one item on this list that required a special trip to the market). But, just like the Lemon Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, these cookies have a lot going on.

I solicited a great deal of feedback before embarking on this next cookie attempt... and so many great suggestions came my way! The last batch of cookies was such a hit that I could not fathom producing a poorer version of cookie... or why not just make the first ones again and keep the taste-testers satisfied?! This cookie only changed slightly from what I had dreamed of in my mind (or my mental mouth as coined by Food Philosophy) but I'm already scheming on how the next one will taste. What do you think of a chocolate chocolate (cocoa plus chocolate chunks) cookie with chili heat?? Kirby and Cori seem to think it would be a good one... and I can't help but agree!

So, I go to share this wonderful cookie with you and discover that, in my reckless cookie making abandon, I completely neglected to take one photo of the finished product. I blame my excitement over getting this cookie into the hands, and mouths, of some important people. All hope was not lost though... apparently one lone cookie managed to escape all clutches and was squirreled away in a secret cache. Count yourself lucky that there are now photos of a cookie... and not a post-it note on a plate that reads, "a cookie was once here."

But before I get too far into this imaginary cookie-land where the possibilities are limitless, let's take a moment to enjoy this cookie... Orange Chocolate Walnut Oatmeal... yum.

keep reading and salivating...

Rhubarb Raspberry Syrup

2010-07-19T08:46:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I turned to the wannafoodie facebook page for suggestions on ingredients for which people wanted to see recipes. There were lots of suggestions... one of which was for rhubarb. As anyone who has a rhubarb plant can attest, it grows like a weed and often yields more than one family could ever imagine using. In fact, I only just finished using the last of the rhubarb, frozen from last year, a few months ago. I don't even have a rhubarb plant in my garden as I have four or five friends who would happily supply me with rhubarb anytime that it remotely crossed my mind... and sometimes completely unsolicited!

I was sitting in the backyard, enjoying an apple mint mojito, when it occurred to me that I should try a rhubarb syrup in place of that apple cider syrup that I had made. It seemed that I wasn't the only one thinking that way when I saw this beautiful dark purple blackberry verbena syrup. That sealed the deal! I had to have a pretty pink soda!

keep reading and salivating...

#yyc bbq and #yeg dnr

2010-07-06T07:49:00.001-06:00

Though the last few weeks have been filled with food and I haven't found myself in my kitchen as much as I would like, I wouldn't change a moment of it. There have been many great meals with many great people. I think this post is as much a homage to those great people as it is about some wonderful meals.

keep reading and salivating...

Grilled Pear and Mascarpone Tart

2010-07-03T17:05:00.000-06:00

This actually started as an attempt at making mascarpone cheese (which was super easy and infinitely less expensive than the store-bought variety). There are few things in the world that cannot be made better with cheese. Alright, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but I'm okay with that. Cheese is awesome.

While I could sit with a bowl of mascarpone and a spoon and be a happy woman, I think that that would be a considerably boring post. I didn't want to make another risotto, so I wasn't going to use the mascarpone to thicken it. I wasn't in the mood for tiramisu. So, I went to the farmer's market in search of inspiration.

Inspiration came in the form of some beautiful red and green Anjou pears...

keep reading and salivating...

Cedar Plank Snapper

2010-06-25T07:20:00.001-06:00

This is definitely not one of those meals that required sweat, tears and excessive labour over a hot stove on a hot day. Nope. Not one bit… well, there could have been tears (if things went worse than they did) but I’ll tell you about that later.

The apple mint mojitos, grilled corn and this snapper come together in less than thirty minutes and seem wonderfully impressive. I guess this meal is here to remind me that I can eat tremendously well, even on the days when I stumble home from the office and my stomach is achingly empty.

The one thing that I apparently need to give a bit more than thirty minutes would be the cedar plank (despite the directions for thirty to sixty minute soak being ok). I soaked that thing for more than an hour. Either I had a ridiculously dry plank or someone decided to play a prank on me but I had one awesome fire! I was going to pretend as though that never happened and had already sworn my mother to culinary secrecy… but it was just too damn amusing!
keep reading and salivating...

Barbequed Corn

2010-06-20T16:02:00.001-06:00

The simple way of putting this is to say, “here is some barbequed corn for you.” But it’s not just that.

Grilled corn is the best. It’s sweet and savoury. It’s amusing and is something you eat with friends… otherwise you’ll end up humiliated as you ungracefully pick the bits of corn and seasoning that will inevitably lodge between your teeth.

So, instead of dropping this corn straight on the grill and letting it do its thing. Add three minutes to your prep and you will have an awesome flavour infused corn that will have you throwing caution to the wind and saying, “to hell with the bits between my teeth, I want a second cob!”
keep reading and salivating...

Crab Salad... or Sandwich

2010-06-16T09:20:00.000-06:00

It may have even been months ago now when the discussion of sandwiches came up on the wannafoodie facebook page. Sian described her favourite as crab-salad-on-fresh-crusty-bread. While it may not be your favourite, who's going to say that that doesn't sound appealing? Especially as the days grow warmer and longer, seafood seems to be in high rotation on many dinner circuits.

keep reading and salivating...

Solo Pancakes

2010-06-11T18:40:00.000-06:00

Honestly, I call these my "single girl pancakes." hahah. I love a cozy Saturday morning filled with cup after cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes, butter and maple syrup. However, it seems like every pancake "recipe" yields about four trillion resentful pancakes that leaves you standing over the stove long after your love affair with that cozy morning has been abandoned. Alright... four trillion may be an exaggeration and, yes, you can freeze the pancakes but I don't need a bunch of sad pancakes hanging around in my freezer. I want about two pancakes or maybe four, if the night prior included one too many glasses of wine.

While a "recipe" for pancakes seems a bit unnecessary, I think that this is here to give you some smaller proportions. No math skills required to reduce a recipe, when your head is aching and stomach growling. Just a nice little portion for those cooking for one (or maybe two).

keep reading and salivating...

Quince de Mayo Macarons

2010-06-10T07:10:00.000-06:00

I have been quite studious when it comes to learning and attempting to succeed (I'll work on mastering later) the art of macarons. I keep reading and scouring the net for resources, tips and tricks. These are such fantastically intriguing little sweets, I must say.

Here is my second attempt at macarons. This time, I had smoother caps and, again, feet! However a few of the macarons cracked... and I'm still trying to figure if they were overmixed (the ones that cracked were the last ones to be piped) or if they were too wet.

These macarons were made for the birthday of my sister, Beth. Coloured a bright green (her favourite), I named them "quince de mayo" as she was born on the 15th of May and filled them with dulce de leche, a further homage to Cinco de Mayo and Mexican independence. Small, sweet, decadent little treats.
keep reading and salivating...

Apple Mint Mojitos

2010-06-06T09:05:00.001-06:00

When I went to purchase the starter herbs for my little container garden, I could not find any regular mint! Pineapple mint, chocolate mint… ai ya. I wasn’t convinced. I just wanted regular mint. Then I stumbled upon apple mint and, while it still wasn’t quite right, I figured that that would be easier to use than something like chocolate mint.

As nine times out of ten, I seem to grab the mint for a mojito, I figured that this would be a good opportunity to try making an apple influenced mojito.

keep reading and salivating...

Marinated Beef Tenderloin

2010-06-04T07:58:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to learn how to garden... well, sorta. I was going to learn how to grow herbs in pots. We all need to start somewhere and I figured that this would be a good place for, not to mention slightly more economical than buying packets of herbs at $3 and $4 every time a recipe demands.

I took an herb gardening course with my friend, Caitlin, which was decidedly unhelpful. The best part of that morning was the herb growing reference wheel (the take-away from the class) and the afternoon of coffee and rummage sale shopping (I snagged a beautiful old wooden chair for $5!) that followed.

Despite that, I was not deterred and purchased ten herb plants, two big bags of dirt and a pair of gardening gloves. I am now "not killing" golden sage, English thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, apple mint, tarragon, and English, French and fringed lavender. And, as of last Saturday morning, I added another fragrant (regular) mint plant to my brood.

All I seem to do is dream up ways of using these herbs that I am becoming exceedingly proud of. After catching a flash of Laura Calder making a marinated beef tenderloin, I couldn't help but think of doing the same.

keep reading and salivating...

Lemon Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

2010-06-01T08:30:00.000-06:00

Or in short... this cookie has a lot going on. hahah. But each ingredient seems to enhance the other, as opposed to just muddying the whole taste.

I seem to crave certain things on dreary-rainy days... things with spice, a certain density and a bit of warmth. I dare you to put a sunny salad in front of me on these days. You would get a look. Forget it! I really shouldn't be so rigid... maybe my opinion would change with the right combination of ingredients and persuasion. In the interim, I turned to these cookies to add a reasonable amount of comfort to my day.

I am not without sunshine on these days though. The lemon and cranberry definitely brighten the nutty oatmeal base. Without these additions, I think this cookie would be much more dreary-snowy than dreary-rainy and that isn't the goal either.

keep reading and salivating...

Asian Marinated Chicken

2010-05-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

Aside from a rudimentary stir-fry, I haven’t ventured far into the realm of Asian cooking. While not unfamiliar, the spices and flavours of Asian cooking are not quite so second nature for me when I hope for inspiration and spontaneous combinations. Maybe that is why it is equally fascinating… and daunting.

I have a cupboard full of Asian flavours that I have been collecting for a few years now and using sparingly, as I dabble but not jump into Asian culinary creativity. Sesame oil, fish sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, tamari… and, as of recently, Chinese five spice. The arrival of the five spice on the scene was, apparently, enough to make me jump…
keep reading and salivating...

Dulce de Leche Buns

2010-05-26T08:18:00.001-06:00

I have never experimented with bread recipes… I figured someone else configured those recipes because that is what works. And while that is true, it doesn’t mean that other combinations won’t work (or, hell, that these combinations haven’t been tried too). I wanted a slightly richer bread and I figured that using milk versus water would help… a bit of butter… and a bit of hope that it would all come together.

This dough rose perfectly. I was absolutely giddy when I peeked under the towel and saw a lovely puffy blob rising in the bowl. Forget waiting until after work to make these buns, I was going to be triumphantly carrying these into the office that same morning. Yep, I was beaming.
keep reading and salivating...

Dulce de Leche

2010-05-26T07:47:00.001-06:00

I like simple things… and this is precisely that. For those who are unfamiliar, dulce de leche is a Latin American “milk caramel,” though there are other versions and other origins as well.

Bottom line is that this is simple and I like it. All you need is a can of sweetened condensed milk. While I was not so brave as to boil it unopened, it seems that I yielded the same ideal result from a slightly vented can.

Get ready to take notes! (Ummm… not at all, actually.) Take the label off of the can and open it just a crack. Put the can in a pot and fill with water, to about 1 inch from the top of the can. (It looked like the can was going to rust my pot, so I put the can on a bed of parchment paper.. you could probably also use a silicone can topper or an enameled pot. Just a thought.) Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow the water to simmer around the can for 2-4 hours (for a softer or harder caramel). I went with the middle ground of 3 hours.

You will need to top up the water throughout the process. And let the can cool (I just left it in the water until the next morning) before trying to handle it. Open the can and scoop out your beautiful caramel coloured confection. Give it a quick stir to remove any lumps but that is absolutely it. Presto: dulce de leche!

Now, what do you do with it?! I used it as a macaron filling and made dulce de leche buns (think cinnamon buns but with dulce de leche instead). You could make tarts. Or just use it as a sweety treaty spread on a piece of bread. Yum yum yum.

Baked Eggs

2010-05-21T08:14:00.001-06:00

Last year, I went to Paris. I went to Paris to celebrate my good good friend’s 30th birthday. We walked and museumed and ate. So many of the highlights seemed to involve food, as seems to be the case with many trips. We had chocolat chaud and palmiers from Angelina (which means I brought back a bag of their chocolat chaud), we ate breads and fruits from the Marche (where I bought herbes de provence and chestnut paste). We ate pretty little cupcakes from Berko and many of my favourite crepes with calvados and apple compote. It was a dream.

In, what Parisians would probably liken to a cheap department store, I bought a pretty little ceramic tray for eggs and a cookbook, Petites Coquettes. My French lapsed after high school and seemed to have been overwritten by my Italian studies in University but I figured that food, as the universal language, would help guide me through this cookbook. The photos, the care and the simplicity of this bit of French food did… with a few toast “fingers,” baked eggs is one of my favourite morning rituals.

keep reading and salivating...

Works in Progress...

2010-05-19T22:48:00.000-06:00

I have been toiling away in the kitchen. Rest assured. But, I've been enjoying a few of the simple things of late... and they don't really warrant recipes.

For interest's sake, I love a croissant. This last week, there were several toasted croissants with fresh ricotta and wildflower honey. And a nice espresso. Sometimes the simplest things are the most enjoyable. There have also been stacked sandwiches... full of real Italian mortadella, cucumbers, tomatoes and grainy dijon mustard. I'm also completely addicted to salads with toasted pecans, goats' cheese and either dried cranberries or plump blackberries.

I have also been working on a couple of recipes but I'm not quite ready to share them... here are the early stages of an awesome pizza...

...and a panko breaded buffalo chicken.

A few more tweaks and they will be yours!

Chocolate Macarons

2010-05-18T06:53:00.001-06:00

I don’t know where the macaron craze came from but it seems like every blog that I stumble across has either recently or previously posted about these delightful little treats. I’ve always found macarons to be a stunning creation but, as with most fussy and complicated recipes, I was intimidated.

My strategy whenever I am faced with the unknown is to attack it with knowledge. I “hit the books”… or at least, the net. I read numerous blogs for tips, tricks and anecdotes (including one, MacTweets, dedicated to all things Mac). I read articles in food magazines. I watched youtube tutorials.

While I was certainly better equipped to deal with the macaron attempt, I was still quite nervous. However, there was little else that I could do but try… so try, I did.

keep reading and salivating...

Easy Peasy Turnovers

2010-05-17T08:35:00.001-06:00

Our plan was to make one of our old favourites, front stoop mussels, while drinking copious amounts of wine and eating nearly (if not completely) a loaf of bread while sopping up every last drop of the Cambozola infused wine sauce. It would have been awesome. Unfortunately, for Dean and I, the timing didn’t work out so well and front stoop mussels will have to have their shining moment another day.

So, instead of mussels, we opted for a simple and quick turnover. Something just slightly sweet but not too heavy. After all, Dean only comes to Edmonton once a year and needed his moment on the blog. :)

We’re not martyrs and did not make our own puff pastry, which I don’t feel is the end of the world. One day, I may attempt to make it… but at 9:00pm on a Friday night, it was not the time to try.

keep reading and salivating...

Asparagus Risotto

2010-05-12T22:54:00.001-06:00

Risotto is one of those things that is wonderfully malleable. You can take the basic risotto and add to it whatever ingredients you are seasonal… or are just plain being craved by you at that moment. Master the basic cooking process and you have a great launching pad for an impressive and satisfying meal.

Right now, asparagus is fresh, in season and available locally. You can’t beat asparagus in May. It’s not woody or tough but rather tender and bright. I will even eat it raw, sliced up into a salad. As such, this risotto is a homage to asparagus.

keep reading and salivating...

Lovecakes

2010-05-09T21:21:00.001-06:00

In this past week, I was faced with a tremendously important task. It was time for the preparation of a gift offered many many months ago. My dear friend Heather was married this weekend. For my gift to Heather and Marlon, I was going to make the “cake” for the wedding. Heather has always loved my baking and this just seemed like a natural extension of that… and such an exciting way to play a role in this special moment in her and Marlon’s new life together.

After much debate, we determined that cupcakes would be made and in the following flavours:
- Devil’s Food with Rich Chocolate Frosting
- Red Velvet with Buttercream Frosting
- Buttermilk with Maple Vanilla Frosting

The recipes for the Devil’s Food and Buttermilk cakes, as well as the chocolate frosting, came from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book. (I just saw it at Costco today for $16… well worth purchasing.) The Red Velvet cake was written about previously when I did the first test run. The Maple Vanilla was a seven minute frosting to which I added maple and vanilla extracts. The buttercream is a recipe that I have been tweaking and enjoying for a few years now…
keep reading and salivating...

Salted Caramel Fudgy Brownies

2010-05-08T09:23:00.001-06:00

Ummmm…. speechless. Dubbed #sexonaplate… #foodporn… just plain good. My ever-obliging taste testers at the office swooned over these. “I would get fat for these.” “They’re rich… but not. I love the salt.” “…..mmmmm…..” Yeah.

Honestly, these started as an “I would like something sweet but not too sweet.” I love those salty-sweet combinations. It’s the best middle ground between the sweet and savoury war, which I wage internally on most every day. Yes, there are two distinct processes involved with this dessert but I promise that it is worth the effort. I made one 10”x10” tray of thin but still rich and gooey. I think that three times that many could have been eaten. The only things grateful, when the bottom of the container was reached and only a few crumbs remained, were our waistlines.

“I will make some man fat and happy one day.” Heads nod.
keep reading and salivating...

Foodie Crush: Last Night's Dinner

2010-05-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

I have a crush... on Jennifer Hess and her blog, Last Night's Dinner. I only found her a few days ago after a twitter recommendation from @TOfoodie. Once again, I will praise twitter for adding another link to my #foodporn favourites.

Case and point would be her blog post today:
"I am a home cook. I’m not a writer or a culinary professional, I’m just a girl who works long days, comes home exhausted, and looks forward to sharing a meal with her husband. And whether he’s cooking dinner, or I am, or it’s a joint effort, by and large I want what we eat at home to be good, honest, real food, even if it’s just a simple bowl of pasta and vegetables."

It just seems so honest and wonderfully simple... as though what she is doing is the most obvious thing in the world. And it is just that - obvious.

Lots of photos... less on the recipes. While my own little bubble here is recipe after recipe, I truly appreciate (and subscribe equally) to her philosophy that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to cook.

Anyway, add Last Night's Dinner to your own #foodporn list... or twitter @lastnightsdinnr

Blue Carbonara

2010-05-04T09:17:00.001-06:00

If it isn’t obvious enough, some of my ingredients repeat themselves over several recipes for the simple reason of trying not to waste. This whole cooking enterprise could be infinitely more expensive if I were to be buying blue cheese or special cuts of meat or buttermilk or whatever else for each recipe individually. Instead, and more realistically, I made Blue Burgers, then crumbled blue cheese on a few salads, then decided to see if blue cheese could work in a carbonara in an attempt to use that last little bit. I hope that is ever so slightly reassuring… so that when you look at a recipe and want to try something out, you have another two or three recipe options to use up those ingredients. Waste not and all that jazz…

Ok. Back to the recipe at hand. Spaghetti carbonara. As long as you don’t have egg issues, you likely have had and enjoy this dish. I always found it to be a wonderful dose of #foodporn, in its slippery-salty-sweet decadentness (not a word, I know… but I like it anyway). In Feast, Nigella Lawson only reinforced it to me as food porn when she described it as being “so right for that chin-dripping, love soaked primal feast, the first time someone actually stays through the night.” You’re speechless too, aren’t you?
keep reading and salivating...

Greg’s Fresh Pasta

2010-05-03T08:25:00.001-06:00

I can’t stop rubbing my hands. I can’t stop smelling my hands. They are silky soft from the olive oil and perfumed by tomato (and not in a de-skunking way… rather a sweet, fresh, lovely scent).

I love it when cooking makes you get your hands dirty. That a pasta fork is not sufficient to mush and meld and marry your ingredients. You have to unapologetically dig in, enjoying every squishy and slippery moment. It’s time for you to truly connect to your food.

This recipe came from my good friend Greg, who now gets his moment in the wannafoodie (lime)light. Technically, he’s jumping the queue of other recipes waiting for their moment but this was a great addition and I didn’t want to wait to share it. In reading his recipe, I see his food philosophies mirror my own in many ways… very little measuring, lots of feeling rather than thinking and ridiculously amusing analogies to his actions.

Since there is no cooking, aside from boiling that water, the resulting dish depends so much more on good ingredients. So, get the good stuff – ripe tomatoes, beautiful olive oil and a wedge of parmesan… or your attempt at this will only pale in comparison to how wonderful it COULD have been.
keep reading and salivating...

Ridiculous Burgers – The Itali-Burger

2010-04-29T08:53:00.001-06:00

The Blue Burgers are a hit in my books. But, if you’re not a blue cheese fan, these may be more up your alley.

Tomatoes, basil, red wine… hallmarks of that wonderful, comforting Italian food make these burgers equally wonderful and comforting.

Left – Itali-Burgers ~ Right – Blue Burger

keep reading and salivating...

Ridiculous Burgers… The Blue Burger

2010-04-27T20:16:00.001-06:00

Who doesn’t like a good burger? I mean, really, who doesn’t like a good burger? I like a good burger. If you don’t, then move on… this isn’t for you.

I can picture the burgers that my dad used to make… ground beef, ketchup, sometimes worchestershire, onions, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper… Easy, simple, good. I have made those burgers without thinking. My mind following a recipe card that was never written.

These burgers are a bit different. I seem to get an idea for one thing (cook, enjoy, finish), then am left with bits and pieces of ingredients that I need to repurpose. I think that the launching pad for these burgers were bits of blue cheese and bits of basil left in my fridge, fast approaching their expirations. So, the blue cheese became the start of one burger… and the basil, the start of another.

keep reading and salivating...

Eggies

2010-04-25T10:21:00.001-06:00

Momma Rogerson has her own personal vocabulary. Not quite English at times, not quite anything else though either… a unique blend of Ukie-Yiddish particular to her alone. I have appropriated some of these “isms” into my vocabulary because, really, it is impossible not to and, well, they amuse me every time I say them.

One of Momma Rogerson’s “isms” is her love of Eggies. Eggies is infinitely more amusing than Eggs. Capital E or lowercase e. That’s probably why I love the Eggies so much… and why I think that eggs for dinner is so amusingly decadent. Hmmm… maybe I’ll have Eggies for dinner later.

In the interim, lunch looms. Dinner will have to wait for now. Egg salad, it is. I have some great pagnotta (bread) from the Italian Centre and everything else that I needed to get my dose of Eggies.

keep reading and salivating...

Pesto Halibut

2010-04-21T19:26:00.001-06:00

I am typically quite terrified of fish. In the past, I think I have rushed things. Maybe my pan was too hot. Or, I flipped a steak too soon. Or, I overseasoned. I don’t always know where I have gone wrong but I know that disappointment of a filet that fell apart or of drawing every bit of moisture out of something that was once completely engulfed in it. *tear*

I have pledged to become better at cooking fish. Slow it down. Think about things before I begin. Because once you put that fish to the fire, you really don’t have much time to fuss about and weigh your options before you’ve killed the fish a second time.

keep reading and salivating...

An OMG Raspberry Souffle

2010-04-17T09:34:00.001-06:00

Well… this could have been a COMPLETE overly ambitious disaster. A souffle and I was making it with an audience… nothing like a good challenge. :)

The first time I ever attempted a souffle, I was around sixteen years old and was experimenting in my Food Studies class in high school. I had an incredibly supportive teacher who broke the financial restrictions on my “per student, per dish” budget and encouraged me to try more challenging and advanced recipes in every class.

I can’t quite remember what kind of souffle it was that I made. What I do remember was her coaching, my careful consideration of each step in the process, our excited anticipation and the complete thrill of a successful result.

So, just as with the fish, I just wanted to make something wonderful and didn’t want to over-think it.

keep reading and salivating...

Vodka-Marinated Steak

2010-04-17T09:01:00.001-06:00

This past weekend, I had two girlfriends over for a long overdue dinner and wiine dance party. Given that I had invited them over on the Friday, I needed to be able to get home from work (I work until 6pm) and turn something around relatively quickly for their arrival at 7pm. While time wasn’t necessarily on my side in terms of prep, I really didn’t want to just throw something together or, an even worse sin since starting this blog, order something in! They were so looking forward to something homemade.

So, this is what I came up with… Easy, fast and impressive enough for Friday night with the girls!

keep reading and salivating...

Home-rolled Sushi Fun

2010-04-12T19:51:00.001-06:00

I am no master… I love sushi and can’t always find a buddy to join me. I go alone sometimes but the challenge is choosing only a few things rather than the greater number of options that you can choose when you have someone to share the eating.

So, on one occasion, I decided that I was going to try my hand at rolling my own. Cue: Ominous music.

keep reading and salivating...

Chocolate Cloud Cake

2010-04-11T18:31:00.001-06:00

This is Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Mousse Cake. It is unreal good and definitely needs to be part of your cake repetoire. In fact, you really should pick up, if you don’t already own it, Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess. From cakes to cookies to puddings extraordinaire, this is a fantastic cookbook.
So, in her book, you will find this recipe as “Chocolate Mousse Cake” but for me, it will always be a cloud.

keep reading and salivating...

Mushroom Crostini

2010-04-08T20:46:00.001-06:00

Sometimes desperation leads you to the most wonderful discoveries. This little snack, which I needed to tide my Mom and I over while our dinner was cooking, was exactly that… perfect, desperation-fueled satisfaction.

You can put just about anything on a little piece of toast, pat yourself on the back and call it a “crostini.” (Some Italian nonna is ready to smack me for that comment, I’m sure.) I guess that the crostini is just a happy little snack for me and I don’t stress too much about what finds its way atop the bread. I don’t think you should either.

keep reading and salivating...

Tortilla Soup

2010-04-06T23:08:00.000-06:00

This is the last of the trio of soups aimed at making even the most enjoyable of leftovers more palatable in repetitious consumption. Forget boring, tired leftovers that you end up resenting as much as a relationship gone bad. These soups helped me to consume every last morsel of the one dinner... not to mention leaving me with an entirely virtuous feeling in not having thrown any bit of food away.

The tortilla soup was not my idea but rather that of one of my mini-tour-mates, Sheena, who requested a more brothy soup versus the tortilla soups of the North that seem to be pureed within an inch of their lives. The tortilla soup was the challenge... so I hit the books. I read a great number of recipes and decided on what I liked and didn't like about each of them. Then, I surveyed Sheena for her "key components."

Last thing, before I get down to business, I think that there is something fundamentally enjoyable about food that comes with all sorts of opportunities to personalize it. This soup is no exception. You can tweak it throughout the cooking process... but you can also tweak it when you go to eat. Any number of different additions - lime wedges, sour cream, guacamole, avocado chunks, cilantro... and so on - could adorn or not adorn that particular portion of soup. It almost seems to make each bowl a new experience... an adventure of sorts. And one with immediate belly-filling satisfaction.

keep reading and salivating...

Roasted Yam and Smoked Gouda Soup

2010-04-05T20:43:00.000-06:00

When I was out and about on my little mini-tour a few weeks ago, I was graced with full spreads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Despite the fact that I seldom eat a multi-course meal when I am at home, I found myself indulging in soups and salads, then mains, followed by desserts (and, yes, often in the plural sense).

In Winnipeg, I found myself stuck on the various soups that were coming out of the arena catering department. In particular, the Smoked Gouda and Sweet Potato soup caught my attention. A small bowl was more than enough, as this was more of a cheese soup than a vegetable one. Incredibly rich and unapologetically cheesy.

My soup definitely leans more to being a vegetable than a cheese soup... but I had three different taste-testers on this soup and they all raved.

keep reading and salivating...

Roasted Carrot, Carmelized Onion and Ginger Soup

2010-03-30T13:54:00.000-06:00

Generally speaking, I can made it through one, maybe two, meals of leftovers before I am ready to pull my hair out. This soup, and the two that will follow, have made this one meal stretch through more than a week and have definitely eliminated that guilty task of ridding the refrigerator of the ghosts of dinners past.

This one is for Val, who has yet to test out one of these recipes on her own but pledges that she "could do this one." Fingers crossed. ;)

keep reading and salivating...

Roast chicken and veg...

2010-03-28T21:18:00.000-06:00

More comfort food. Every time I leave my house on some sort of trip - business or otherwise - I become more and more fascinated with the simple comforts of food that reminds me of home. After this last little stint on the road, three cities in three days (while not the most arduous of trips... it was tiresome nonetheless), I arrived home with a list of recipe requests and a need for easy, simple comfort food.

I think everyone should be able to roast a chicken. As one of the easiest and most enjoyable of meals, it requires very little prep and fuss while satisfying a person completely. I'll get into roasting the whole chicken another time...

Now, this bit of roast chicken (pieces) and veg was a bit more calculated than simple satisfaction. One SKer friend wanted a simple, easy meal that would feed the family (this is for you, buddy!). Another wanted a tortilla soup. And I wanted a smoky soup. So, each component of this meal was to be first enjoyed, then repurposed into something a bit more than repetitive leftovers of days past.

keep reading and salivating...

Radicchio Crostini... and Smoky Mac

2010-03-16T23:22:00.000-06:00

I am home now... for a brief snippet of time before heading back out on the road. My latest trip was a good time but left me sounding a bit more like Debbie Harry than as myself... too much rock and roll. As such, I have been exhausted yet happy to be home and have the option of cooking, even if I find myself too lazy to oblige. So, I needed to take it a bit easy and had two friends over for a 'let's cook together' gathering. Today's lesson was to be the Smoky Mac and Cheese.

While Erin was learning and navigating the land of Mac and Cheese, we snacked on Radicchio Crostini. My caveat here... I find radicchio to be something that I have to be in the mood for. It is really sharp in its flavour and if I'm not in the right state of mind, I will have nothing to do with this bit of veg. However, when I do get in the mood, it is a nice little snack. The sharpness takes the edge off any hunger pangs, so you can make it through the cooking process rather than reaching for the phone and calling for delivery.

keep reading and salivating...

Chiles Rellenos a Medano

2010-03-07T10:14:00.000-07:00

I spent the week before last in Cabo for a good friend's wedding. Our routine, aside from tacos and margaritas, included daily, if not twice or three times daily, sojourns to our local bar/restaurant - the Medano. By the second day there, they knew most of us by name, or nickname, and welcomed us with big smiles. It was our Mexican Cheers. hahah.

After setting up shop one day, watching the Olympic curling and hockey games, and enjoying another great meal (and too many margaritas), I figured that I had nothing to lose and meandered into the kitchen. This likely could have gone badly... but they had all been so great that I hoped it wouldn't and crept in. The chef assistant's waved frantically to the chef... he looked up and came over to me.

I do not speak any Spanish aside from greetings and "dos cervezas." hahah. This was going to be interesting. I said that I wanted to learn how to make chiles rellenos. "Chiles Rellenos," he repeats. I pointed at him and said, "professore" then to myself and said, "studente." He laughed. I added, "a meñana." Lots of nodding and smiles... he replies, "a dos hora."

SUCCESS!! I had a cooking lesson!! I was so unbelievably excited that I immediately texted some friends to share my foodie-nerdy-news.

keep reading and salivating...

Can't-wait-for-the-good-tomatoes Bruschetta

2010-03-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Maybe because it was a "balmy" 6 C today... or maybe because I am so unbelievably over winter that I am trying to will it to be summer... I wanted something fresh for dinner. And that became the I-can't-wait-for-good-produce bruschetta.

Is there really a recipe for bruschetta?? Well.... I don't think so. A bit of this, a bit of that. Stir. Eat. Easy.

keep reading and salivating...

Recado Taco

2010-03-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am going through withdrawal from the awesome tacos that I ate every single day that I was in Mexico. We frequented two places for the majority of our taco-quests - Javvo, just next to the Bahia Condos, and Gardenias, a few blocks away.

Javvo definitely had sophisticated spice blends/marinades and only had one or two taco options a day. Their chicharron was fantastic.

Gardenias was a favourite though. Much more option in terms of tacos - fish, shrimp, chicken, pork, chicharron, beef, etc. But my favourite part had to be the array of condiments that they served with the tacos. Using those serving units that we see at steak joints with the sour cream, chives and bacon bits destined for slathering on your mashed potato, they filled two units with pickled onion (likely softened in lime juice), charred chili peppers (whole), key limes, shredded lettuce, salsa (the pico de gallo variety), a more pureed salsa/chili blend, and an indescribable seemingly whipped avocado sauce that I loved on the fish taco. There were a few others but these were the highlights.

Obviously I've been thinking about these tacos... :) So, with the bastardized recado, I decided to make tacos. No recipe here... but it was a great second day dish. I warmed the meat in the sauce and topped with avocado slices, sour cream and hot sauce... with some beans and mixed veg, I was happy.

Bastardized Tamarind Recado

2010-03-02T22:51:00.000-07:00

Now... to say that this is a bastardized recado is probably putting it quite kindly. Honestly, this probably only merely resembles a recado if you were to tilt your head and squint at it. However, you can't fault where you find your ideas and I found this after becoming newly fascinated with tamarind but not quite sure what to do with it.

As such, into Epicurious, I typed "tamarind," hit enter and hoped for inspiration. It yielded this.

I should probably further qualify this recipe in that I just returned from a week in Mexico, followed by a flight delay in San Fran, an unexpected overnight stay, a reroute through Denver and a happy return home about 16 hours later than anticipated. Consequently, I had no groceries. At least nothing fresh (as sourly evidenced by the bit of buttermilk that I forgot about but was promptly reminded of when I opened the fridge to assess the situation). I also had no energy for a trip to the store but had *brilliantly* invited my Mom for dinner. All that aside, I do have a reasonably stocked pantry and a too full freezer... out comes a pork tenderloin and a can of crushed tomatoes.

keep reading and salivating...

#foodporn

2010-02-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't been home so I haven't been able to cook... *tear* To fill that void, I am trying to satisfy my cravings visually. Enter: Food Porn Daily. This is pure visual excitement... I'm salivating just looking at some of these creations. You can get these images delivered directly to your inbox and even submit your own photos!

I hope this satisfies your cravings too.

Many mushroom risotto

2010-02-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

I planned to get together with one of my -we call each other on our birthdays- friends to celebrate her birthday. Our usual catch-up tradition is to have a nice dinner together, drink a bottle (or possibly more) of wine and cackle the night away with the Wii. Though we only manage to coordinate our schedules every few months, we never seem to skip a beat.

Text messages exchanged: So Friday... Do you like mushrooms? Response: I love mushrooms!

And here was born our mushroom risotto...

Risotto is one of my favourite things to make. It is such a fantastic canvas for a spectacular meal... with whatever you have in the fridge or with a long-sought ingredient.

keep reading and salivating...

Oven fried chicken...

2010-02-08T23:13:00.000-07:00

What do you do with leftover buttermilk?? Well, make fried chicken, of course. I could have kicked myself after getting chicken setup in its wonderful little buttermilk bath, then checking my schedule and realizing that I had a meeting tonight. Consequently, I was not to enjoy the chicken as planned... or at least as early as I had hoped. Rather, it was 9:30pm and I am hovering over the stove, searing chicken and putting it into the oven.

keep reading and salivating...

Red Velvet test run.

2010-02-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Whether overly ambitious or overly happy for my good friend, I offered and she agreed to me making the "cake" for her wedding in May. While we haven't decided what (cup)cake will be, I suggested a red velvet cupcake with my buttercream frosting (which she loves and I haven't yet found someone who doesn't)... perfect with the deep autumnal orange that they chose as their wedding colour.

So, this is the red velvet test run. I used a recipe from Magnolia Bakery in NY, after seeing a video of Bobbie Lloyd of the bakery making these cupcakes on Epicurious. (You can watch the video if you click on the video tab... note: She says 1 1/2 cups of butter when she should have said 1 1/2 sticks of butter... BIG difference.) If you follow this recipe exactly, yes, a lot of separate bowls are needed. I wanted to follow the recipe precisely to see if the result warranted the tediousness... and it did produce a wonderfully light and airy cupcake. The cake wasn't too sweet and the icing stayed in place (I didn't make her creamy vanilla frosting...).

I'd probably mix the batter a bit more than I did, while still avoiding overmixing, to ensure that the colouring spread evenly through the batter. I had a bit of marbling, which didn't impact the taste and actually looks kinda cool, but I'd rather not have it in the next batch. (A note to myself for test run #2. :) ) I may actually sub out the vanilla in the icing and opt for coconut extract, with shaved coconut, for that extra bit of punch.

keep reading and salivating...

A manly grilled chesse

2010-02-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

This grilled cheese sandwich seems, to me, to be a very manly meal. Pulled short ribs and strong cheese in all of their chest-pounding, grunting glory. I even caught myself watching the sports highlights (well... just the curling story)... was that the sandwich's doing?

Now, if I were not as loony as I am, I don't know that I would make short ribs specifically for the purpose of this sandwich, as tasty as it is. It could be a good way to use up leftovers. But, if you are so inspired and do take the time to make the short ribs, the end result is worth it.

keep reading and salivating...

The perfect shade of yellow.

2010-02-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here... in the passive time of cooking. The short ribs are bubbling away in the oven and there is nothing I can do (or would want to do) to expedite this process. The whole satisfaction that comes from cooking anything slowly is that delightful anticipation... you know how good it can be and it's just a matter of letting it get there.

As I kill time, I am going to write about my kitchen... which I completely completely love. Sure, there are things that I dream of doing to it... like having butcher block countertops... maybe a bit more space... a double sink... a dishwasher (the cruelest thing for a foodie to be without)... but the list is not long. It's quaint and, even better in my mind, it is painted the most wonderful shades of yellow. I always wanted a yellow kitchen and my good friend, whether through intention or lacking better judgement, gave it to me. We picked two shades of Ralph Lauren paint and two days and much swearing later... a happy yellow kitchen emerged.

As I am not fortunate enough to have a dish washer, I spend a great deal of time at the kitchen sink... scrubbing and muttering... or just zoning out. To increase the enjoyment of my dishwashing time, I have filled the shelves above my kitchen sink with many of my favourite foodie things...

I have a few of my Nigella cooking pieces... my olive wood juicer that I bought in Cortona, Italy this past May... the small ceramic cucina plaque that I bought in Cortona in 2006... a ceramic jar of my mother's still filled with orange pekoe tea, as it was in my childhood... a vase filled with corks... a piece of my mother's ceramics... All things that make me smile while I wash away the traces of the meal and prepare for the next.

Before I go, I am going to give today's song to @sarahmacdonald (for those twitterers). Miike Snow - Song for No One. Enjoy!

Thai-inspired Coconut Chicken Soup

2010-02-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

OMG. This soup is sooooo good. It seemed ridiculous but every time I tasted to the soup to see what needed to be added or tweaked, I kept saying, "this is soooo good." But it is!

keep reading and salivating...

Food Philosophy

2010-01-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

I must share my latest (non sexual :) ) foodie crush... I am enamoured by the smart, interesting and fascinatingly foodie content of Food Philosophy and its mastermind, Jennifer Iannolo. This is one sharp foodie.

Food. Sensuality. Sass. These are the three words that greet you when you first land on the website. Three words that say so much about what I imagine to be her food philosophy. A philosophy that I am happy to subscribe to...

There are pages upon pages of articles on food related topics such as Exercising your Mental Mouth, which discusses both your "inner chef" and the notion of food memories. What about Rosemary-Scented Hair? And let's not forget about her event, Sex on a Plate... yeah, I wish I could teleport to New York for this.

Gawd... I hope I don't sound like a crazy!! It's just foodie-awesomeness that makes me smile and want to cook and create even more...

Exotic rice pudding

2010-01-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

All I wanted after this past wintery weekend in Banff was some sort of subtly sweet and warm... After lazing on the couch for a few minutes, I couldn't wait a moment longer and had to get back into my kitchen. Oh... how I missed it this weekend!

I have been thinking about making rice pudding for weeks now... and figured that this was the perfect time to check that off of the foodie to do list!

keep reading and salivating...

Another beauty... and Creamy Dreamy Goodness

2010-01-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

I get completely wrapped up in the story telling way of Deb, the creator of A Smitten Kitchen... this blog/website is a tremendous resource that strips away the pretense of cooking and marks successes and failures with equal flair. Her style of writing seems to transplant you into the circumstance in which she created or adapted a given dish... I am unfailingly drawn into her world. So, with that, I welcome you to add to your blog roll, the wonderful works of A Smitten Kitchen.

Courtesy of A Smitten Kitchen and America's Test Kitchen Cookbook, my mom made these Dreamy Cream Scones for Christmas... though, my mom's take on the title is Creamy Dreamy Scones.

keep reading and salivating...

Hot hot chocolate

2010-01-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

Now, I had a bit of chocolate left from the breakfast bar dipping and was not so interested in the scraping and mess of cleaning it out... so I opted to make a mug of hot chocolate! I was thinking of a mole sauce as I chose the spices to accompany the chocolate... but you can really add what you would like.

Ingredients (if starting from scratch):
- 40g (1/4 cup) chocolate (I prefer dark chocolate.)
- 250 mL (1 cup) milk
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Chili powder

Melt the chocolate. Whisk in 250 mL of milk. Bring to a low boil. Sprinkle with cinnamon, a dash of chili powder and a dash of cinnamon. Stir and enjoy.

Breakfast in a bar..

2010-01-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

True to form and most cooks, I cannot seem to make it through a single attempt at a recipe without adapting it to my own particular taste and style. Add this, remove that... bake longer, cool less. Whatever it may be, it seems to be what makes cooking more enjoyable.

The original breakfast bars recipe came courtesy of Nigella Lawson and her cookbook, Nigella Express. She didn't underestimate the allure of these bars when she confessed that not only she, but everyone she has given them to, has become happily addicted to them.

Enjoyment aside, these bars have been a lifesaver. I made them before a week-long business trip and saved myself many a miserable breakfast search. And I've saved myself from a coffee shop turnover by keeping a container of these bars in my office at work. Have I sold you yet??

keep reading and salivating...

wannafoodie.ca

Eats & Smiles: Argentina

Orange and Blackberry Marmalade

Paprika and Maldon Salted Almonds

Candied Ginger and Lemon Cornmeal Scones

Pate a Choux

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Meyer Lemon Curd

Returning to Roots: Making Butter

BA Cleanse: The Progression

BA Cleanse: Make Ahead Pantry and Dinner One

Eats & Smiles: Plans for 2012

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Eats & Smiles

Peppermint Marshmallows

Eats & Smiles

Chocolate Stout Marshmallows

Brunch with Friends: Menu Two

Autumnal Sugar Cookies

Brunch with Friends: Menu One

Preserving! Hibiscus Syrup

Preserving!

No Knead Bread

Truffled Pizza

Eat Alberta 2011: Slow Rise Pizza Dough

Aperol Spritz

Cara's Cookies... or Vanilla Cream Cookies

Raspberry Maple Croissant Pudding

Eat Alberta 2011: Apple Pie and Pastry Making

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

Eat Alberta 2011: A Celebration of Our Local Food Heroes

Backwoods (Bastardized) Banana Cream Pie

Breaducation... Who doesn't *heart* bread?!

Banana, Pecan and White Chocolate Muffins

Only one place to be on April 30th... Eat Alberta in Edmonton!

Pecan Coconut Brittle

My Ratatouille

Turkey Pot Pie

Festive Vanilla Marshmallows

Caramelized Banana French Toast

Poutine... (or gravy on the fly)

Toothy-Grainy Brown Bread

wannafoodie at the Christmas Craft Sale!

Fries!!

Super Duper Louise Potatoes

Orange Chocolate Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Rhubarb Raspberry Syrup

#yyc bbq and #yeg dnr

Grilled Pear and Mascarpone Tart

Cedar Plank Snapper

Barbequed Corn

Crab Salad... or Sandwich

Solo Pancakes

Quince de Mayo Macarons

Apple Mint Mojitos

Marinated Beef Tenderloin

Lemon Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Asian Marinated Chicken

Dulce de Leche Buns

Dulce de Leche

Baked Eggs

Works in Progress...

Chocolate Macarons

Easy Peasy Turnovers

Asparagus Risotto

Lovecakes

Salted Caramel Fudgy Brownies

Foodie Crush: Last Night's Dinner

Blue Carbonara

Greg’s Fresh Pasta

Ridiculous Burgers – The Itali-Burger

Ridiculous Burgers… The Blue Burger

Eggies

Pesto Halibut

An OMG Raspberry Souffle

Vodka-Marinated Steak

Home-rolled Sushi Fun

Chocolate Cloud Cake

Mushroom Crostini

Breaducation... Who doesn't heart bread?!