tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12568452714615605052024-02-07T01:00:13.077-05:00Sunshine's KitchenA blog for food lovers. Filled with delicious recipes, tips and ideas to make a great meal any day of the week.Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-20026062154389317092011-10-03T20:58:00.000-04:002011-10-03T20:58:39.622-04:00Colder weather = time to use the oven!Oh goodness it got cold all the sudden. It probably does not help that I not only have to walk around in the rain and cold for 4 hours a day and then come home to a freezing house because the heat has not been turned on in our building... Way to go McGill, now you've not only taken away my pension and benefits, you've also reduced me to living in an ice box. Let's just hope that they come to their senses quickly. In the meantime, in order to stay warm, we've had to use the good old methods: warm beverages, lighting candles and of course, one of my favourite, using the oven!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>At this time of the year, I'm also always trying to use up everything I grew in my garden and the only thing that's left right now is herbs, carrots and parsnips. So I decided to share with you one of my go to recipe roasted root veggies. It is a fantastic way to cook veggies and even those who do not like veggies will like those. They are crispy, sweet and salty at the same time. </div><div></div><div>This recipe also uses one of my favourite kitchen tool: the mandoline! I'm always fascinated with how quickly and accurately it can slice fruits and veggies. If you do not have one, you should seriously think about getting one and the best place to get one is usually chinatown! My dad and I have the exact same one and he paid twice as much as I did!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Enjoy!!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Roasted Root Veggies</b></div><div>(Based on a recipe from the <a href="http://www.barefootcontessa.com/">Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten</a>)</div><div><br />
</div><div>2-3 large carrots</div><div>1 medium size parsnip</div><div>2 tablespoon of olive oil</div><div>a pinch of salt and pepper</div><div>Garlic pepper</div><div>Dried parsley</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4FXRKn9jiOQbgG1xHpSFK-1OOABZ4LZ40n6Fww7zzNOLMXb_oKwahltDjWbfmyOCVep8zpRZ_qDEl9dv8ilG8nK8fWtkFv5cyXBOm2lwt_cOsrJUAZU_DV6Jhr8FYGecZvyZDmrjqHE9/s1600/IMG_2854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4FXRKn9jiOQbgG1xHpSFK-1OOABZ4LZ40n6Fww7zzNOLMXb_oKwahltDjWbfmyOCVep8zpRZ_qDEl9dv8ilG8nK8fWtkFv5cyXBOm2lwt_cOsrJUAZU_DV6Jhr8FYGecZvyZDmrjqHE9/s400/IMG_2854.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div>Pre-heat the oven to 425F</div><div>Using the mandoline finely slice the carrots and parsnip.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3YDsl32kdpbheqnqzvWAJ_h6uHBhBXWBqZHvq9C_wHrNFXr9mWnDbwr2Lggfzo6Ryit8b3i8RxHnAsgf7wyzOmThjf5qqzrM-vdb46JQaydrFDSw7rwAHIqcIzyRD2wt3rTf28y_tEAm/s1600/IMG_2857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3YDsl32kdpbheqnqzvWAJ_h6uHBhBXWBqZHvq9C_wHrNFXr9mWnDbwr2Lggfzo6Ryit8b3i8RxHnAsgf7wyzOmThjf5qqzrM-vdb46JQaydrFDSw7rwAHIqcIzyRD2wt3rTf28y_tEAm/s400/IMG_2857.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place them on a cookie sheet covered with a silpat.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Spread the oil over the carrots and parsnip.</div><div>Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic pepper and dried parsley evenly over the veggies<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtXbgQAzHbqhFPqe-gfBbARaSTQWjnxhdDjK2YjNcqLRl9IwsFJkKWs7psBFbCxVzIXcu_U5L1zh9nMLBexbogzJOccrneyMLaZiXSW6XbXtap8Quw3hccgH2lWHd8rgBAjaiZtZIEp6V/s1600/IMG_2861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtXbgQAzHbqhFPqe-gfBbARaSTQWjnxhdDjK2YjNcqLRl9IwsFJkKWs7psBFbCxVzIXcu_U5L1zh9nMLBexbogzJOccrneyMLaZiXSW6XbXtap8Quw3hccgH2lWHd8rgBAjaiZtZIEp6V/s400/IMG_2861.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div>Place the cookie tray in the oven for 12-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the veggies), turning once halfway.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkjIKqvRP6MMtnRqp0aHvQHxwI17xRvCrhXx77VeZqEe5xkPAf7Wm3azlObmE0E053DBRGF0uljkxZdiG_DSQuIM1P2MTnn6wkVfgvl1UDbu7vA08tWEmqQGtRBgMzx3AzZukUgzR8nWo/s1600/IMG_2867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkjIKqvRP6MMtnRqp0aHvQHxwI17xRvCrhXx77VeZqEe5xkPAf7Wm3azlObmE0E053DBRGF0uljkxZdiG_DSQuIM1P2MTnn6wkVfgvl1UDbu7vA08tWEmqQGtRBgMzx3AzZukUgzR8nWo/s400/IMG_2867.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div>Serves 4</div><div><br />
</div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-24240857155776654792011-09-29T17:12:00.000-04:002011-09-29T17:12:54.905-04:00Italian Plum GoodnessJudging by the weather outside today, I guess that Fall as finally arrived. Although I'm not crazy about the rainy cold weather (especially when I have a ton of errands to run), I do enjoy cooking on a chilly Fall day. Soups, roasts and stews are a welcome changed from the salads that we've been eating all summer because it was simply to hot out to cook or eat anything else. It's also nice to finally be able to watch new shows on tv (as opposed to the summer re-runs), wrapped up in a blanket and drinking a hot chocolate...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLLolx-Oljs6jcCxOXlYXqgM6h54XQCOvS44Vydda6Y8nPWvQzYgaykhg4dDfM98Qz_9hBvSpgewVZiknWWYnw7Ex-4x-9ePk7GR4qpe_n-NGTgNvEjLzLDBB1zovHq0nF1CFqw1-lQvn/s1600/IMG_7287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLLolx-Oljs6jcCxOXlYXqgM6h54XQCOvS44Vydda6Y8nPWvQzYgaykhg4dDfM98Qz_9hBvSpgewVZiknWWYnw7Ex-4x-9ePk7GR4qpe_n-NGTgNvEjLzLDBB1zovHq0nF1CFqw1-lQvn/s400/IMG_7287.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>During the fall and winter months, I also tend to bake more and today was no exception. I went to the local organic market and bought myself some Italian plums and made a plum crumble. It was delicious!!!! I've always enjoyed Italian plums (actually if you've been following my blog you'll realize that I love pretty much all fruits), but I had never cooked with them until last year. I can't believe I missed out on such delicious goodness for so long! They are so simple to bake with and I have yet to find someone who did not enjoy any of the desserts I made with them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6UABrzofR5wefdFFK1PxPnekNqt5fagXl7oYkf6dIEpDY5qKVPUlpgXqZ3I2BVYi_qdSihSpXKJYG765l1Vou-w6ZDRTyM2HL4ujJ8cXr_he1-rDjeSQJqrW4AmnD1K61hyfHayAKMtG/s1600/IMG_7310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6UABrzofR5wefdFFK1PxPnekNqt5fagXl7oYkf6dIEpDY5qKVPUlpgXqZ3I2BVYi_qdSihSpXKJYG765l1Vou-w6ZDRTyM2HL4ujJ8cXr_he1-rDjeSQJqrW4AmnD1K61hyfHayAKMtG/s400/IMG_7310.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>So if like me you are new to baking with Italian plums, don't hesitate to try! The plum crumble that I made today is a good way to start as it makes a small quantity so if you don't care for the cooked plums, at least you won't have to eat it for a week!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<b>Fall Italian Plum Crumble</b><br />
<br />
Fruit filling:<br />
<br />
9-10 Italian Plums (pit removed and cut into four)<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
2 tablespoons flour<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1IwnK_IpIeUgjnJtdQpUAuWrGkwXQ4HNwrFT7ccVvtjksQjEf6HJ2W2qnGjRni7IgvOCm3RKZ4TjJBVY-L_zVcYFmegjqaSLbStmaTKJNAzp_OdBYfvMX7YySth1CuGedeVL8rbE7VU6/s1600/IMG_7288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1IwnK_IpIeUgjnJtdQpUAuWrGkwXQ4HNwrFT7ccVvtjksQjEf6HJ2W2qnGjRni7IgvOCm3RKZ4TjJBVY-L_zVcYFmegjqaSLbStmaTKJNAzp_OdBYfvMX7YySth1CuGedeVL8rbE7VU6/s400/IMG_7288.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Crumble:<br />
<br />
3/4 cup oatmeal<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDYvtBuwF4iMsadNQNXwwV9WZeYrc_jAq7irrJZRkgOANHxNm8biBxPZqsiPGnV_e-IyLmPnijFkGuCbsHq7Vems07EJhlsP2h4dspNBn04iMnDPc_C7nKCFElom6ZSKBBxwW6kyJLvK1/s1600/IMG_7292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDYvtBuwF4iMsadNQNXwwV9WZeYrc_jAq7irrJZRkgOANHxNm8biBxPZqsiPGnV_e-IyLmPnijFkGuCbsHq7Vems07EJhlsP2h4dspNBn04iMnDPc_C7nKCFElom6ZSKBBxwW6kyJLvK1/s400/IMG_7292.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pre-heat the oven to 350F (if you're using a toaster oven, there is no real need to pre-heat)<br />
Using a little butter, grease a small oven safe dish (big enough for 2-3 people or use 2-3 ramekins)<br />
Place the cut plums and the bottom of the dish. Add the sugar, the cinnamon and the flour.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKLpjtKxM8-_J7oYGd2_9Fx7WID68nqVBZ_fWHcaX72_hm_5-o1pUNQhdiLhyphenhyphenWlil0VPlgHLfGmCQuiaeWXsQqiV6MEyVztUJ59ErBmVyAhj16wpcZXDzyvbhJF_7ozONaSeo9L0RxU5d/s1600/IMG_7295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKLpjtKxM8-_J7oYGd2_9Fx7WID68nqVBZ_fWHcaX72_hm_5-o1pUNQhdiLhyphenhyphenWlil0VPlgHLfGmCQuiaeWXsQqiV6MEyVztUJ59ErBmVyAhj16wpcZXDzyvbhJF_7ozONaSeo9L0RxU5d/s400/IMG_7295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the crumble.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-yrlOewkYb0_r_pI1qrwiyW9Qeg9uFXpzShorSayjMUA-DtE0ne50TbtAfT_lVITrM5Zo4IPNIA8eGsl2j1tbqFc-XmMmvDgzWAOxQ1R0cStzoIn-T7Bbd22rSn4VBJ794rsD5xYYI_M/s1600/IMG_7296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-yrlOewkYb0_r_pI1qrwiyW9Qeg9uFXpzShorSayjMUA-DtE0ne50TbtAfT_lVITrM5Zo4IPNIA8eGsl2j1tbqFc-XmMmvDgzWAOxQ1R0cStzoIn-T7Bbd22rSn4VBJ794rsD5xYYI_M/s400/IMG_7296.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pour on top of the plums.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm_fWBZL_ve8WcDcIPW38lov2Al0tPcoHeTDzLAnpssmfsnb-auSPdB9vTgNrfWKSOXZzrAQJ0Zyf_rwn_DI3H244RQcLY7wwT7IhglOlbqAQWTVLTFtkaK5ILEWNht6acQCjllFoK224/s1600/IMG_7298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm_fWBZL_ve8WcDcIPW38lov2Al0tPcoHeTDzLAnpssmfsnb-auSPdB9vTgNrfWKSOXZzrAQJ0Zyf_rwn_DI3H244RQcLY7wwT7IhglOlbqAQWTVLTFtkaK5ILEWNht6acQCjllFoK224/s400/IMG_7298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KZK_D57za4ZMMdjIGlBnmeWmYVz4Kb-LZSXAgREFE_vlAc4rcszEijNbAuts_zNtQDT09BCQNfsPSuZ2Xg757XcFNe3JvZSzxDcp9bsl_WOePwmMuabtN_VgYQ6yRTDe1r7sDSRaC3FJ/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6KZK_D57za4ZMMdjIGlBnmeWmYVz4Kb-LZSXAgREFE_vlAc4rcszEijNbAuts_zNtQDT09BCQNfsPSuZ2Xg757XcFNe3JvZSzxDcp9bsl_WOePwmMuabtN_VgYQ6yRTDe1r7sDSRaC3FJ/s400/IMG_7311.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Serves 2Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-53978137129818409552011-09-27T20:02:00.000-04:002011-09-27T20:02:17.509-04:00Enjoying the last peaches of the season!!!Well peach season is wrapping up. This is always a sad time of the year for me. Peaches have always been one of my favourite fruits. As a kid I remember eating peaches with my mom trying not to get stains all over my shirt as the juices would run down my arms. Peaches are such a versatile fruit too. You can freeze them, canned them, eat them with meet or as part of a dessert. They make excellent jam, pies and chutneys and for all my fellow Canadians, they are grown right in our backyard (well not mine, but you know what I mean!) which is always a nice thing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMIEmIYsoFfJYL04AD6dwGEMHQMXWUJU3ykLhEe7mBDD5Eoj2xoU9r0Y1zQbxNiaoICo64Sbl8zGhU1PjJXZq6nstC42Tc8RKVUMhT75_lQl8ense85iETbagyiHLIE8kEVyCEVSJGz4j/s1600/IMG_3289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMIEmIYsoFfJYL04AD6dwGEMHQMXWUJU3ykLhEe7mBDD5Eoj2xoU9r0Y1zQbxNiaoICo64Sbl8zGhU1PjJXZq6nstC42Tc8RKVUMhT75_lQl8ense85iETbagyiHLIE8kEVyCEVSJGz4j/s400/IMG_3289.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>One of my favourite peach recipe (which can also be done with nectarine) is a barbecue chicken recipe. Generally speaking, anything that is done on the barbecue taste great (unless you're not a great barbecuer and you burn everything, but that's another story), but put glazed peaches on there and it's like heaven on earth! One thing to keep in mind is that your peaches need to be ripe, but not too soft otherwise they'll fall apart on the grill (and if they are not ripe enough they will taste bitter.<br />
<br />
I tend to prepare this recipe in the morning before I go to work so that it has marinaded and that it's all ready to go when I come home, but in a pinch you can marinade for half and hour and everything will be just fine. When I do this recipe I also tend to butterfly my chicken breasts. Yes you have to be more careful when you are grilling them so that you do not over cook them, but it has the advantage to shave off some of the cooking time. <br />
<br />
<b>Grilled Chicken and Peaches with Brown Sugar Glazed</b><br />
<br />
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 tablespoons of soy sauce (I typically will use a low sodium one)<br />
3 tablespoons of butter, melted<br />
2 tablespoons of lemon juice<br />
2 tablespoons water<br />
3 garlic cloves, minced<br />
8-10 fresh peaches (or nectarines), halved<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLfxBa8wpluFpxpTaV69FeyXxpp85GphmE4b_g6bNpF-Z4x-7g4VjebqoX6cAkzLTIlvjylkCkb7Dd4eprKGrcRvBORQnbu_PtQcTI3UBhZ2qlVE9ox1Qh9bDrOL-QJ_oyxKF6FRWpMJ5/s1600/IMG_3279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLfxBa8wpluFpxpTaV69FeyXxpp85GphmE4b_g6bNpF-Z4x-7g4VjebqoX6cAkzLTIlvjylkCkb7Dd4eprKGrcRvBORQnbu_PtQcTI3UBhZ2qlVE9ox1Qh9bDrOL-QJ_oyxKF6FRWpMJ5/s400/IMG_3279.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.25pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, butter and lemon juice. Add the water and garlic to the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">remaining mixture and pour over the chicken breasts. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HJLEFUAoMvlj0Ws17ACKgHq4NksF-Kky1GGzggkQUkYxPUtG-_nhDaxLSauGSoY99G_oC1QVGz95q2qQgAJzE_F_DcLISoPXUA1b9zCQtnuRxOSaKjNzjNwchPiuLVFy3l3z9YqCkrdY/s1600/IMG_3287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HJLEFUAoMvlj0Ws17ACKgHq4NksF-Kky1GGzggkQUkYxPUtG-_nhDaxLSauGSoY99G_oC1QVGz95q2qQgAJzE_F_DcLISoPXUA1b9zCQtnuRxOSaKjNzjNwchPiuLVFy3l3z9YqCkrdY/s400/IMG_3287.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Turn to coat well, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <br />
Preheat the BBQ on medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade, brush the chicken and peaches with some of the marinade. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-05eT-YSvEN7Hobotu65EGicJvgG9vSqfFPF2JpjnaGD7ybmX_3MkV_LBUpczCgIWo_gRrW-X4dMBogwXEENPWZ0Ei5WVaPX3NQ4JLR4PSQOe-Ne0Y2mFYpJlUcCNGR3GRLbN4k_dIy7X/s1600/IMG_3290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-05eT-YSvEN7Hobotu65EGicJvgG9vSqfFPF2JpjnaGD7ybmX_3MkV_LBUpczCgIWo_gRrW-X4dMBogwXEENPWZ0Ei5WVaPX3NQ4JLR4PSQOe-Ne0Y2mFYpJlUcCNGR3GRLbN4k_dIy7X/s400/IMG_3290.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapZdqbRIiA_VXeJKVimnzg1ctaaQCwRydvIJOxiJRhu9XT7Ulg78Iv0-ABT6AB82IX92dcrrmMX1kyRh9sPqWNd_CqXn592gJN-ZKegtRsSqJx3XI_m0JtKHspUYhNdrQYe7NpmTV0jqf/s1600/IMG_3291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapZdqbRIiA_VXeJKVimnzg1ctaaQCwRydvIJOxiJRhu9XT7Ulg78Iv0-ABT6AB82IX92dcrrmMX1kyRh9sPqWNd_CqXn592gJN-ZKegtRsSqJx3XI_m0JtKHspUYhNdrQYe7NpmTV0jqf/s400/IMG_3291.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grill the chicken until tender, about 7 – 8 minutes per side. Grill the peaches along with the chicken breasts until tender, about 6 minutes per side.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.25pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzVZd9iMUSs2xy7CWfFSXXsv3moNXuYlhxSLOwfincG6rZhZTomsUyjpJ_iGkbMj2kgtuuGi3TvqgRvS6i2uw_CA74sn_9f_4mRYv20uSNtWvKEO74_Njo_YnEKwGSwIFo78Y_pxSvB7n/s1600/IMG_3293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzVZd9iMUSs2xy7CWfFSXXsv3moNXuYlhxSLOwfincG6rZhZTomsUyjpJ_iGkbMj2kgtuuGi3TvqgRvS6i2uw_CA74sn_9f_4mRYv20uSNtWvKEO74_Njo_YnEKwGSwIFo78Y_pxSvB7n/s400/IMG_3293.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Serve with rice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.25pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomwYxiRXPzvpVtr1Lq7YuEUhcnbJydyMUcvVwnFJAlJv1vZS8B59LiQtvGXstjCdRcmB4xpKhkNdPy0Yd8f9pAWpfhaGkbxUuHUYWgRszeL_GhqIyC74UI3R6DMK_ijWT7_3PWXFBSGaV/s1600/IMG_3295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomwYxiRXPzvpVtr1Lq7YuEUhcnbJydyMUcvVwnFJAlJv1vZS8B59LiQtvGXstjCdRcmB4xpKhkNdPy0Yd8f9pAWpfhaGkbxUuHUYWgRszeL_GhqIyC74UI3R6DMK_ijWT7_3PWXFBSGaV/s400/IMG_3295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Makes 4 servings</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-90815705614410278682011-09-21T11:58:00.000-04:002011-09-21T11:58:26.745-04:00Oh how things have changed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It has been almost 3 weeks since me and 1700 of my colleagues went on strike. I can't lie, this has not been easy so far. I come home everyday completely exhausted, my feet are killing me and my arms are often num from carrying heavy signs, playing the drums or from shaking various noise maker. I originally thought that I would have more time to cook, more time to myself, but it seems like I have never been busier. But it has not all been bad. Although I only met most of these people when the strike started a few weeks ago, there is a huge sense of community, almost as if we are one big family, on the picket line. I have met truly amazing people who have devoted their life to the University and have now seen their benefits and pension slashed away without any warning. It's people like them that give me the energy to go out there and fight for what's right everyday. Walking around for hours everyday also has its perks, I've already shed a pound since the beginning of the strike so I guess that's good.</div><br />
All jokes aside, everyday as I walked the picket line on the very spot my husband and I said "I do" (or rather were going to say I do until rain started poring and we had to run inside to finish the ceremony, but that's a story for another time) I feel a little angry. Angry that after dedicating so much of my time, energy and some would say my life for the University I have to fight to save what little is left of my benefits and to get a shot at what I can't even call a decent salary. I have sang McGill's praise for over 10 years, I have 2 degrees from McGill, I live on campus and I have been working there for over 7 years now, working overtime every week, not asking for a dime in return and that's how McGill thanks me? I guess times have change, because there used to be a time when faithful and hard working employees were actually rewarded for their work. Oh well!<br />
<br />
In the spirit of the strike, the recipe I have chosen is one that can be easily eaten while walking the line or that can be a delicious breakfast on the go. This is one of my all time favourite muffin recipe. My mom has been making it for me for ages and I make it whenever I can. Of course over time I've changed the recipe to reflect my tastes, but the basis is the same that my mom cut out of the cereal box many many years ago.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgWKwuHpTGIDTL2IW8AF468ytUF9zSX6Gwczp7pxQqD0hYnvujON76yp9WKfsFUb9LXlGLnNhnUzWnDnPeOKz1iFhcKWUvkyz2acVHPUZFKJJSDCwyS3xtrLGV78nK0l-VQRnBtywjG9L/s1600/IMG_3258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgWKwuHpTGIDTL2IW8AF468ytUF9zSX6Gwczp7pxQqD0hYnvujON76yp9WKfsFUb9LXlGLnNhnUzWnDnPeOKz1iFhcKWUvkyz2acVHPUZFKJJSDCwyS3xtrLGV78nK0l-VQRnBtywjG9L/s400/IMG_3258.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Although you can enjoy the muffins on their own at room temperature, I much prefer them warmed up and with a little better (you can't be healthy all the time!). This recipe can easily be doubled and leftover muffins can be frozen. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
<b>All-Bran Muffins</b><br />
(Based on a <a href="http://www2.kelloggs.ca/Recipe/RecipeDetail.aspx?RID=14085">Kellogg's</a> recipe)<br />
<br />
1 1/4 cup flour<br />
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
A pinch of salt<br />
1 1/2 cup All-Bran cereals<br />
1 1/2 cup milk<br />
1/4 vegetable oil<br />
1/3 cup molasses<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
1/2 cup dates chopped<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDecLk_bvmdE0gMmeqbPf3UJYyaazvGssQpT-g63klrk4zBAkOhOuf4z8zSLnkRc9fn_quq58RZbskN40D1NNvCt_sJoVFAYjvLTr-A8DLzmzEATnYtEiEtk4HYMTRhOd3C4hKZMAv_v7/s1600/IMG_3249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDecLk_bvmdE0gMmeqbPf3UJYyaazvGssQpT-g63klrk4zBAkOhOuf4z8zSLnkRc9fn_quq58RZbskN40D1NNvCt_sJoVFAYjvLTr-A8DLzmzEATnYtEiEtk4HYMTRhOd3C4hKZMAv_v7/s400/IMG_3249.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pre-heat the oven at 400F.<br />
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.<br />
<br />
In a large bowl (I tend to use my Kitchenaid mixer to do all my muffins) pour the milk and the cereals. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or until the cereals have started to softened.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u15e0vqJnRlNL1cX-vIJXhzn_OYYeLg7eGW2aUkKxWrUH6xywbx1yNZMMxHLwzN5MvVNxgbWUHl1xZYndGfZ1cGwmF7-bIu_kPokwBmp1T6-rHwwwLz9mY0Xou7bitzn2YKRURF8hxR4/s1600/IMG_3250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u15e0vqJnRlNL1cX-vIJXhzn_OYYeLg7eGW2aUkKxWrUH6xywbx1yNZMMxHLwzN5MvVNxgbWUHl1xZYndGfZ1cGwmF7-bIu_kPokwBmp1T6-rHwwwLz9mY0Xou7bitzn2YKRURF8hxR4/s400/IMG_3250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the oil, the molasses and the egg. Mix well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1URIzGBt-gjhx2EnATQM7hgRr86hklN8yp9UJIzfcEFW62Cip4Y8j5gkKKC0nApgjOdtMqseBTToy-v3bbCWRbr-UWV5w8RT5YhcF2oh452nnO8kkt576bzykrFK-qLqyE1caQMdjtAR/s1600/IMG_3254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1URIzGBt-gjhx2EnATQM7hgRr86hklN8yp9UJIzfcEFW62Cip4Y8j5gkKKC0nApgjOdtMqseBTToy-v3bbCWRbr-UWV5w8RT5YhcF2oh452nnO8kkt576bzykrFK-qLqyE1caQMdjtAR/s400/IMG_3254.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Incorporate the dry flour mixture. Do not over mix.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0IZEatNYbYq0YQqngp2haYoFACT2Al6CevfZtHvpt8XKD9qjnyUo-A54gXEjG6mm2Q0-XzbmowXL8izUMle3QhFHw0gQama3PgYNmULE9mF19k791wb4JCk9mlSktMId71QWWYoBa9cR/s1600/IMG_3255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0IZEatNYbYq0YQqngp2haYoFACT2Al6CevfZtHvpt8XKD9qjnyUo-A54gXEjG6mm2Q0-XzbmowXL8izUMle3QhFHw0gQama3PgYNmULE9mF19k791wb4JCk9mlSktMId71QWWYoBa9cR/s400/IMG_3255.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the raisins and the dates.<br />
<br />
Poor the mix into muffin tins (lightly floured or with muffin cups). You should get 12 muffins for this recipe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPmxv8rxIO8Jn5Cqo8ZiItZTbsHtJKskFslX1dOKnPoHKt_1LFEbLpNFwfZZxM70YasypaVF7fVc3_iRQrAPPbAvHqL7eq1r_E6sjH7iwpf8SpXKFl58MLo0qzWSO6qpjiaUA8hq7P81V/s1600/IMG_3257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPmxv8rxIO8Jn5Cqo8ZiItZTbsHtJKskFslX1dOKnPoHKt_1LFEbLpNFwfZZxM70YasypaVF7fVc3_iRQrAPPbAvHqL7eq1r_E6sjH7iwpf8SpXKFl58MLo0qzWSO6qpjiaUA8hq7P81V/s400/IMG_3257.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Bake for 18-20 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX6VKEa9GD3LkEloLOG89tTYAgA5gMq-CjHSzcnkOemdoQQfVhTGfdrsl_OHoL_ed2N6r9u5m608fAJ86ODtyAzCCEWNJU9lPOscwzae3LqBgGvZ_UEReh59z2RzDp3be8XLqsU-FAWtu/s1600/IMG_3261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX6VKEa9GD3LkEloLOG89tTYAgA5gMq-CjHSzcnkOemdoQQfVhTGfdrsl_OHoL_ed2N6r9u5m608fAJ86ODtyAzCCEWNJU9lPOscwzae3LqBgGvZ_UEReh59z2RzDp3be8XLqsU-FAWtu/s400/IMG_3261.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-47555361080068275042011-09-02T06:49:00.000-04:002011-09-02T06:49:50.835-04:00Dealing with change and pesto pasta saladThis week has not been an ordinary week. It started off with an unexpected, but truly deserved victory from our softball team in the quarter finals, kicking out the team that had been the champion for the past 6 years. So far so good, but things went down the hill quickly... yesterday morning 1,700 of my co-workers (including myself) walked out the job. 1,700 of us, fighting for our rights, fighting for parity, fighting for what we deserve. While I'm all about the cause, it is still scary. Not knowing how long this will last and dealing with strike pay is not that easy, but I hope that it will worth all the hard work in the end. On the bright side, I only have to picket 4 hours a day, bright and early 7:30-11:30, which means a lot more time to get things done around the house, to write my blog and of course to cook!<br />
<br />
Today is also a very special day for me. Today I turn 30. If you had asked me a few years ago, even a few months ago how I was going to spend this day, I would have told you that I wanted a big party with my friends. But with the threat of a strike (and now the reality of a strike), the party's been cancel to favour a more quiet night with my husband who also turned 30 last week. It is not what I had planned, but spending time with the person I love, my best friend is more than enough for me.<br />
<br />
Even if I can't have a big party, I'm still gonna spoil myself food wise. This morning, before I go on the picket line, I'm making crepes and for lunch, one of my all-time favourite, pesto pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgcneCJv5XFQc6pU718kqJgiJfIky1KJLXpGqdGAfm7FfUoGMVx-nVQEEUlEIJWZKWjizkPMaZzb8WjMD5S5s6QolBVmO8jXQUtplUZPjOX7J0fttB4q_d8wo8R-SjRhap1NA63e02lyS/s1600/IMG_7196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgcneCJv5XFQc6pU718kqJgiJfIky1KJLXpGqdGAfm7FfUoGMVx-nVQEEUlEIJWZKWjizkPMaZzb8WjMD5S5s6QolBVmO8jXQUtplUZPjOX7J0fttB4q_d8wo8R-SjRhap1NA63e02lyS/s400/IMG_7196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The mix of feta and sweet cherry tomatoes with the pesto is wonderful and this recipe can be put together very quickly. If you are not gifted in the kitchen, this is also a great recipe for you. Just buy your pesto instead of making it, boil the pasta, add the rest and voila!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!!<br />
<br />
<b>Pesto Pasta Salad</b><br />
<br />
1 box of whole wheat pasta (you can use regular pasta, but whole wheat gives it an extra kick)<br />
1 pint of cherry tomato, cut in half<br />
1 cup of feta cheese, diced (save about 1/4 cup of the juice)<br />
3/4 to 1 cup of pesto (depends on how much you like pesto)<br />
<br />
Cook the pasta until they are al-dente, drain and set aside<br />
Dice the feta cheese and dice the cherry tomatoes and set aside<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrQcSDuPYNyIbJtrR8vA7YnF9t4d9WL8Dh7_71pAIB0qXMwPoffy1Td-CJ1ws1RsjVrZ4RSiDPNYH-7plZxbisIryS29QQwkkpX7dumUgoNnOfqt34CTaugUX_PaFwcz9Dy2C0JHOwulS/s1600/IMG_7188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrQcSDuPYNyIbJtrR8vA7YnF9t4d9WL8Dh7_71pAIB0qXMwPoffy1Td-CJ1ws1RsjVrZ4RSiDPNYH-7plZxbisIryS29QQwkkpX7dumUgoNnOfqt34CTaugUX_PaFwcz9Dy2C0JHOwulS/s400/IMG_7188.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the pesto and the reserve feta "juice" to the pasta. Mix well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjmP8vtrnAgDPa1mFvKt-hmFUPGydgs-sE-rd3L1kYSTb4UELX80K__5T9lktHiIUhdbFY3k2_55UjN7_2iAncao-vehAGjitBBF5kkxUU8IETi4FXHtJY0-PtQwyw21ShmRe_oaw4lPZ/s1600/IMG_7192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjmP8vtrnAgDPa1mFvKt-hmFUPGydgs-sE-rd3L1kYSTb4UELX80K__5T9lktHiIUhdbFY3k2_55UjN7_2iAncao-vehAGjitBBF5kkxUU8IETi4FXHtJY0-PtQwyw21ShmRe_oaw4lPZ/s400/IMG_7192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ivMAr5-jHi_i_38uuLJj6Bl1-Y9Yshq9ST-BPV-xyNgIpq6WXuL1vOBwIcl5KjhY1jAK9Ew1r9YmBmEGIH9uJJgKFkr5_cZtd9HDyPrRjB4btsor5OGPbkfBfYh_pgEwgT-ufjVNV-KS/s1600/IMG_7193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ivMAr5-jHi_i_38uuLJj6Bl1-Y9Yshq9ST-BPV-xyNgIpq6WXuL1vOBwIcl5KjhY1jAK9Ew1r9YmBmEGIH9uJJgKFkr5_cZtd9HDyPrRjB4btsor5OGPbkfBfYh_pgEwgT-ufjVNV-KS/s400/IMG_7193.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the cheese and the tomatoes and mix until they are lightly covered with pesto.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIKUkq05xwFkBTDlW05DTQ-wP5wzRqNeBFz8fFJKPOcOUkIlqZV_C6lsGoWp82_X1O7i_O_lMttw7p33k7A6GaA5y99tzJ1fR8s6ywI326AuWT-71Sr9prbp11oZrAWFCLpZymr2RsWML/s1600/IMG_7194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIKUkq05xwFkBTDlW05DTQ-wP5wzRqNeBFz8fFJKPOcOUkIlqZV_C6lsGoWp82_X1O7i_O_lMttw7p33k7A6GaA5y99tzJ1fR8s6ywI326AuWT-71Sr9prbp11oZrAWFCLpZymr2RsWML/s400/IMG_7194.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ra5i0Vj6QTTGuZq0xVIMTsOLcgPjJGFai2oPUk7QVy9uWjP8FWrCQzOfMYzZTX4teD_0ArutARip5je-Lc70sDwbf6n9GFgH8Ob3vLOUJo9iSeKU-ixK2vkyEZ_IYd0w6pmDvW1uMr6q/s1600/IMG_7195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ra5i0Vj6QTTGuZq0xVIMTsOLcgPjJGFai2oPUk7QVy9uWjP8FWrCQzOfMYzZTX4teD_0ArutARip5je-Lc70sDwbf6n9GFgH8Ob3vLOUJo9iSeKU-ixK2vkyEZ_IYd0w6pmDvW1uMr6q/s400/IMG_7195.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Serve at room temperature<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatqObDiqds5W3ya5wPP5coLxWFqB9AsAJ0LKB88gBH0PclnIWR2onBqpbUKslZuDL4vZ5mhVWsEW1J1PXV7xr0wUeFXpSqtU98AVZ845U6xeTHPEV_M2Rmr0JEQASEHDVIQ6Y0kE7hTxr/s1600/IMG_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatqObDiqds5W3ya5wPP5coLxWFqB9AsAJ0LKB88gBH0PclnIWR2onBqpbUKslZuDL4vZ5mhVWsEW1J1PXV7xr0wUeFXpSqtU98AVZ845U6xeTHPEV_M2Rmr0JEQASEHDVIQ6Y0kE7hTxr/s400/IMG_7197.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Serves 4<br />
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Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-16284519102023035352011-08-30T22:14:00.000-04:002011-08-30T22:14:18.294-04:00Pesto time!Is it me or it has been getting a lot cooler at nights lately? As much as I hate to admit it, it seems that summer is coming to an end! Summer flew by this year. it seems like yesterday it was June and I had the whole summer ahead of me, and now it's almost september and I have to wear a jacket to go to work in the morning... <br />
<br />
One of my favourite thing about summer is the fresh herbs, so before summer ends I decided to make one last batch of pesto. Pesto is a staple in our home. I always have jars on hand in the freezer to use all winter long and I'm always sad when I crack open the last one usually too early in the spring to make new one.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ns3klU3fCEb1nRFXp_eGXFeh9iAKsi1RHvtgmFgupi7zJ6FEEzWfk8AYvaioa_Z5o8zcoZJE8n03GJfEl_BgtcFjAGEy2HMKuFh-oWHFKoQiBTpO3C4whBenMD591QIDhdoJCboyIgpC/s1600/IMG_7202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ns3klU3fCEb1nRFXp_eGXFeh9iAKsi1RHvtgmFgupi7zJ6FEEzWfk8AYvaioa_Z5o8zcoZJE8n03GJfEl_BgtcFjAGEy2HMKuFh-oWHFKoQiBTpO3C4whBenMD591QIDhdoJCboyIgpC/s400/IMG_7202.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Today I'll share our favourite pesto recipe and later this week I'll also post a great pasta salad recipe which uses pesto (it's always a big hit at parties!). Traditionally, pesto is made with pine nuts, but pine nuts can be quite pricey and not always available in smaller grocery stores so in a pinch you can also use walnuts without altering the taste too much. If you are not much of a garlic fan, you can also reduce the quantity, but I would not omit all together as garlic does give an extra kick to pesto. Depending on how creamy you like your pesto, you can also adjust the amount of olive oil you put in.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<b>Pesto</b><br />
(based on Joy of Cooking)<br />
<br />
4 cups of packed basil leaves<br />
2/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts (this time I used walnuts)<br />
1 cup parmesan cheese<br />
1 cup olive oil<br />
5 garlic cloves<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9x0gvxvj1pAjFSs_PA87whiZg6cJbhiwGJdK9vVJSyIe4L07dnYUkNNVMO7IJUznDthtF3Ca9VScW_sN9ATdhpjptr0TNSbx8ZSj01aEUDHtVXIcnWFudVx5DXpTQPFtKL4PeUyJaAxs-/s1600/IMG_7171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9x0gvxvj1pAjFSs_PA87whiZg6cJbhiwGJdK9vVJSyIe4L07dnYUkNNVMO7IJUznDthtF3Ca9VScW_sN9ATdhpjptr0TNSbx8ZSj01aEUDHtVXIcnWFudVx5DXpTQPFtKL4PeUyJaAxs-/s400/IMG_7171.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Place the garlic and the nuts in the food processor. Chopped grossly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Yb17BlAGiAEsSNaoDpQB2zaWj_drjF4O2HENkxpDFdhlmxJb-8_hGPw3njaDYabfHTcWc1CMXVTXl8T4yUs3iRohFZFzJmqRtdgR37PDPHm2Ye32M3d4TkpnNxD5fRKYlmAjp5NTZJB/s1600/IMG_7174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Yb17BlAGiAEsSNaoDpQB2zaWj_drjF4O2HENkxpDFdhlmxJb-8_hGPw3njaDYabfHTcWc1CMXVTXl8T4yUs3iRohFZFzJmqRtdgR37PDPHm2Ye32M3d4TkpnNxD5fRKYlmAjp5NTZJB/s400/IMG_7174.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xBTlbLjiaYQYev3Ew8xxqrgHgXsgrGpbrh7xqksYuORsRAd1wESQ8lwNTEvNxMu0jOkA1CJpoBIF6VHBKnL2CxfVtzywdXugVONG044FEf1kYW7q3uX_vaznvWygIH4pPJEdTJVeOVX3/s1600/IMG_7175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xBTlbLjiaYQYev3Ew8xxqrgHgXsgrGpbrh7xqksYuORsRAd1wESQ8lwNTEvNxMu0jOkA1CJpoBIF6VHBKnL2CxfVtzywdXugVONG044FEf1kYW7q3uX_vaznvWygIH4pPJEdTJVeOVX3/s400/IMG_7175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the parmesan cheese and the basil leave. Pulse a few times.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz9s4dDBwvcgPPlUmBEJTflCudVo4mgHV9tAQ2-X1TY_KbumdnhxioDVXSETcIRAqGMtjb81VtLBuTwxsxmg8Fo1XSUIHKh1j8RP3b5Rgwn3bgbtVoUTsuD48pxW1SO7ieu6jfBXYMuI-/s1600/IMG_7177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz9s4dDBwvcgPPlUmBEJTflCudVo4mgHV9tAQ2-X1TY_KbumdnhxioDVXSETcIRAqGMtjb81VtLBuTwxsxmg8Fo1XSUIHKh1j8RP3b5Rgwn3bgbtVoUTsuD48pxW1SO7ieu6jfBXYMuI-/s400/IMG_7177.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Slowly pour the olive oil in while the food processor is going. Keep blending until you reach a smooth consistency.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmE4RdLde6KtLTjuiFh3ZsuEi3Nz7lgbbgcz9UKZYZwh_eMeww3rCCMC6QwRWxU5keU-OOAZZ4CrXIDMIWauY-_35XVJKwGsZa1IQ5_IIxeTWvUPu2sRiZwKJ4e20Ov5BK-s_OV7hv3KE/s1600/IMG_7178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmE4RdLde6KtLTjuiFh3ZsuEi3Nz7lgbbgcz9UKZYZwh_eMeww3rCCMC6QwRWxU5keU-OOAZZ4CrXIDMIWauY-_35XVJKwGsZa1IQ5_IIxeTWvUPu2sRiZwKJ4e20Ov5BK-s_OV7hv3KE/s400/IMG_7178.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Keep in the fridge for up to a week or up to 3 months in the freezer. Gives 3 cups of pesto.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgkZ9-pcrEmovxyciTRHZB40CoJfysPrX6aH-FbKIoqhtCAKT2m7d7mcPcoxVY1qpfDco-4_LZ9w6ZQWHqgX9pMlEsStU-9KW5NmxK8hw1U2XqjhQomqYJf1PCwYUQQG2NCc5hna6p4HJ/s1600/IMG_7182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgkZ9-pcrEmovxyciTRHZB40CoJfysPrX6aH-FbKIoqhtCAKT2m7d7mcPcoxVY1qpfDco-4_LZ9w6ZQWHqgX9pMlEsStU-9KW5NmxK8hw1U2XqjhQomqYJf1PCwYUQQG2NCc5hna6p4HJ/s400/IMG_7182.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-15192840774840836782011-08-24T21:00:00.000-04:002011-08-24T21:00:13.672-04:00Summer berry clafoutis<div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">This past weekend I was in New York city visiting my best friend. Every time I go down, it's a occassion to not only catch up with by bestie, but also to tour the city and eat tons of food! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; clear: both; text-align: left;">This time we had steak at <a href="http://www.peterluger.com/index2.cfm">Peter Luger's</a> steakhouse (faboulous by the way, not only was the steak great but the desserts were to die for!! You've got to try the cheesecake and the Holy cow hot fudge sundae!!), pretzels in Central Park and pizza (of course!) at <a href="http://www.johnsbrickovenpizza.com/">John's</a>.Typically, on Sundays we do brunch and this time was no exception.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.zecafe.com/">Ze Cafe</a> was our destination of choice this time. We had oatmeal brulée, croque-monsieur as well as stuffed French toast, all very delicious! So in the spirit of brunches and in honour of one of the greatest person I know, the recipe I propose today is a blueberry and blackberry clafouti.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmNnrSBLsgBPPm78c5udoTQt6zzHn8sj3US5Zvf5itsjCS80AkFY2WOXfhV0I0eaibpzGBjSoy2zGPsIxvEVjTwTYGhLTTgzXFPmQxuC2GOW0Ot_a7VS_grauAnYpe-ziYP3qIKvcGKVT/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmNnrSBLsgBPPm78c5udoTQt6zzHn8sj3US5Zvf5itsjCS80AkFY2WOXfhV0I0eaibpzGBjSoy2zGPsIxvEVjTwTYGhLTTgzXFPmQxuC2GOW0Ot_a7VS_grauAnYpe-ziYP3qIKvcGKVT/s320/IMG_7137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Clafoutis can be done as a dessert, but as my mother-in-law as shown me many times, it is also perfect for a weekend brunch. It is fairly easy to do and can easily be done in the toaster oven so it is perfect for a summer brunch! If you have a sweet tooth or if you are using different types of berries, you might want to add a little sugar to the recipe. This is very nice served with creme fraiche or whipped cream...<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
Blueberry and blackberry Clafouti<br />
(inspired by <a href="http://www.bhg.com/">Better Homes and Gardens</a>)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon butter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup of whipping cream</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 eggs</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup all purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2/3 cup sugar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 tablespoons butter melted</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 cups of mixed berries (I used blackberries and blueberries)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 tablespoons powder sugar</span><br />
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<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqUGXlQpKE3Ge4Li4Zol1dX-HkmzAcAfYwl0HGnCXGqXZpxpx5UbsfvF_V2O5AzSEmeHVxCdmqhY5njjEr3lsgPlIcLl-R0WmcT40sjqAy001B9P0uM0nUN5jCRV_1FY6_4s2IYyhny7X/s1600/IMG_7128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqUGXlQpKE3Ge4Li4Zol1dX-HkmzAcAfYwl0HGnCXGqXZpxpx5UbsfvF_V2O5AzSEmeHVxCdmqhY5njjEr3lsgPlIcLl-R0WmcT40sjqAy001B9P0uM0nUN5jCRV_1FY6_4s2IYyhny7X/s400/IMG_7128.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate 1 teaspoon butter; set aside.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a medium mixing bowl combine whipping cream, milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat until smooth. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZe6LODsRUTRJ42rmLf3LLflLZ-9Vvc25-E5v7RbQ6zhnuJw-2XPzdHes1CrCjS03Y9cvUIwR-EFCERXyxHMQ1af09nWHrNNpEzSIPpcnWX4nIHigQI2bD7WyS2MJpNOSMdvDe7Tzhjh8/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYZe6LODsRUTRJ42rmLf3LLflLZ-9Vvc25-E5v7RbQ6zhnuJw-2XPzdHes1CrCjS03Y9cvUIwR-EFCERXyxHMQ1af09nWHrNNpEzSIPpcnWX4nIHigQI2bD7WyS2MJpNOSMdvDe7Tzhjh8/s400/IMG_7129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arrange mixed berries in prepared pie plate. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfENk0mXuH3eFV66bscd8tlNUFRRGZJkHtVz0mvawUuhyphenhyphenkCblitAyG-YSfvfqUxLkU7o2EvNlT2KxsUkIyejaqemSHdAoW6-F0i7KrvgvXDvTKNG7crSzXr6uLYIE30TITurnPkGijwa20/s1600/IMG_7132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfENk0mXuH3eFV66bscd8tlNUFRRGZJkHtVz0mvawUuhyphenhyphenkCblitAyG-YSfvfqUxLkU7o2EvNlT2KxsUkIyejaqemSHdAoW6-F0i7KrvgvXDvTKNG7crSzXr6uLYIE30TITurnPkGijwa20/s400/IMG_7132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour batter over berries. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZwBWtkh2zLoy7oG_6M8o_bpm4c_M8f2mwa846QWneVZXN4Dgm4PklGwe-0KNgdWmsO9DbItOK5cWtsICVThjHXP3nLKR4hZt5ZblpXzY_3c1DuOBmJdWwgCFskYeRJK6Ap0pK_lLJf_o/s1600/IMG_7133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZwBWtkh2zLoy7oG_6M8o_bpm4c_M8f2mwa846QWneVZXN4Dgm4PklGwe-0KNgdWmsO9DbItOK5cWtsICVThjHXP3nLKR4hZt5ZblpXzY_3c1DuOBmJdWwgCFskYeRJK6Ap0pK_lLJf_o/s400/IMG_7133.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until puffed and light brown. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFjGStAzhhblPv0xKTIARVlsGNesZ1HZpjObHhcXGXvDptmK280PsYDiWJjsvClI3aeucRBC0ZzDzpQCv03pZ_34GtwrKp-98d1YOn4C2WDSl0_MxS98W0F4PfrCwaFgfS5Pw973VHG4s/s1600/IMG_7135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFjGStAzhhblPv0xKTIARVlsGNesZ1HZpjObHhcXGXvDptmK280PsYDiWJjsvClI3aeucRBC0ZzDzpQCv03pZ_34GtwrKp-98d1YOn4C2WDSl0_MxS98W0F4PfrCwaFgfS5Pw973VHG4s/s400/IMG_7135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15px;">Cool for 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over top. Serve warm.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv7b7toinacRzSH_RCEv9-ZDjC8gt0q6c0OZktc38-WUS84Ryq5QNz8FmVJrllOzEq0B9KF0K3Ngse9B3aptJ421ocp-mw9eS1vAOK-48_VoLUkFS_ycVgPybBvSOfiOr6GwtzqiJD_Zm/s1600/IMG_7136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkv7b7toinacRzSH_RCEv9-ZDjC8gt0q6c0OZktc38-WUS84Ryq5QNz8FmVJrllOzEq0B9KF0K3Ngse9B3aptJ421ocp-mw9eS1vAOK-48_VoLUkFS_ycVgPybBvSOfiOr6GwtzqiJD_Zm/s400/IMG_7136.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-48033601786473556522011-08-17T21:23:00.000-04:002011-08-17T21:23:39.492-04:00BBQ sauceToday I went into my pantry and I wondered how did I manage to accumulate so many spices, seasonings, oils, vinegars and condiments... Seriously, I have 8 kinds of oil and as many vinegars and I would not even know where to start to count just how man herbs and spices I have. Yet I always find myself needing another spice or finding a jar of fancy mustard or chutney that I "must have". It probably does not help that I love to try new foods and that I seek out farmers markets and fine food stores. But I was not always like that.<br />
<br />
As a child, I was a picky eater and I was scared of food that was seasoned with anything but salt and pepper (or the occasional onion powder). As I grew up and moved out of my parents' house, I became more adventurous with my food choices and soon my spice cabinet grew from 3 to more like 50. Owning over 50 spices is one thing, but using them are another. No problem there for me. On any given day you'll catch me using 8 kinds of spices just for barbecued veggies...<br />
<br />
Every time I order food at the restaurant, I also try to guess what was used to make it so that I can replicate it at home. One thing that I have been trying to replicate at home for quite some time is a good barbecue sauce and this weekend I finally decided to give it a try.<br />
<br />
I looked up a bunch of recipes online and decided to use a recipe from Chateleine magazine as my base. Let me tell you that by the end of it, my recipe had not much in common with the recipe I started with. You see what tastes great to one person or what one person is looking for in a barbecue sauce can be totally different so it's important to taste ad taste some more while your making your recipe. A little bit a tweaking can go a long way to make an okay recipe into something spectacular.<br />
<br />
<b>Homemade Barbecue sauce</b><br />
<br />
1 tablespoon vegetable oil<br />
1/2 cup pureed onion<br />
2 cups ketchup<br />
2 cups tomato sauce<br />
1/2 cup brown sugar<br />
5 tablespoons hoisin sauce<br />
1/4 cup vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce<br />
3-4 tablespoons paprika<br />
1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes<br />
3 tablespoons chili powder<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9pe17CVuVYP__MgUlBCso7-n_f5nBOTHfRIraCZ4J5srYSHcLhUrCLMrDodM9KV1nWt6P_04fyD9QjrMo_WDpqWKCfdieaCF-2pBlYwglNLEmbvVsBNFQBVX9fZCsWJbH3-q3lfXS5f2/s1600/IMG_7157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9pe17CVuVYP__MgUlBCso7-n_f5nBOTHfRIraCZ4J5srYSHcLhUrCLMrDodM9KV1nWt6P_04fyD9QjrMo_WDpqWKCfdieaCF-2pBlYwglNLEmbvVsBNFQBVX9fZCsWJbH3-q3lfXS5f2/s400/IMG_7157.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and the onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZMWNx13bojrIf1sbrEI9ER6nqNbn1gFNysa2rIjP6kPfr-Qmia4gdgJmwsSbshMDPSMs2RXAfth5LWuIkJ-QeT1EP3i1UodtXUpOJJF3FetfzuuSqQeBGZxKMzzdLnZIq_F_0DSHGm4p/s1600/IMG_7158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZMWNx13bojrIf1sbrEI9ER6nqNbn1gFNysa2rIjP6kPfr-Qmia4gdgJmwsSbshMDPSMs2RXAfth5LWuIkJ-QeT1EP3i1UodtXUpOJJF3FetfzuuSqQeBGZxKMzzdLnZIq_F_0DSHGm4p/s400/IMG_7158.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is what your onion will look like once pureed. Before putting it in the blender, you should chop it first otherwise it will heat up the onion too much</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Add ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, vinegar, chili powder and pepper flakes. Continue stirring frequently, until flavours develop, 5 to 8 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUXSAXYnYLFn9Cv9roDf11P_QWxibyCfE4itwhGoHGEdfP9NaIEYZT7AL1x07wxYhrIE44Q9ybvuYdoSsj9WWuw1DAwR20u-T_-REdp3Uhj76gRauQq9T8SikWhW7LgDYDzaF3w6vVD8L/s1600/IMG_7159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUXSAXYnYLFn9Cv9roDf11P_QWxibyCfE4itwhGoHGEdfP9NaIEYZT7AL1x07wxYhrIE44Q9ybvuYdoSsj9WWuw1DAwR20u-T_-REdp3Uhj76gRauQq9T8SikWhW7LgDYDzaF3w6vVD8L/s400/IMG_7159.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Ladle into clean mason jars. Let cool at room temperature, about 30 minutes. Wipe rims clean, then twist lids on tightly. Keep refrigerated for up to a month.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQQ521uzxckI_8Hec6dW56mLhzKPIONlnlm3NGtkZ4ie2YhTyhQXdPlDdPRAKC83Z1fDNDOJiesg2ImfZf9-EAHSZPMiId18fxywcVKfts_H89ZOTHvRoMqiayn2okckr_mzoKi-Esr_C/s1600/IMG_7160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQQ521uzxckI_8Hec6dW56mLhzKPIONlnlm3NGtkZ4ie2YhTyhQXdPlDdPRAKC83Z1fDNDOJiesg2ImfZf9-EAHSZPMiId18fxywcVKfts_H89ZOTHvRoMqiayn2okckr_mzoKi-Esr_C/s400/IMG_7160.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Makes about 4 cups<br />
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Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-15702407102591258202011-08-15T18:41:00.000-04:002011-08-15T18:41:22.408-04:00Peach chutneyAfter being gone for 3 weeks, there is a ton of things that need to be done around the house. It seems like I spent the whole week cleaning and getting things in order so I was pretty excited when the weekend finally came around. Although after being gone for 3 weeks, there is also a ton to do in the kitchen, especially during the summer when fruits and veggies are in season in Canada.<br />
<br />
For the last couple of years I have been canning a lot of fruits and veggies. I started small by canning some pickles and now my pantry is not big enough to contain all the canned goods I prepare. Normally I start in late July early August, but since I was gone at the time, I now had to make up for lost time so this weekend I made some sweet relish, peach chutney, mango chutney and some barbecue sauce. Fortunately for me, my parents and my aunt and uncle were nice enough to donate some veggies for my canning adventure which made it a little easier on the wallet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3uE8E70KhR2C8e06lqo8aLoBHkejRNILwUNa0j1sUx6Iu46ta7vwNeTtf4a8XOoOoGxBbuGLgyd2uT27RvhATf-LFhDz-z3lVcprHFVUqLsOSLmQjD9DWtDXnhH_oRkidxXwgI4krYnr/s1600/IMG_7155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3uE8E70KhR2C8e06lqo8aLoBHkejRNILwUNa0j1sUx6Iu46ta7vwNeTtf4a8XOoOoGxBbuGLgyd2uT27RvhATf-LFhDz-z3lVcprHFVUqLsOSLmQjD9DWtDXnhH_oRkidxXwgI4krYnr/s400/IMG_7155.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I first tried this recipe last summer because I had some extra peaches. My husband was not impressed. He said he never cared for chutney, but I asked him to try it anyways. He tried it and loved it. Actually both of us really like it and every time we made pork chops, we pretty much ate a whole jar and we ran out really quickly. So this year I had to do a few batches just to make sure that we would have enough to make it through the summer.<br />
<br />
If you like spicy food, you can use more than one jalapenos peppers and keep the seeds to give it extra punch. This chutney also makes a nice hostess gift for the person who has everything!<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
<b>Peach Chutney</b><br />
(inspired from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious.com</a>)<br />
<br />
1/2 cup cider vinegar<br />
1/2 packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup white sugar<br />
1 large sweet red pepper, thinly diced<br />
1 onion, thinly diced<br />
1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced (for more heat keep the seeds)<br />
1/3 cup raisins<br />
2 teaspoons ginger<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic<br />
2 pounds firm fresh peaches, blanched<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHVPfEZ3qxy2ZN-ES1ca5ijvVQ2chVqViyULmT-htGcKltxnIS_tt-H4tL6HIntVp31XLxN5ZXzmWvQtNdn7vZxVne9bbhQesY2tdYzKkIQzOoE02yXQCXoSvztlxs0DoTGOTExdG5ZRp/s1600/IMG_7115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHVPfEZ3qxy2ZN-ES1ca5ijvVQ2chVqViyULmT-htGcKltxnIS_tt-H4tL6HIntVp31XLxN5ZXzmWvQtNdn7vZxVne9bbhQesY2tdYzKkIQzOoE02yXQCXoSvztlxs0DoTGOTExdG5ZRp/s400/IMG_7115.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>To blanch the peaches, score the skin of the peaches in a x shape.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NmgUKW2U7wmOry3s0H8PlZkjp1W6WT_B_-LFWuu0Cj49ic-zJOi0QW6PG-WQuV7gJt9VPxO58lKSDefZv5pRZXrbnUqGbMUWGaLJQo92an0Yk5Eysh7mj4P-vbo970_HbD_7rDvn4JqL/s1600/IMG_7139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NmgUKW2U7wmOry3s0H8PlZkjp1W6WT_B_-LFWuu0Cj49ic-zJOi0QW6PG-WQuV7gJt9VPxO58lKSDefZv5pRZXrbnUqGbMUWGaLJQo92an0Yk5Eysh7mj4P-vbo970_HbD_7rDvn4JqL/s400/IMG_7139.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop the peaches in there. Keep the peaches in the water until the skin starts to peel (about 20 seconds).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg60j0gT9fn_baxyzlVWxqzGvjplbIIHJVD1qb9R9KCn2YkyEAAHAXSjMMmZy_QhJH20YKIFIFpph0TEFaFCeqaROMxiAuroeE_wKYGRruoU_kcXM6kkNgl9cb_P9AqlogLspKTjlDkRTp/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg60j0gT9fn_baxyzlVWxqzGvjplbIIHJVD1qb9R9KCn2YkyEAAHAXSjMMmZy_QhJH20YKIFIFpph0TEFaFCeqaROMxiAuroeE_wKYGRruoU_kcXM6kkNgl9cb_P9AqlogLspKTjlDkRTp/s400/IMG_7140.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Drop the peaches into a pot of ice cold water for a few minutes (to stop the cooking process).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPxBK7wQvODwTmu08BNL-NeuK0PFEl-LXAZorwup9gyW5oKdKZD3vRobrcoHAJadwPNqZ5LB7LMH2IJrCPd1s4qM3TyniSBSSkHFmPddImhKgMG-sN6OYmO35fYCiM3uoN47pQA9V6FCZ/s1600/IMG_7141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidPxBK7wQvODwTmu08BNL-NeuK0PFEl-LXAZorwup9gyW5oKdKZD3vRobrcoHAJadwPNqZ5LB7LMH2IJrCPd1s4qM3TyniSBSSkHFmPddImhKgMG-sN6OYmO35fYCiM3uoN47pQA9V6FCZ/s400/IMG_7141.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Once the peaches have cooled, peel the skin, then cut the peaches into small cubes.<br />
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Put the vinegar and both sugar into a large pot, place over medium heat and bring to a boil.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdRQHzg1Q8GpROv9USaFV0XmXt3TzEH_mRKUx9o6y9IGXAjW6r0PUcrkh4C_Cgp8MCROEIkVef-L6avLDSDl9fH34tvBBt-kSsbpPYhyphenhyphendYJbs1jTRUqFDTYBVblnxOkPP_k2IxIu18BfI/s1600/IMG_7142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdRQHzg1Q8GpROv9USaFV0XmXt3TzEH_mRKUx9o6y9IGXAjW6r0PUcrkh4C_Cgp8MCROEIkVef-L6avLDSDl9fH34tvBBt-kSsbpPYhyphenhyphendYJbs1jTRUqFDTYBVblnxOkPP_k2IxIu18BfI/s400/IMG_7142.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the red pepper, onion, jalapeno, raisins, garlic, ginger and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.<br />
Add the peaches and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qysJInmg2TOGwEgAzHFtvH7WntshigYB9umd9xyUrDa_aPC72o5UlWLA8SLmPZnUN1_2JAFQ8t0MIm63U0H-Jfoeywdf6C-tsa8sEo255VczDFD8zPQOhsc3U2zHCv0nnNGmoCH22qNU/s1600/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qysJInmg2TOGwEgAzHFtvH7WntshigYB9umd9xyUrDa_aPC72o5UlWLA8SLmPZnUN1_2JAFQ8t0MIm63U0H-Jfoeywdf6C-tsa8sEo255VczDFD8zPQOhsc3U2zHCv0nnNGmoCH22qNU/s400/IMG_7143.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the meantime, prepare <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7 clean 250 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour the chutney into the jars (within 1 cm of head space), cap and place mason jars into the canner.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qEpWpGwrOw5N1x1bsdUkVbz-tsUDzySwK7CVm1tsa-v8u8uapBcjhaBaZtxA2XDE3k5zGz64UPtsmjvAg-vOFUNUzzqwYTjnYwwfv8LObB0uqfITPfwQGUlUI0hP9xmOGj7EDCIq0J9c/s1600/IMG_7153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qEpWpGwrOw5N1x1bsdUkVbz-tsUDzySwK7CVm1tsa-v8u8uapBcjhaBaZtxA2XDE3k5zGz64UPtsmjvAg-vOFUNUzzqwYTjnYwwfv8LObB0uqfITPfwQGUlUI0hP9xmOGj7EDCIq0J9c/s400/IMG_7153.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 15 minutes.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.</span></span></span></div><br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-90184168222120088862011-08-10T19:22:00.000-04:002011-08-10T19:22:25.023-04:00Back to reality<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I am back from my trip to Europe! Sad to have left, but happy to be back at home where I do not have to live out of a suitcase! Although this trip was about visiting all the places we had heard so much about, let's face it, it was also about the food! This trip was also about celebrating. Celebrating our one year wedding anniversary as well as both of our 30th birthdays!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-tczT6V3FKoRpJt6xXUU_owvoQLdrP506z0faeydv7Bl5rCsDkdaYGve9nTgacCP8YCQvkQ-s40BzdMPOlodaKe9BruK45Zc8B-aHV-ICYCWGwm5ZjW7hBvb9itcvtGtIA1eo9Sah6Yr/s1600/IMG_3685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-tczT6V3FKoRpJt6xXUU_owvoQLdrP506z0faeydv7Bl5rCsDkdaYGve9nTgacCP8YCQvkQ-s40BzdMPOlodaKe9BruK45Zc8B-aHV-ICYCWGwm5ZjW7hBvb9itcvtGtIA1eo9Sah6Yr/s400/IMG_3685.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>We had a list of things that we wanted to try, a very long list which we completed (yay!) and we also got to try a few more things along the way. Since we were on a cruise for the first 12 days, we ate like kings, sampling as much as we could. We would grab a small breakfast in the morning, eat local food for lunch and order a gourmet meal every night. When people ask me what was my favourite part of the trip, I immediately think about food (which is sad given the fact that we did visit the Vatican, the Louvres, climbed the Matterhorn and observed Paris from the top of the Eiffel tower...) But I can't help it, food is my passion.<br />
<br />
<br />
On the cruise we made sure to try all the restaurants on board. The Asian fusion one was our personal favourite, but the steak house had the best desserts! I had a wonderful raspberry cheesecake there, but the best dessert was by far their vanilla soufflé!!! We were both stuffed after eating an enormous meal (ceasar salad, French onion soup, seafood platter, filet mignon surf and turf, and 3 desserts...) but we could not stop eating it! Sadly the recipe was not available in any of their cookbook, but you can be sure that I will still try to replicate it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here are some pictures from the Pinnacle grill, the steakhouse on board:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xPQUY2XzTilf4SN9n_ESCVdrtQabO-7yJcHabZUBuGFdhOlOD2APuuQe_Z5MaZ5qrI2wac7CJ31jco-5rIVwgkTj1SGX6YHx0JWPeDabaxR7b0xPj6NLaBhnVMLqzvhnahdYF3h3PI8C/s1600/IMG_3704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xPQUY2XzTilf4SN9n_ESCVdrtQabO-7yJcHabZUBuGFdhOlOD2APuuQe_Z5MaZ5qrI2wac7CJ31jco-5rIVwgkTj1SGX6YHx0JWPeDabaxR7b0xPj6NLaBhnVMLqzvhnahdYF3h3PI8C/s400/IMG_3704.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The French onion soup.... I swear there must have been a pound of cheese in there!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU8OyszEhvRoKTLpYeKhR5ROuL31tZJeDyQWc8G3KR3ZsxPHYmQkBUM8p0v7HHbwNETJndui_NWXmGxTHioAZ7EdIZds8h20YPrF4Z8TgoX4R7HKDTdQApnaTUi9mab5hC4Pq7ANI7Uub/s1600/IMG_3706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU8OyszEhvRoKTLpYeKhR5ROuL31tZJeDyQWc8G3KR3ZsxPHYmQkBUM8p0v7HHbwNETJndui_NWXmGxTHioAZ7EdIZds8h20YPrF4Z8TgoX4R7HKDTdQApnaTUi9mab5hC4Pq7ANI7Uub/s400/IMG_3706.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The seafood appetizer platter. My husband really enjoyed that one!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPcEGR0I3vRkB39MasukaZ8_GJqoAWIpaBVIrGBCl22DpNC6uyKpHv4fgAmURa-eDrF-8VAI-g4WlnRGZp9tHP2MrzDBbuwn7P9k-Bx24D9tmKHwECFIxhSzn0i3E8cvEKivwGvRSfzkH/s1600/IMG_3710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWPcEGR0I3vRkB39MasukaZ8_GJqoAWIpaBVIrGBCl22DpNC6uyKpHv4fgAmURa-eDrF-8VAI-g4WlnRGZp9tHP2MrzDBbuwn7P9k-Bx24D9tmKHwECFIxhSzn0i3E8cvEKivwGvRSfzkH/s400/IMG_3710.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here is our favourite of the night, the vanilla souffle! If you ever cruise with Holland America, make sure you try that one, it's a must!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here are some shots from the Tamarind Asian fusion restaurant:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsb7VkxnQPUtn6w57P0LxXbFW5-BclM2qODmAatxC6IzayWWyiE1xOnZrq-4Mgi60vtoD29vru8k0gI1VStDOb2saUElaC5tprpoG3V84XYWrF9g91wZPqWXZoAESrtiuQOQ1ES2TUUII/s1600/IMG_3873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsb7VkxnQPUtn6w57P0LxXbFW5-BclM2qODmAatxC6IzayWWyiE1xOnZrq-4Mgi60vtoD29vru8k0gI1VStDOb2saUElaC5tprpoG3V84XYWrF9g91wZPqWXZoAESrtiuQOQ1ES2TUUII/s400/IMG_3873.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The dips for the shrimp bread. Really tasty</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUf7GgvHJNzsmTXFskbnIQRpnF0cds_Lgkb-9fGkUVIVU8mKO7khelD1KLvtD35mwPQeIzOJOoyxYtA6TFor_Zf1QIVt-sQltXTiD7_IB9AvmBQY4g0ytJoMC5k8P8hutwkNUTgIEvtDB/s1600/IMG_3877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUf7GgvHJNzsmTXFskbnIQRpnF0cds_Lgkb-9fGkUVIVU8mKO7khelD1KLvtD35mwPQeIzOJOoyxYtA6TFor_Zf1QIVt-sQltXTiD7_IB9AvmBQY4g0ytJoMC5k8P8hutwkNUTgIEvtDB/s400/IMG_3877.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The thai beef salad. Such a nice mix of flavours, I would order that one again in a heartbeat!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lzFjgEd5lxpQPZLblJCLIT5iZCssO5oQah2jqeGZedxvVUsnIb5sDN4EXoxUG368WEjhIako0T4ArJeSjTEy266LoZxsvJD4WRafiMxukzzKwTDd6ubFUCF5jQ3ujMgncykhh5bWgvsX/s1600/IMG_3878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lzFjgEd5lxpQPZLblJCLIT5iZCssO5oQah2jqeGZedxvVUsnIb5sDN4EXoxUG368WEjhIako0T4ArJeSjTEy266LoZxsvJD4WRafiMxukzzKwTDd6ubFUCF5jQ3ujMgncykhh5bWgvsX/s400/IMG_3878.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The potstickers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSjUOHo32xYNWUq1aW5EvYz0y-ApHYoGzSv1nKR6aeUDKAsHVVw4Kxv4Se0w08A3QNrF4JpntC_YQWbpUDP53N-aCsmSoy4HvuBNWSzmGJcDVq-k5dqwGHssVILhQtlR2IvCj_e_9oe7V/s1600/IMG_3879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSjUOHo32xYNWUq1aW5EvYz0y-ApHYoGzSv1nKR6aeUDKAsHVVw4Kxv4Se0w08A3QNrF4JpntC_YQWbpUDP53N-aCsmSoy4HvuBNWSzmGJcDVq-k5dqwGHssVILhQtlR2IvCj_e_9oe7V/s400/IMG_3879.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The kebbab sampler! There was lamb, beef, chicken, pork and shrimp in there. So good!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsD9cGLwroygUUb-QWpFOInAcYyVPrX0cDgexOpZvVMU3vTqPpF1yc16NE8W7xbNW1orHYGziMOOR1FZmPLVfQiMvZZ6GRxmHTODzSY3aG5-BmbQEMUD-wuRNU3FhSdC5Pr25QGT4SCiwi/s1600/IMG_3884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsD9cGLwroygUUb-QWpFOInAcYyVPrX0cDgexOpZvVMU3vTqPpF1yc16NE8W7xbNW1orHYGziMOOR1FZmPLVfQiMvZZ6GRxmHTODzSY3aG5-BmbQEMUD-wuRNU3FhSdC5Pr25QGT4SCiwi/s400/IMG_3884.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ribs!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbZGLqHX0MYW5G8azx6lFkkOnpnkWuel2QAi3Eo0d-8jJyM-6FRLAhk0cQbp0Dbf_0UevbPiCnuO4SF3OHX7CUGVCMxke_jeua1CbCYRUaLjxIKiyMIr2tD_Hy_mWvebz9qt-5pM9-6uK/s1600/IMG_3885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbZGLqHX0MYW5G8azx6lFkkOnpnkWuel2QAi3Eo0d-8jJyM-6FRLAhk0cQbp0Dbf_0UevbPiCnuO4SF3OHX7CUGVCMxke_jeua1CbCYRUaLjxIKiyMIr2tD_Hy_mWvebz9qt-5pM9-6uK/s400/IMG_3885.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There was duck on the menu so I had to try it! Great choice!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmm1HA9ZI-JrzPqfeAv9XZY6mdrOZV-hqr2iJiBvzVI4Cg7znBCFkldQ6ya5z0SlOz6ENK1VY4YqxDAcBVbV7HOvfYGnwRN5CqGwfEyu5fl-JD1RRiXXmglGawmKLKevDMHSXvrgqSNLIi/s1600/IMG_3886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmm1HA9ZI-JrzPqfeAv9XZY6mdrOZV-hqr2iJiBvzVI4Cg7znBCFkldQ6ya5z0SlOz6ENK1VY4YqxDAcBVbV7HOvfYGnwRN5CqGwfEyu5fl-JD1RRiXXmglGawmKLKevDMHSXvrgqSNLIi/s400/IMG_3886.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My husband had the steak with the wasabi crust. The wasabi definitely gave it a kick</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzYDJd2P8F9zVQlLjZ6rQXBZRBXLKFnjvMWT62uYUftg1cqHW1eCWw9YGPzRmsPst62PJfW6AwE7ICWHNoShE3nUqJc4yDHUXfWdpBCWkeHQ3QGEl23rC73d5_vTWtcOVXlI1jIfZ4ww-/s1600/IMG_3887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzYDJd2P8F9zVQlLjZ6rQXBZRBXLKFnjvMWT62uYUftg1cqHW1eCWw9YGPzRmsPst62PJfW6AwE7ICWHNoShE3nUqJc4yDHUXfWdpBCWkeHQ3QGEl23rC73d5_vTWtcOVXlI1jIfZ4ww-/s400/IMG_3887.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now that's what I call a fortune cookie!!! Filled with chocolate ganache too!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLALttWunpiyKXJfBIZF-J6ddB9qhdZTZcNeaaMoR-4tEbzBKwP3ecBBzS1Dv-TufmuZUarNmTnR_hp47ZxML3uowT7l-2-_7WH4aCR5jGvuqihIVmJE598S0BQ_Pi-6Lu148GZxA2UbF/s1600/IMG_3888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLALttWunpiyKXJfBIZF-J6ddB9qhdZTZcNeaaMoR-4tEbzBKwP3ecBBzS1Dv-TufmuZUarNmTnR_hp47ZxML3uowT7l-2-_7WH4aCR5jGvuqihIVmJE598S0BQ_Pi-6Lu148GZxA2UbF/s400/IMG_3888.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mango cloud and mango sorbet</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Food on the ship in general was pretty great. We sampled cold fruit soups, lamb, seafood, lots of great salads and steaks.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v8yc8h-vX-GlYmjOAnO-NQS6zKVZRp2hL8n7719ZmIPf7ID_H0ytaWdEnWFeS8xSU5legKu80OmdtQw9zhAXNTAxzE3xmgT0VRdtn15UAzh3x3onE8QVGTcbwiOijFa30IiRgotkGx6_/s1600/IMG_4342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v8yc8h-vX-GlYmjOAnO-NQS6zKVZRp2hL8n7719ZmIPf7ID_H0ytaWdEnWFeS8xSU5legKu80OmdtQw9zhAXNTAxzE3xmgT0VRdtn15UAzh3x3onE8QVGTcbwiOijFa30IiRgotkGx6_/s400/IMG_4342.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Peach soup, one of my favourite</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhp5qbyc5feiLnR6hLdz3xE1d4iDIP3zNPlm5lUgRIovq_tLuOUGyYGjXGXZcKiD8NieHhUJNiwFZGCSOgUETQiChJPNkR86UVNHK3HuXVNoHKmbYDbxzHJJIYi26XlLS_XqfoETmv01X/s1600/IMG_4344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhp5qbyc5feiLnR6hLdz3xE1d4iDIP3zNPlm5lUgRIovq_tLuOUGyYGjXGXZcKiD8NieHhUJNiwFZGCSOgUETQiChJPNkR86UVNHK3HuXVNoHKmbYDbxzHJJIYi26XlLS_XqfoETmv01X/s400/IMG_4344.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lamb kebbab</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegjkToQpkRMDVUrpvRdGPRp5iHVfWG01lPFUxQk8Xsw7dhuswYqOeWWffADSwPw4MXZ7CZyhwUDQG94Z_M3alTGVj2P4bySzoK3ma6ngSO06Of539Q8z0mp6OcK-YV6aFXXrN6Caop95U/s1600/IMG_4449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegjkToQpkRMDVUrpvRdGPRp5iHVfWG01lPFUxQk8Xsw7dhuswYqOeWWffADSwPw4MXZ7CZyhwUDQG94Z_M3alTGVj2P4bySzoK3ma6ngSO06Of539Q8z0mp6OcK-YV6aFXXrN6Caop95U/s400/IMG_4449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Alaskan King crab legs. Let's just say that my husband was excited about that one!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJAWtjzkElQqnCOw_HOUppnT9LMomcpLKUDy-5wdY-0n3m3gsqKjtpGhicL4txmWcvDQ-ui_9NfEFlNVtFQZP7du9EJR6IBxcSbNFe19pW4vsOMQrcqdA56gSEOBJNqy_TVnc_-EoQSrJ/s1600/IMG_4450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJAWtjzkElQqnCOw_HOUppnT9LMomcpLKUDy-5wdY-0n3m3gsqKjtpGhicL4txmWcvDQ-ui_9NfEFlNVtFQZP7du9EJR6IBxcSbNFe19pW4vsOMQrcqdA56gSEOBJNqy_TVnc_-EoQSrJ/s400/IMG_4450.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A nice filet mignon</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfJESS1W8LmamJAgHeFbxpfUWUdrMm7qKEESq_BippsZyGMstJOowy6jxJW-8TkI42uNWgrk999en1Zdwd3orBInjRfGDjnWr-JLrF9FMBB75OPKQLP_wNf-VG3H4AISpOON1NeZ_JFq9/s1600/IMG_4622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfJESS1W8LmamJAgHeFbxpfUWUdrMm7qKEESq_BippsZyGMstJOowy6jxJW-8TkI42uNWgrk999en1Zdwd3orBInjRfGDjnWr-JLrF9FMBB75OPKQLP_wNf-VG3H4AISpOON1NeZ_JFq9/s400/IMG_4622.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Raspberry mousse</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtAPPHuF8Qy_NCz4TSpqQAJwVVu3r2ytuMT5DWMniGVEaTmAEqjRCmarQFoOjr4r8hACaaN1TD_5D92B3AtvalFlR2DxshAXSpGEWniZqSpOMXpcbLplCkTXFj_TS-BTq6lsVdWFXggji/s1600/IMG_5069_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtAPPHuF8Qy_NCz4TSpqQAJwVVu3r2ytuMT5DWMniGVEaTmAEqjRCmarQFoOjr4r8hACaaN1TD_5D92B3AtvalFlR2DxshAXSpGEWniZqSpOMXpcbLplCkTXFj_TS-BTq6lsVdWFXggji/s400/IMG_5069_2.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Strawberry gelatto at the Canaletto restaurant </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We were also fortunate enough to have both a culinary art centre as well as a guest chef on the ship. Chef Chris Cosentino share with us a few Italian recipes as well as several cooking tips and we even got to sample the food. Some of the ship's chefs also shared their signature dish with us so we are now able to replicate some of our favourites. On top of that we were invited to 2 wine tastings, where we tried various champagnes, white and red wines that we learned how to paired with various food. Needless to say that we had a great time at those!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyA5dAID6LSw9Oj6oEQ9zf9tiWPE-a178TJ1HDFmd5twDUyWJSz7SJhJR9uoTJmOAJ3NVe1K0F3LUwLhO9l2h2xiGQjYQlFfQh6p50s2zSswOBdqlcDbV9NDL3Uc0QlQo_BE1lMkOq1X1/s1600/IMG_4440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyA5dAID6LSw9Oj6oEQ9zf9tiWPE-a178TJ1HDFmd5twDUyWJSz7SJhJR9uoTJmOAJ3NVe1K0F3LUwLhO9l2h2xiGQjYQlFfQh6p50s2zSswOBdqlcDbV9NDL3Uc0QlQo_BE1lMkOq1X1/s400/IMG_4440.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div>In Barcelona we had a great big sangria on a terrase overlooking a busy street. In Greece, we sampled the traditional Greek salad, grilled feta, gyros pita, souvlaki, olives and of course baklavas (best I ever had!). In Italy, we had lots of pasta but also tiramisu, cannolis, lobster tail, pizza, calzone and gelatos. In Switzerland we had the cheese fondue, the raclette, chocolate fondue, lots of chocolates and a berliner (that was so good!!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zEZ7w56NotmJ_p_4mTO-81yFY5RLST8o7T_Wclgzjn6kA-fucC8JwA4ydAG1sq44DDYyVqpAD_FLNXOMYJNe5sa3bZRwAOyqdRpNie0IMNxqApTc9ge4scjEKOErCjzwWxeYxx1ANsmi/s1600/IMG_5836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zEZ7w56NotmJ_p_4mTO-81yFY5RLST8o7T_Wclgzjn6kA-fucC8JwA4ydAG1sq44DDYyVqpAD_FLNXOMYJNe5sa3bZRwAOyqdRpNie0IMNxqApTc9ge4scjEKOErCjzwWxeYxx1ANsmi/s400/IMG_5836.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chocolate fondue in Luzern, Switzerland</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd468m9pfIHXy9bnCCcH2RgJgxhrCTG34pS6fH31uBMHJleL75P6f8TvflCXCvw5A868Zb-LvU6GrUt_RS2FQysy1xZo87PJp4wvIVJiEHgtQfBTmzsOtm6gGMdhvKBpMQZyY-RT_Szci8/s1600/IMG_4549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd468m9pfIHXy9bnCCcH2RgJgxhrCTG34pS6fH31uBMHJleL75P6f8TvflCXCvw5A868Zb-LvU6GrUt_RS2FQysy1xZo87PJp4wvIVJiEHgtQfBTmzsOtm6gGMdhvKBpMQZyY-RT_Szci8/s400/IMG_4549.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lunch at the Magna Gracia farm in Greece</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pj98rIVguw2rtCNZiqqH24iK2FmkcaA-wR4ZnU5P4MJqLaLdITKAxu5i5xtE1bC9hyZjZzWXXd6OOnBu1HCy7iB2Urfxpn7z-8a8J9hhgVKWxOLg4Iw3C3c1fI_I9LmViDM7cVEj95l0/s1600/IMG_4548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pj98rIVguw2rtCNZiqqH24iK2FmkcaA-wR4ZnU5P4MJqLaLdITKAxu5i5xtE1bC9hyZjZzWXXd6OOnBu1HCy7iB2Urfxpn7z-8a8J9hhgVKWxOLg4Iw3C3c1fI_I9LmViDM7cVEj95l0/s400/IMG_4548.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our sampler plate at the Magna Gracia farm</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4f3ryIEFgVNjXUjsI9liPqHVZE4W6MIAkIeHKLlzyKWIcRVM83qBEdbzVDmM-cOrIxxNoW7lpIUY5_WUU0-agtespQrijxaq_KutTV-jcYQYsExpzxu9-OmO7tOZiq5jUEZ5G5TMg-BA/s1600/IMG_4537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4f3ryIEFgVNjXUjsI9liPqHVZE4W6MIAkIeHKLlzyKWIcRVM83qBEdbzVDmM-cOrIxxNoW7lpIUY5_WUU0-agtespQrijxaq_KutTV-jcYQYsExpzxu9-OmO7tOZiq5jUEZ5G5TMg-BA/s400/IMG_4537.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Greek salad</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KvEpQ4aFypbh07Nc1t6aaNY2h9Qr4Hssuodn61nsSYSbg1oZu_h2lCHLTtQSO-r2Ley4GIeO19QO1t-9P9WvbGs97zkLrJGTvQKT5JN1oHFPobkTosSUlgxrp4gqr8oJ86xGG29l8EeZ/s1600/IMG_4538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KvEpQ4aFypbh07Nc1t6aaNY2h9Qr4Hssuodn61nsSYSbg1oZu_h2lCHLTtQSO-r2Ley4GIeO19QO1t-9P9WvbGs97zkLrJGTvQKT5JN1oHFPobkTosSUlgxrp4gqr8oJ86xGG29l8EeZ/s400/IMG_4538.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Grilled feta in Greece</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBzMHTa_Oid9Bktdnb9HvVoI8VlJya1Ujnyb1otl6cme257x29G8qk2j3en_yUYW8KTiD3259A_DAsDvYdZoTSOjOpzcbeWmIuTW17A2ohuw_ueuKRFwivbwvW-JHlz87GaTT8kO98t-d/s1600/IMG_4826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBzMHTa_Oid9Bktdnb9HvVoI8VlJya1Ujnyb1otl6cme257x29G8qk2j3en_yUYW8KTiD3259A_DAsDvYdZoTSOjOpzcbeWmIuTW17A2ohuw_ueuKRFwivbwvW-JHlz87GaTT8kO98t-d/s400/IMG_4826.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Baklava in Corfu, Greece</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbX8aoz_zzZd01oUBECzspmjVHeQtJ7QLB3TMPfkZK4HsezefiXSzbmUtghHEld3GCt8CsZqvAgzyoS-_sDlOW91J5mX3A8MPe-M_FBSNti0CPX8W_WLuQETk9dq79sandBzV_1ZE5mnk/s1600/IMG_7073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbX8aoz_zzZd01oUBECzspmjVHeQtJ7QLB3TMPfkZK4HsezefiXSzbmUtghHEld3GCt8CsZqvAgzyoS-_sDlOW91J5mX3A8MPe-M_FBSNti0CPX8W_WLuQETk9dq79sandBzV_1ZE5mnk/s400/IMG_7073.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chicken and fries and the cold cut and cheese platter (and some wine of course) at a nice little cafe near the Pantheon in Paris</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEtDGndNtVntgwefkjHVD7wuAO_IgoL78UzdpWJQMXXB1k5pfiIBtYCY7-QPYW3awSFTRj2EJ4ihtPFgnFC__or0AVDR9WWP5riI_jGw7myyx-PogHO1wgS4O4Be1IjcSmpRgijAZK24N/s1600/IMG_7096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEtDGndNtVntgwefkjHVD7wuAO_IgoL78UzdpWJQMXXB1k5pfiIBtYCY7-QPYW3awSFTRj2EJ4ihtPFgnFC__or0AVDR9WWP5riI_jGw7myyx-PogHO1wgS4O4Be1IjcSmpRgijAZK24N/s400/IMG_7096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tomato tartare with Mozzarella and pistou at Bofinger, Paris's first brasserie (1864)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>But France was still my favourite! The best meal of our trip was in Bordeaux hands down!! Foie gras, warm goat cheese on bread, duck confit, creme brulee and crepe with wine, all under 50 euros... unbelievable. Here are the pictures from that meal at L'Ombriere in Bordeaux.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz18Kt2VFFRYp8XWdJUWYMsxNVthxXo_A2kEyK7g4XBnH65Y-TkrpmfD0Huz0yBxjQcDh5e9s6Arb4pmzEYxaaBbURz_T8B9gY5nLd-yHXMZc9X6OVd_TwQNNr2wi0UX56J004i7HTyoE/s1600/IMG_6156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguz18Kt2VFFRYp8XWdJUWYMsxNVthxXo_A2kEyK7g4XBnH65Y-TkrpmfD0Huz0yBxjQcDh5e9s6Arb4pmzEYxaaBbURz_T8B9gY5nLd-yHXMZc9X6OVd_TwQNNr2wi0UX56J004i7HTyoE/s400/IMG_6156.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Baked goat cheese on bread</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEehL6HoKPng3HKe_TCB-VWmdUBkndLRUxkBR-s5CEzGoTHJeoqNIul_VMSDJ0PjrJM0LHTzDDgxL6G6uxNMA82MCRnfBIGlt6YlJ3QLc8RJavXAE8UD81xvcMZz9_feFeF-NQpbzJHaBa/s1600/IMG_6157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEehL6HoKPng3HKe_TCB-VWmdUBkndLRUxkBR-s5CEzGoTHJeoqNIul_VMSDJ0PjrJM0LHTzDDgxL6G6uxNMA82MCRnfBIGlt6YlJ3QLc8RJavXAE8UD81xvcMZz9_feFeF-NQpbzJHaBa/s400/IMG_6157.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Foie gras plate</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBQh3_8wgImJtCv2_ywnsAbI-0FVQzC9lwjZ58LO9pZ2rNuYMxaduHYud_LvXRDSPSnyYn8qiPqGe-HPwC38DAg2hwa4hMJjUPyr3hDNFVUINlr83gvWTiL0bAppwBt11JOOETfXvaLt4/s1600/IMG_6158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBQh3_8wgImJtCv2_ywnsAbI-0FVQzC9lwjZ58LO9pZ2rNuYMxaduHYud_LvXRDSPSnyYn8qiPqGe-HPwC38DAg2hwa4hMJjUPyr3hDNFVUINlr83gvWTiL0bAppwBt11JOOETfXvaLt4/s400/IMG_6158.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Duck confit and fries</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsgdRRQG26nWu-L0sQtvL54sy5g-_Wjp5e_V9I25R8079_mYs_7yIVNxwTjS2wL8L7tibjwYtTTCPt2vjWSNaq9ctqZUQ0t_MhRIPA2ZiSJN4FOJ1Yguhi1syjJTu2Tkq_OkDkf1Bl_7y/s1600/IMG_6159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsgdRRQG26nWu-L0sQtvL54sy5g-_Wjp5e_V9I25R8079_mYs_7yIVNxwTjS2wL8L7tibjwYtTTCPt2vjWSNaq9ctqZUQ0t_MhRIPA2ZiSJN4FOJ1Yguhi1syjJTu2Tkq_OkDkf1Bl_7y/s400/IMG_6159.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Crepe!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXpG0vlipzjZ6jf83eft2m2wU_-7sDdhwUB3LN9jy7uK4VdR-4VPkqCbR_j1qNE-06_2MbQ42IaQf6W3mjoVuYkD8SLcnXXH5f8nEEf0bUxZvD1Psqm9tCrD1ZEayVHACvR0mcMKQRpK1/s1600/IMG_6160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXpG0vlipzjZ6jf83eft2m2wU_-7sDdhwUB3LN9jy7uK4VdR-4VPkqCbR_j1qNE-06_2MbQ42IaQf6W3mjoVuYkD8SLcnXXH5f8nEEf0bUxZvD1Psqm9tCrD1ZEayVHACvR0mcMKQRpK1/s400/IMG_6160.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Creme brulee!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAvY2aUc7baslXs_x_0Z8UkZ32k0cF5TrWPz9IAJ3fwIPPYbf2Yd9ItLB3Yh9XRIG-JLmrAW4BclLmS6i6AiOp4n4K404rYuEAQXiMtfDsG6u3OahmPkRlOTEw8vp1fcH7YYSSB3YoUqb/s1600/IMG_6161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAvY2aUc7baslXs_x_0Z8UkZ32k0cF5TrWPz9IAJ3fwIPPYbf2Yd9ItLB3Yh9XRIG-JLmrAW4BclLmS6i6AiOp4n4K404rYuEAQXiMtfDsG6u3OahmPkRlOTEw8vp1fcH7YYSSB3YoUqb/s400/IMG_6161.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No European meal would be complete without a nice cup of coffee</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>While we were in France we also tried croissant, chausson aux pommes, pain au chocolat, cannelés, macarons, steak and fries, croque monsieur to name a few.<br />
<br />
We were also lucky enough to tour 2 chateaux in the Bordeaux region and to try their wines and while in Reims to tour 2 champagne house (Mumm and Pommery). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXPVdIF6BU2HzSjkLNbuYFB2C8gZjBs6nJsKZfh_-3EGk0nhbwa4AGS3rjR_7y5Z629iROpnYNt0gDDwwiUKxVy4etG8lGzx1XaHiobDkMTtMLDALhJ8qm8lwyQWfR35UCtsVS_JJHxbi/s1600/IMG_6008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXPVdIF6BU2HzSjkLNbuYFB2C8gZjBs6nJsKZfh_-3EGk0nhbwa4AGS3rjR_7y5Z629iROpnYNt0gDDwwiUKxVy4etG8lGzx1XaHiobDkMTtMLDALhJ8qm8lwyQWfR35UCtsVS_JJHxbi/s400/IMG_6008.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gvqQkwL3tatFgva3rbJPtnatInctNHAMPkIvJU_up4Fnm6CFCW5BpypIEHTLvhxvMLRqjOIRaZk3nPJM51iyTfXmCFucNadIWTVlyT9NdCP_zTNPaZjrHqi5vJZbZZq8ZKvsYCHjG3Q1/s1600/IMG_5985_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gvqQkwL3tatFgva3rbJPtnatInctNHAMPkIvJU_up4Fnm6CFCW5BpypIEHTLvhxvMLRqjOIRaZk3nPJM51iyTfXmCFucNadIWTVlyT9NdCP_zTNPaZjrHqi5vJZbZZq8ZKvsYCHjG3Q1/s400/IMG_5985_2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Luckily (maybe more like miraculously) for me, with all the walking we did (and the stair climbing...) I managed not to put any weight on (maybe I was made to live in Europe or at least that's what I told my husband when I tried to get him to move there... let's just say that did not work)! So I guess I'll have to integrate some of these dishes as part of my regular diet!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Now that my husband and I are back it's time for me to get serious! There is so much to be done before the end of the harvest season!!! Canning peaches and tomatoes, make pesto, relish, green tomato ketchup, peach chutney, bake pies (tons of them!), make tomato sauce... oh I'm gonna be one busy bee, but the results will be worth the work!!! Hopefully I will be able to document all these wonderful recipes so that you too can try them at home!Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-49071274586659344362011-07-15T17:23:00.000-04:002011-07-15T17:23:57.678-04:00Time flies when you're having fun!I have severely neglected my blog lately. Summer is such a busy time it just seems like I can't do it all so my blog just had to take a back seat for a few days. The last week has been especially busy with packing for our European trip. This will be our first trip across the pond so we want to do it right so there's been tons of research going into planning that trip. We'll be going to Spain, Monaco, Italy and Sicily, Greece, Croatia, Switzerland and France. 7 countries in 3 weeks... I'm not sure if that totally qualifies as a vacation as we will be running around pretty much the whole time!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Jokes aside, I'm really looking forward to enjoying a sangria in Barcelona, gelato and pasta in Italy, chocolates in Switzerland, wine in Bordeaux and Champagne in Reims only to name a few... I've actually never been so excited and so nervous at the same time! Our bags are packed and in a few hours we'll be heading to the airport to embark on this great adventure which means that there will be no posts for a while as our internet access will be limited for the bulk of our trip. Rest assure, there will be lots of pictures and stories when I get back!<br />
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But before I go, here is one last recipe. My husband and I have been having a lot of salads lately has our lettuce has been ready for the last couple of weeks. There is something so nice about eating the fruit of your hard labour!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFccXHrqU1nqZDGzqB1hI5XYy1nUZRfMVX5ZjJNJQdYbeavprqAEE0-ZaYFyoRvqge8mJrYHMRkQcC5S5MmOzbu-bKZ6MrVw3eSz5rmFQlRGFoOdCcuXlE9Ed4daLAw0Eypl8d6p974RdH/s1600/IMG_3471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFccXHrqU1nqZDGzqB1hI5XYy1nUZRfMVX5ZjJNJQdYbeavprqAEE0-ZaYFyoRvqge8mJrYHMRkQcC5S5MmOzbu-bKZ6MrVw3eSz5rmFQlRGFoOdCcuXlE9Ed4daLAw0Eypl8d6p974RdH/s400/IMG_3471.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>So this week I gathered a bunch of fresh herbs and lettuce and make this amazing salad with steak, baby tomatoes and a spicy chimichurri sauce, so good. If you've never had chimichurri sauce you're in for a treat! It is full of flavour, spicy and it almost has a creaminess to it. Mixed with the fresh veggies and the steak and it was a definitely hit at my house.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<b>Baby greens, steak and tomatoes with chimichurri</b><br />
(adapted from Food and Drink magazine)<br />
<br />
2-3 dried chili peppers with or without the seeds (depends on how you feel about spicy food)<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
5 tsp red wine vinegar<br />
4 tbsp olive oil<br />
4 tbsp parsley<br />
4 tbsp coriander<br />
4 cups of baby greens (in my case I used lettuce)<br />
Leftover grilled steaks (or like me you can grill one for the occasion)<br />
1 bell pepper thinly slice into strips (whichever colour you have on hand)<br />
1 pint of cherry tomatoes<br />
2/3 cup feta cheese or goat cheese<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOcShPYBucekRNUBJErCfVoSCFmw62zEoW62ChJVMgdNAaT4Kcv8IqubaEcZ0O4voME8V9uCFnVSSs2uBzJcpLwGaroPdYXTNeHWuP1oTJRS7SnOR1mMabkHv0kwri0sp-Z0QsSsL8mN_/s1600/IMG_3448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOcShPYBucekRNUBJErCfVoSCFmw62zEoW62ChJVMgdNAaT4Kcv8IqubaEcZ0O4voME8V9uCFnVSSs2uBzJcpLwGaroPdYXTNeHWuP1oTJRS7SnOR1mMabkHv0kwri0sp-Z0QsSsL8mN_/s400/IMG_3448.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Thinly slice peppers<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wY65-9qS6yBjLnXa1-SBfrolf_0mVePcNqmWtsrk3kD9YtHKaOKTRLQNxOVV5SV1hEosF5tYkq6TJlO8sltXtd15Y-UnEtirs5lyHs3fjX6jROm7WhCCDaz5YBrrrxq9dbzzC2s6_qHE/s1600/IMG_3451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wY65-9qS6yBjLnXa1-SBfrolf_0mVePcNqmWtsrk3kD9YtHKaOKTRLQNxOVV5SV1hEosF5tYkq6TJlO8sltXtd15Y-UnEtirs5lyHs3fjX6jROm7WhCCDaz5YBrrrxq9dbzzC2s6_qHE/s400/IMG_3451.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWAWFusZGXi0W69OOTcGnSFAhneCMNFKpOzrTfhfykxX563FFPa0asoJ5VCuXTAHkkhvSOr0HfOCnX12Gn9voKSiPajCTqXZKK5qHJZOmPQu34d1KIyFzX1k3PgfqhvDHsvvQSKhN06jg/s1600/IMG_3454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWAWFusZGXi0W69OOTcGnSFAhneCMNFKpOzrTfhfykxX563FFPa0asoJ5VCuXTAHkkhvSOr0HfOCnX12Gn9voKSiPajCTqXZKK5qHJZOmPQu34d1KIyFzX1k3PgfqhvDHsvvQSKhN06jg/s400/IMG_3454.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place peppers in a bowl along with garlic, salt and pepper, vinegar and oil and whisk together<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22TdKhvsLa6PTfXd7WEcmesN9kWLvF7-EJb-tTtuAbZHjBW9bYJUEzQ24KpeIXr-_CFPAczc8ZyWMf1Spk8RVDHQGSFzq0hW6YFpMKVlkfZ0Lltn24_Mehv9U7kM-jjL_iUFNCuNbV9KT/s1600/IMG_3458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22TdKhvsLa6PTfXd7WEcmesN9kWLvF7-EJb-tTtuAbZHjBW9bYJUEzQ24KpeIXr-_CFPAczc8ZyWMf1Spk8RVDHQGSFzq0hW6YFpMKVlkfZ0Lltn24_Mehv9U7kM-jjL_iUFNCuNbV9KT/s400/IMG_3458.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place the mixture in a food processor or small blender, add the herbs<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYYZIlEFbW_whcErL3NLYg7OrXWUzndzxl6OQdrLHLiRK77rGKsmEOdYH0hANAlSpO7lgZ-cMfXDseaAxiG134_PUwcMO-GPyMQ3PeGo8cc3XjWYNxbFPhm9Ccr3HagvSQAA3QeUOFfbK/s1600/IMG_3460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYYZIlEFbW_whcErL3NLYg7OrXWUzndzxl6OQdrLHLiRK77rGKsmEOdYH0hANAlSpO7lgZ-cMfXDseaAxiG134_PUwcMO-GPyMQ3PeGo8cc3XjWYNxbFPhm9Ccr3HagvSQAA3QeUOFfbK/s400/IMG_3460.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Mix until smooth<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTuHNi8qLk6scmDmC4c-_K8MXBIwUbfiVeV0b7CnAkfZjbXMiBRPx3C4lbVMQcgWOgcqWKv6WjxckYsS7rPKUahw5EsrAk_ccZSAa5Sx_BYIf-lk5aKM-bCaJ77DxKMG49ye_ILyo7HkA/s1600/IMG_3463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTuHNi8qLk6scmDmC4c-_K8MXBIwUbfiVeV0b7CnAkfZjbXMiBRPx3C4lbVMQcgWOgcqWKv6WjxckYsS7rPKUahw5EsrAk_ccZSAa5Sx_BYIf-lk5aKM-bCaJ77DxKMG49ye_ILyo7HkA/s400/IMG_3463.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place the lettuce in a large bowl<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKc8L5yhs2XIzMSWqV_rj3qm9l1RMuuN_4yjj58LnLwwmmvDkTl38PX8nkKaODFC2dlmOPsPXBNCXxGUbCex98nAXZ4dcl55psy5y6oIOSMf9XP90F61y2l0cfG6Zvbt6lmevS1-S-Hk_/s1600/IMG_3464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKc8L5yhs2XIzMSWqV_rj3qm9l1RMuuN_4yjj58LnLwwmmvDkTl38PX8nkKaODFC2dlmOPsPXBNCXxGUbCex98nAXZ4dcl55psy5y6oIOSMf9XP90F61y2l0cfG6Zvbt6lmevS1-S-Hk_/s400/IMG_3464.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add cherry tomatoes and bell pepper<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiuB-2HK5Y2JEJfFOk7RINq4STmkg7f73bM94jMnfv_7A0J-sH3HKdcnFheLZ6l_kztuxuSvHRGFBp39pbX2Jq8gW2XqIKY9vYrPXQw0wymmD88C5Ym16SWPc4o_7GaE0NAnFb6fo7S6E/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiuB-2HK5Y2JEJfFOk7RINq4STmkg7f73bM94jMnfv_7A0J-sH3HKdcnFheLZ6l_kztuxuSvHRGFBp39pbX2Jq8gW2XqIKY9vYrPXQw0wymmD88C5Ym16SWPc4o_7GaE0NAnFb6fo7S6E/s400/IMG_3468.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Sprinkle with cheese<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLZrp0kDRVT04_vhTP8bq4kEOLzxlciUghPLczZHlsFYFtR-r9pCc6b4fwZA_Ig0RUbRc36Hd1ZrPReYoiDIMVwJyYO3EUNuS8sfC_DsSVkNpqVusY5NcJwfJ1R2VdDw_lxnT3nLYK21j/s1600/IMG_3469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLZrp0kDRVT04_vhTP8bq4kEOLzxlciUghPLczZHlsFYFtR-r9pCc6b4fwZA_Ig0RUbRc36Hd1ZrPReYoiDIMVwJyYO3EUNuS8sfC_DsSVkNpqVusY5NcJwfJ1R2VdDw_lxnT3nLYK21j/s400/IMG_3469.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add the steak, poor the chimicchuri sauce on top, toss lightly and enjoy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iXQF3LcEEjLuCXxdPXgTOQIr9g9iaiIZ0nsW9cuLVL4QVhRtULLXUMF_nb7qAAR0oDcqmGhZaAT7KHJASlrUgYTP1jKUtnD3Ma4fGQbD_kgiQ7ZTh9pBsW6RMxJJOCTiSxVaH2NXQcVk/s1600/IMG_3472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iXQF3LcEEjLuCXxdPXgTOQIr9g9iaiIZ0nsW9cuLVL4QVhRtULLXUMF_nb7qAAR0oDcqmGhZaAT7KHJASlrUgYTP1jKUtnD3Ma4fGQbD_kgiQ7ZTh9pBsW6RMxJJOCTiSxVaH2NXQcVk/s400/IMG_3472.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
serves 3-4<br />
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</div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-50482157392608526082011-07-06T20:13:00.000-04:002011-07-06T20:13:21.336-04:00White Sangria JelloWell summer is definitely here now! The last couple of days have been so hot and sticky that I have not really been motivated to cook a whole lot. To be perfectly honest, I would be just fine with eating ice cream or drinking a slushy as opposed to having a regular meal! But since that's not really a healthy option, we've been barbecuing a lot and making lots of salads and sandwiches. When looking for recipes for sandwiches, I found this great article in Chatelaine magazine with pic-nic recipes. The white sangria jello recipe quickly caught my attention.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvKvmxlqSeETuc86sAhEKOj9a_1hNglVR4hqX0GQAU8_qJ5uUtV6Um9wOkk9F9IO7iFzC7jhRSbBOezJXPsUYt4yujiUpFjnMitjJC90E1_59DyK5r6lfUc48KybOpSw-NFii4a0aNkoN/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvKvmxlqSeETuc86sAhEKOj9a_1hNglVR4hqX0GQAU8_qJ5uUtV6Um9wOkk9F9IO7iFzC7jhRSbBOezJXPsUYt4yujiUpFjnMitjJC90E1_59DyK5r6lfUc48KybOpSw-NFii4a0aNkoN/s400/IMG_3437.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Although I haven't eaten it in years, as a kid I always enjoyed eating jello especially in the summer. I remember that my mom use to make a pie with tons of strawberries, jello and whip cream when it was strawberry season so the idea of making this hello recipe was quite exciting (I also really liked the idea of using mason jars for containers, it makes it so easy to carry around).<br />
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The recipe itself was quite simple and only took a few minutes to complete. Actually it was pretty much as easy as making regular jello if you ask me. The final product was also quite good. It was refreshing and you could definitely tell that it was wine based (which can be a good or bad thing depending on whether or not you enjoy wine!).<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy the recipe and the fabulous weather!!!<br />
<br />
<b>White Sangria Jello</b><br />
(<a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/en">Chatelaine</a>)<br />
<br />
1 bottle of fruity wine (I used a riesling)<br />
2 cups of white grape juicy<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
2 enveloppes of unflavoured gelatin powder (7.2 g each)<br />
3 cups of fresh berries (in my case I used peaches and strawberries)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-aemf6LomfaqGMqswkNOZS3D7xFfjATsGcK7G9NSQuXVrL1oZnkQpv4qtz34-MCCLg4kUtrI8v-wwU7szCxZ0dsF46Sw6Itat72Ipfu8wEaruwAI6-rTN-UeFNYeBdep-J1Zcd89ghx-/s1600/IMG_3433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-aemf6LomfaqGMqswkNOZS3D7xFfjATsGcK7G9NSQuXVrL1oZnkQpv4qtz34-MCCLg4kUtrI8v-wwU7szCxZ0dsF46Sw6Itat72Ipfu8wEaruwAI6-rTN-UeFNYeBdep-J1Zcd89ghx-/s400/IMG_3433.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pour wine into a medium saucepan and set over medium-high. Bring just to a boil, then remove from heat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedirV3kHIUV_9NHIMyn5mHfawy0P1PT3SMF47x7fnYj77WNU2PeSJF9WgL1WHORXyMrvALVB9EbeW0E70MLWYUWXm5umg19xZ9uUh9w4-iFerMghNl0eYJqXRjcG7ju_uAywkzEAMSD3w/s1600/IMG_3434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedirV3kHIUV_9NHIMyn5mHfawy0P1PT3SMF47x7fnYj77WNU2PeSJF9WgL1WHORXyMrvALVB9EbeW0E70MLWYUWXm5umg19xZ9uUh9w4-iFerMghNl0eYJqXRjcG7ju_uAywkzEAMSD3w/s400/IMG_3434.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Whisk in gelatin and sugar until both are dissolved. Then stir in grape juice<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWTRYlLq71wfAXGAcHFhfdUz1EqA9eSozlyAdnzCH3jFlSdSIlMlxauIGgCa9AKH-RlHBc8yiGJqh_g8Y8sTySFNvu9XQZPoQsAAzfzoYKNoWQO9fJMgdYpDuEfaBRzL-qILovjwIg3tv/s1600/IMG_3439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWTRYlLq71wfAXGAcHFhfdUz1EqA9eSozlyAdnzCH3jFlSdSIlMlxauIGgCa9AKH-RlHBc8yiGJqh_g8Y8sTySFNvu9XQZPoQsAAzfzoYKNoWQO9fJMgdYpDuEfaBRzL-qILovjwIg3tv/s400/IMG_3439.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Divide cup fruit among 8 250ml mason jars.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbn1EG3dzYFkwUWCEznqZVl_mZ5683E0uGd_AzQL16tYhPqGJVioUQs4bk5g71pnSxaJsxy68u9ErAX-KQZvLN7hWznVadxkll4wmtfbZhHyNJapsyxSEBPy_oJ9TdU-ClZWadi6CKgAy/s1600/IMG_3442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbn1EG3dzYFkwUWCEznqZVl_mZ5683E0uGd_AzQL16tYhPqGJVioUQs4bk5g71pnSxaJsxy68u9ErAX-KQZvLN7hWznVadxkll4wmtfbZhHyNJapsyxSEBPy_oJ9TdU-ClZWadi6CKgAy/s400/IMG_3442.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pour wine mixture. Refrigerate until set (about 3 hours)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA5RfiQpv_mLC37y4svatuEGOeugHyNmWyuMQxUuRpa0J6ZbbXDClVJYaVBTeejEyLQfZJKjqNpzHzdyc2ouNdm4Nzg03EJRghmp94XHrLgdi3qyqaBAnK8uzpdSSoTFVKeTBHPtOY9t_/s1600/IMG_3443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkA5RfiQpv_mLC37y4svatuEGOeugHyNmWyuMQxUuRpa0J6ZbbXDClVJYaVBTeejEyLQfZJKjqNpzHzdyc2ouNdm4Nzg03EJRghmp94XHrLgdi3qyqaBAnK8uzpdSSoTFVKeTBHPtOY9t_/s400/IMG_3443.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-83053558056338132372011-07-04T22:23:00.000-04:002011-07-04T22:23:38.302-04:004th of July barbecued sausage kebabsSo today my American friends were celebrating Independence Day and since I did live in the US for a year, I like to celebrate this holiday too and what better way to celebrate then by barbecuing! Typically I would go for big juicy burgers, but I was in the mood for something a little more sophisticated so I decided to make kebabs instead.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j1MvW8GtKlrwWiit-6Cx2PW8yGqRvCBA9RMXohjCcxczVKVfd16GLjxSMvGPowa9W33Q4t-r4GrP0H_CL4034PuTHK9FoSjgjvY9tuxzcCPItWAM1Ul55x0eKqeRXBT0bDEa6DyENxhX/s1600/IMG_3424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7j1MvW8GtKlrwWiit-6Cx2PW8yGqRvCBA9RMXohjCcxczVKVfd16GLjxSMvGPowa9W33Q4t-r4GrP0H_CL4034PuTHK9FoSjgjvY9tuxzcCPItWAM1Ul55x0eKqeRXBT0bDEa6DyENxhX/s320/IMG_3424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The recipe I chose to make to make on this special day is a sausage kebab. This is one of my go-to recipe has it does not require a ton of ingredients and steps and it can be put together fairly quickly (which was necessary today since we had been away at the cottage all weekend). This also happens to be one of my husband's favorite recipe as it is has lots of flavour and the tabasco sauce gives it an extra kick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlvg9jLutKTs9MsOi5CQBgJodVoByfw4-px3snsEChUpHNQ45SqqrkWZ4sDk2sJF5P_9DPvtZiFCxkY85iyodeASfTm007p-608q_9zO-aOXDyGHTGe4CkShcMqE70m8Kz_SPyM2IFtOK/s1600/IMG_3425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlvg9jLutKTs9MsOi5CQBgJodVoByfw4-px3snsEChUpHNQ45SqqrkWZ4sDk2sJF5P_9DPvtZiFCxkY85iyodeASfTm007p-608q_9zO-aOXDyGHTGe4CkShcMqE70m8Kz_SPyM2IFtOK/s320/IMG_3425.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>You can make this recipe as spicy as you like. In this particular case I used spicy Italian sausages, but you can use mild sausages if you prefer. You can also omit or reduce the Tabasco if you are not big on spicy. You'll find that this recipe is also a nice change from the more traditional chicken, beef or even pork kebabs. If you've never tried grilling cherry tomatoes, you're in for a treat. Grilled tomatoes will literally explode in your mouth and the flavour is great too!<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy!<br />
<br />
<b>Summer Sausage Kebabs</b><br />
(based on a recipe from <a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/en">Chatelaine</a>)<br />
<br />
8 Italian sausages<br />
1 pint of cherry tomatoes<br />
1 green pepper<br />
1 large onion<br />
1/2 cup barbecue sauce<br />
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard<br />
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaUGldPBPUQCbXpLYOz0xhl597Baqqp4qSz3n2M_FUjV_O6n8RQivt57PVNt0O6bvHN40dsE64C7Qii0syCSC3GEPLlBAm4JvUtnDRWjENKA0sqBYGAqOmhRCv7yYIgxxg3CdUfsp6orl/s1600/IMG_3410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaUGldPBPUQCbXpLYOz0xhl597Baqqp4qSz3n2M_FUjV_O6n8RQivt57PVNt0O6bvHN40dsE64C7Qii0syCSC3GEPLlBAm4JvUtnDRWjENKA0sqBYGAqOmhRCv7yYIgxxg3CdUfsp6orl/s400/IMG_3410.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Cut sausage inton 2 inch chunks and place in a large ziploc bag.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplIroG3sUgeo7ZnF3sxmBxtjughhiQJuL_QjIbSQzo7HIGHLPEeesZ5EvDSe8wv6cWLUtsWKIwfOUiJMu_C6yx4yM_CTXOQmCJMQb7pzI_g3xj4hRjaZR_0q4yXhjzUqY_T-Dcy9vHv-0/s1600/IMG_3411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplIroG3sUgeo7ZnF3sxmBxtjughhiQJuL_QjIbSQzo7HIGHLPEeesZ5EvDSe8wv6cWLUtsWKIwfOUiJMu_C6yx4yM_CTXOQmCJMQb7pzI_g3xj4hRjaZR_0q4yXhjzUqY_T-Dcy9vHv-0/s400/IMG_3411.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Cut the onion and the peppers in 2 inch chunks and place in the ziploc bag along with the sausages<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hguspLSwqxpJEM81gIzMcO184y1Pj5jstEfeP8X3jtclPQ_X6ilmeejcNSFNsNzbIZSWxO4h4Qn0JPbD9RS7QqwNWJylIDORp2zt37wCRVYBcGOpUT7AKELSuYIhCBIbkzIwvNMtNnfF/s1600/IMG_3413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hguspLSwqxpJEM81gIzMcO184y1Pj5jstEfeP8X3jtclPQ_X6ilmeejcNSFNsNzbIZSWxO4h4Qn0JPbD9RS7QqwNWJylIDORp2zt37wCRVYBcGOpUT7AKELSuYIhCBIbkzIwvNMtNnfF/s400/IMG_3413.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT7fUr9iY3hC6GOgDwjy-o1Gd_F4O_U4o2qlyOjnoqWj7ZQjC0ZprxRpqebkQ7xDz_mcBU_MiunFY5qeSM_IX18qnPD8TlZCSYlRWbhsBFv6zgYuvqukfCfqbnSjbqdiLiTLETtMSdNPT/s1600/IMG_3415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWT7fUr9iY3hC6GOgDwjy-o1Gd_F4O_U4o2qlyOjnoqWj7ZQjC0ZprxRpqebkQ7xDz_mcBU_MiunFY5qeSM_IX18qnPD8TlZCSYlRWbhsBFv6zgYuvqukfCfqbnSjbqdiLiTLETtMSdNPT/s400/IMG_3415.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaStuBUTzgAH4p1lQkiKOWhRfz09R8Vk4wZIHyPelo0PQZtMn4H8_q-yyQdlgDb7lVw5keM9cWkUqZNgGS9VnWD0Ovof__-brWttxmWCfhNVFfYVt7B4wxjJvfP5qRGXM2lkJYbF9Es_bW/s1600/IMG_3416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaStuBUTzgAH4p1lQkiKOWhRfz09R8Vk4wZIHyPelo0PQZtMn4H8_q-yyQdlgDb7lVw5keM9cWkUqZNgGS9VnWD0Ovof__-brWttxmWCfhNVFfYVt7B4wxjJvfP5qRGXM2lkJYbF9Es_bW/s400/IMG_3416.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Mix together the barbecue sauce, the Tabasco sauce, the Dijon mustard and the honey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWscgJjZRrbicp0vJzcFnfS3kwFEFK8h6RxbhJqvNNwOPB6SMY5weopRUzkHn2RkQhMG0gMteZjZeDzUFkFAgyBvlu0nE3KA124qPfpc4A4z1lhZxfabtt4N2WZGTSzOZDE1VudGlXQXk6/s1600/IMG_3420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWscgJjZRrbicp0vJzcFnfS3kwFEFK8h6RxbhJqvNNwOPB6SMY5weopRUzkHn2RkQhMG0gMteZjZeDzUFkFAgyBvlu0nE3KA124qPfpc4A4z1lhZxfabtt4N2WZGTSzOZDE1VudGlXQXk6/s400/IMG_3420.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pour into the ziploc bag. Place bag in the fridge and let marinade for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours).<br />
Pre-heat the barbecue (medium-high)<br />
Place meat on skewers alternating with the onions, peppers and cherry tomatoes<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87fWUEU5TEHc_qV1papGOmFbmch7tMgFd-gdMsL32Pa4mR1BlW9K5X_QHg9W0VDJkQwVpCpGX1m4wdQTWiMV2pz5cgRI9xxAQDwycuwPIQihMqgHa8LIPIbNI8Hfyc0VKlpPRPC9FO1jr/s1600/IMG_3422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87fWUEU5TEHc_qV1papGOmFbmch7tMgFd-gdMsL32Pa4mR1BlW9K5X_QHg9W0VDJkQwVpCpGX1m4wdQTWiMV2pz5cgRI9xxAQDwycuwPIQihMqgHa8LIPIbNI8Hfyc0VKlpPRPC9FO1jr/s400/IMG_3422.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Grill the kebabs on the barbecue for 6-8 minutes per side.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q2NqqfYmTOL_ge4TyYtuXAS0l3ph0XO6gHTx-M-XLK-BK493gKR5zTrEspjytkjfqR9c2aiE40EAksbkonA1_BHLN0Dm-36CPxG8Le0V0IMwtz4Xl4nADlxfoUs62Q2I8cEba8K1F8XN/s1600/IMG_3423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q2NqqfYmTOL_ge4TyYtuXAS0l3ph0XO6gHTx-M-XLK-BK493gKR5zTrEspjytkjfqR9c2aiE40EAksbkonA1_BHLN0Dm-36CPxG8Le0V0IMwtz4Xl4nADlxfoUs62Q2I8cEba8K1F8XN/s400/IMG_3423.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEFD6RO-RD25yk_gnGfXQjSC-rPGwm_uZhq3rUeWJeAngebruroNPMDTTocA9Ldyfjdc9V0nXVDcDTPZCxso5D-o5Yl_5ZKWiBpXXmVek3UXynvqxr2B7nElaq5uA-RjQrEtp6J3rHBop/s1600/IMG_3431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEFD6RO-RD25yk_gnGfXQjSC-rPGwm_uZhq3rUeWJeAngebruroNPMDTTocA9Ldyfjdc9V0nXVDcDTPZCxso5D-o5Yl_5ZKWiBpXXmVek3UXynvqxr2B7nElaq5uA-RjQrEtp6J3rHBop/s400/IMG_3431.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Serve with rice.<br />
Serves 4 peopleLyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-20215916338492216082011-07-02T13:23:00.000-04:002011-07-02T13:23:12.945-04:00Scones? Yes please!<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When guests spend the night at my place, I typically ask them what they would like to eat for breakfast the next day. The answer I usually get is: “scones please!” Blueberry, cranberry, plain, chocolate chips or blackberry, my guests are never disappointed with my scones. Leftover are rare, but if there are any, my guests are always more than happy to leave with a doggy bag. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe95Rc88_LD7GoOvc49d6lezZfNMB5erZ3BSXALQX4Hs90RTMPxPSOX2SQwsYv7IY7cM-0SpDWod2n-xr0sEe0c4X8XF-oLzh0il2960QFRaXw2IipxEaC0G74ZF2WDP8PG10yus2sBsd/s1600/IMG_2895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfe95Rc88_LD7GoOvc49d6lezZfNMB5erZ3BSXALQX4Hs90RTMPxPSOX2SQwsYv7IY7cM-0SpDWod2n-xr0sEe0c4X8XF-oLzh0il2960QFRaXw2IipxEaC0G74ZF2WDP8PG10yus2sBsd/s400/IMG_2895.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Growing up I thought all scones were dry and plain and although I did enjoy eating them with Devon cream (English clotted cream), they were not my favourite. But as time went on, I became more curious about this breakfast treat and started trying different recipes. After several attempts and some catastrophes (sort of), lots of tweaking, combining and subsidizing, I finally found a recipe that is sweet, yet not too sweet and moist while not being too “cakey”. The secret: buttermilk, lot’s of it!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You see, most of the recipes that I tried called for 2/3 cup – ¾ cup of buttermilk for 3 cups of flour, but I generally put 1 generous cup, giving my scone this extra moisture that I was craving. Another thing that I have worked on was to be able to offer different varieties without having to bake all morning so I came up with this basic recipe in which I just have to add the toppings I want. I also tend to separate my batter in 3 and then add the toppings which allow me to make 3 different kinds of mini-scones in one batch (that way I can please all of my houseguests!). </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozGXNlu9CEeZfD6TznOS1hhLZwL3QfX4uiZ-GaL8mZCuvODGwOR9HCp9RzNcPf4VqlSCGrb9R_wWpt87UW9V8oqTFbdaUYsyb7zGO68MFyUzhJF82Ay5T8sBLrdmPYaaLTZT-LdxPRZn0/s1600/IMG_2897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozGXNlu9CEeZfD6TznOS1hhLZwL3QfX4uiZ-GaL8mZCuvODGwOR9HCp9RzNcPf4VqlSCGrb9R_wWpt87UW9V8oqTFbdaUYsyb7zGO68MFyUzhJF82Ay5T8sBLrdmPYaaLTZT-LdxPRZn0/s400/IMG_2897.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One thing that I should mention is that when I took the pictures for this particular post, I totally forgot to put the blueberries back in the freezer after taking the ingredients picture. The result, the blueberries had time to thaw so the blueberry scones turned out blue. Moral of the story, leave your blueberries in the freezer until you are ready to incorporate them into your batter. You could also use fresh berries, but through all my trials and errors, I noticed that frozen fruits also help give extra moisture so I would stick to frozen fruits (bonus, frozen fruits are available year round at a very reasonable price).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I could have re-done the pictures for this post as I make this recipe quite often, but I chose not to in order for all of you to avoid doing the same mistake (and maybe to prove my friend Lianne wrong. See Lianne, I do make mistakes in the kitchen from time to time!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So for all of you out there, here is my famous scone recipe, hope you enjoy!</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lysianne's basic scone recipe</span></b></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup of buttermilk<br />
1 egg<br />
3 C. flour (I typically use half regular half whole wheat)<br />
4 t. baking powder<br />
1/2 t. baking soda<br />
1/2 C. butter (I use salted)<br />
1/2 C. sugar<br />
½ teaspoon of lemon juice<br />
Frozen fruits or chocolate chips</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPgDo3lCgL6uVmgQOaHLBaGWbWv7-xzvfjCxQWKxv6I5TizZIUOSIKxR3DEuJdECNlIqBEwYlcva5vvv7DxNIRIOrDk0-_AIwlFia1Jh9WvUDzcnRqO8SEsOI9p4bdYTlEPso7Dkzp-6k/s1600/IMG_2876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgPgDo3lCgL6uVmgQOaHLBaGWbWv7-xzvfjCxQWKxv6I5TizZIUOSIKxR3DEuJdECNlIqBEwYlcva5vvv7DxNIRIOrDk0-_AIwlFia1Jh9WvUDzcnRqO8SEsOI9p4bdYTlEPso7Dkzp-6k/s400/IMG_2876.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 375°F. <br />
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Beat egg into buttermilk then add lemon juice, set aside. In the bowl of your stand mixer (you can also mix the ingredients the good old fashion way, but you have to be extremely careful not to over mix otherwise the scones will be dried) sift together (using your flat beater) flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Add the butter (mix until the chunks of butter are about the size of peas). </span> </div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIwipkGTCVdE7tsUI74F_r_kdCRyw5GIDpB7jpQlnxhwhOCUTU2tZsmxfIQgcRc9h6r4_DbPgi6KoI6XU5rIOVu4sonjudqHsnVYPgpZz5VHagvJeofLPfli83PhCanwWi_qL9PT5e7cS/s1600/IMG_2878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisIwipkGTCVdE7tsUI74F_r_kdCRyw5GIDpB7jpQlnxhwhOCUTU2tZsmxfIQgcRc9h6r4_DbPgi6KoI6XU5rIOVu4sonjudqHsnVYPgpZz5VHagvJeofLPfli83PhCanwWi_qL9PT5e7cS/s400/IMG_2878.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the buttermilk and egg mixture and mix well (at the lowest speed). Once your dough is even (no lumps) add your sugar and mix until you reach an even consistency.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIp4b_-1aS0By2AcqgzAz9vKojRsYKbEllHS5RiTaHuneYAeuKiRMX1cK_PrkvI2PYJ-RPwzEJaib5allPsgWX9HEWdxfM4bpFHc61yjYNQm3LrByl0H0aT8ucaVJyb5oUAzQmrpVPfKZc/s1600/IMG_2880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIp4b_-1aS0By2AcqgzAz9vKojRsYKbEllHS5RiTaHuneYAeuKiRMX1cK_PrkvI2PYJ-RPwzEJaib5allPsgWX9HEWdxfM4bpFHc61yjYNQm3LrByl0H0aT8ucaVJyb5oUAzQmrpVPfKZc/s400/IMG_2880.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put your dough onto a floured board and form 3 even balls. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddPTHjlrc48YDnncOg4rSqgqjTSffGaSuEtHxjdHrdTUBZx8lSeXZ4j9R0110t_z0agXq8qbJpeVLS8_Y4hoyFiCyC_IgNMachQGr6rL-bSBYVVtFRvRvUYKalPK2XZBhG49Dkn9lr0fi/s1600/IMG_2882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddPTHjlrc48YDnncOg4rSqgqjTSffGaSuEtHxjdHrdTUBZx8lSeXZ4j9R0110t_z0agXq8qbJpeVLS8_Y4hoyFiCyC_IgNMachQGr6rL-bSBYVVtFRvRvUYKalPK2XZBhG49Dkn9lr0fi/s400/IMG_2882.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Incorporate your fruits into the dough. Then pat out your ball to form a thick circle.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXO7gCTeSmsNkodiTF1jU9rMgVGV_CEXIdVh2KbtSOBy1Wymhn0sXYoUtrfrTPOlDGHikQMiyZjaoas4L9-q8Pd544vkCa8-v5MW1LPS4pjyvORtyDmPrPOlWnrnYlT6f-rV0KRNH0FCY/s1600/IMG_2884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIXO7gCTeSmsNkodiTF1jU9rMgVGV_CEXIdVh2KbtSOBy1Wymhn0sXYoUtrfrTPOlDGHikQMiyZjaoas4L9-q8Pd544vkCa8-v5MW1LPS4pjyvORtyDmPrPOlWnrnYlT6f-rV0KRNH0FCY/s400/IMG_2884.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut each circle into 6 wedges and transfer onto a baking sheet (I always use a silpat!)</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2a1abv_kTAZW5NMVnr8tsKuO8_QU6eoo_gePNYL6l0Cg_5icLGrqiD8n2Dfy_MBp1XXH1ijYV5AExgvaICIy6KwgIx5OGLikRO6X4vDOEWeJdlVIm8MBcoauoSum3LRNuVwjWk4SiuAR/s1600/IMG_2885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2a1abv_kTAZW5NMVnr8tsKuO8_QU6eoo_gePNYL6l0Cg_5icLGrqiD8n2Dfy_MBp1XXH1ijYV5AExgvaICIy6KwgIx5OGLikRO6X4vDOEWeJdlVIm8MBcoauoSum3LRNuVwjWk4SiuAR/s400/IMG_2885.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGRJyM8xq3hf1cN83tiileL7ounetdMuh1c3dyX49fR-ljjWCDV7Y1Dly_a8VOOEeUmXkId2Ne-jd9WkHLlQEoFSJATVVb-ew2TItIWJc0iEqOxiGtwripYSxBlQOL9Phu1Hu9yD0Rugl/s1600/IMG_2888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGRJyM8xq3hf1cN83tiileL7ounetdMuh1c3dyX49fR-ljjWCDV7Y1Dly_a8VOOEeUmXkId2Ne-jd9WkHLlQEoFSJATVVb-ew2TItIWJc0iEqOxiGtwripYSxBlQOL9Phu1Hu9yD0Rugl/s400/IMG_2888.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 15 -20 minutes (depending on your oven). Serve warm with butter, Devon cream (English cream) or like many of my friends like it with maple butter! </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJImHzOu_LnCMHizQ9zQhEhz2QQP213nPHXL1xZzykic6_oyqHjnHANL1DRuT1Nv7smrvYhu3iXr13CuMzaaGPc6T20n3Vb70_1_Ms74icm6UXsRHZRuB9fi8UDKGZIwf7Ieut3c2l9Prn/s1600/IMG_2899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJImHzOu_LnCMHizQ9zQhEhz2QQP213nPHXL1xZzykic6_oyqHjnHANL1DRuT1Nv7smrvYhu3iXr13CuMzaaGPc6T20n3Vb70_1_Ms74icm6UXsRHZRuB9fi8UDKGZIwf7Ieut3c2l9Prn/s400/IMG_2899.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days or you can also freeze them for up to a month (but you won't need to!).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq28hqBwgF8FZ4rDdRnHVIO6_OdmHZMBku1pEEnR0Bcyh9fmX4PuRPFsmDwT8J4Rx2WVFi3LV2V7HIpBLyPnMPdg3hwSxykXmW41UlFn-X6GlWPxkWtBr-_0eSz08zml9ZMHbtBf9wvxsm/s1600/IMG_2900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq28hqBwgF8FZ4rDdRnHVIO6_OdmHZMBku1pEEnR0Bcyh9fmX4PuRPFsmDwT8J4Rx2WVFi3LV2V7HIpBLyPnMPdg3hwSxykXmW41UlFn-X6GlWPxkWtBr-_0eSz08zml9ZMHbtBf9wvxsm/s400/IMG_2900.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Makes 18 mini scones</span></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-40470976800414719612011-07-01T08:45:00.000-04:002011-07-01T08:45:56.071-04:00Fresh French Baguette (a.k.a. I forgot to buy baguette so now I have to make some)!I mentioned in one of my earlier post, last Friday was a holiday in Quebec and all the stores were closed. In the spirit of our upcoming trip to Europe we had decided to host a little European inspired lunch for our inlaws. So the night before my husband and I went grocery shopping for all the essentials. I should mention that it was right after a 5 à 7 and my mind was not exactly clear so I totally forgot to buy a baguette.<br />
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When I woke up the next day I realized the terrible mistake I had made and quickly realized that there was only one solution: to actually bake baguettes. I have made bread before, several different kinds and I have generally been successful at it, so I felt confident that I could do it. So I pulled out my trusty <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Joy-Cooking-75th-Anniversary-2006/dp/0743246268/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1309467476&sr=8-1">Joy of Cooking</a> cookbook (by the way if I only had to have one cookbook this would be it! It covers all the basis and always comes in handy when you need a recipe) and quickly gathered all the ingredients for the recipe.<br />
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Small problem, I realized that I was also running low on yeast (which never happens, but of course it had to happen this day out of all days) and that I did not have the 2 1/4 teaspoon the recipe called for, but I decided to give the recipe a go anyways as I had no other solutions.<br />
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When I try a new recipe, especially one with yeast, I like to read it a couple times, to make sure I know how to proceed and I also avoid making it for guest the first time I try it just in case it does not turn out so well. But there was no time for that this time and in the end, everything worked out just fine!<br />
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The baguette was delicious (my husband who doesn't care for bread loved it so that's always a good sign) and I will for sure make it again. It was not super complicated (especially if you are using a mixer), it just required a long time to rise. <br />
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So moral of the story, don't be afraid to try new things even if they seem complicated at first 'cause it might just be delicious!<br />
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Bon appétit!<br />
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French Bread a.k.a. baguette<br />
<br />
4 cups all purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)<br />
1 1/2 cup water at 100F<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oeUPg1SzP9_GSDcR80l4JFBOHEGbRaI3E0eav20Xa0Vk2zMvY-cYUsHQJ4YkImQOwzcWMNy2oP-3hntE1WOfW51BNtwVWWQoTsN935so8B_NZcsj7_y9188SpdTNw22f6taUa8zuOv7Q/s1600/IMG_3332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oeUPg1SzP9_GSDcR80l4JFBOHEGbRaI3E0eav20Xa0Vk2zMvY-cYUsHQJ4YkImQOwzcWMNy2oP-3hntE1WOfW51BNtwVWWQoTsN935so8B_NZcsj7_y9188SpdTNw22f6taUa8zuOv7Q/s400/IMG_3332.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (I used my Kitchen aid mixer bowl) and make a well in the centre and pour in the water.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HjF0YwTWAeSKYiH6NR42QuFnwDEDxKySw4pbS3pzASJ-6tFi-z32j9WUQ9N9b0H-njGeOt1DXI6oDme2xB7zO7nUBALqh7Fi2TMnWxJbt85kf1vOIT9A6ZOs4nUUP_wmNshPETLIgqZ7/s1600/IMG_3335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HjF0YwTWAeSKYiH6NR42QuFnwDEDxKySw4pbS3pzASJ-6tFi-z32j9WUQ9N9b0H-njGeOt1DXI6oDme2xB7zO7nUBALqh7Fi2TMnWxJbt85kf1vOIT9A6ZOs4nUUP_wmNshPETLIgqZ7/s400/IMG_3335.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Stir thoroughly by hand or in a heavy duty mixer, until dough is soft and elastic, about 12 minutes on low speed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKxi8dh-f8LwIChqLJMiwzETVdWAe_J1wXIoWHGNav6Z3f9KHOE3_x1yjl_-DCWihz7GwPBSEuDo5-hMlU7BRZyBGA5bD9HtgqJst-yq0mqxVbJkUROquC2Uq81JNxBnIFczjNn-H9fYU/s1600/IMG_3341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKxi8dh-f8LwIChqLJMiwzETVdWAe_J1wXIoWHGNav6Z3f9KHOE3_x1yjl_-DCWihz7GwPBSEuDo5-hMlU7BRZyBGA5bD9HtgqJst-yq0mqxVbJkUROquC2Uq81JNxBnIFczjNn-H9fYU/s400/IMG_3341.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Cover dough with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (I usually place my dough in the oven with just the light on and it does the trick) which will take about 2 hours.<br />
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Punch down the dough.<br />
Divide the dough in half on a floured board and pat into 2 equal rectangles.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaimrBlD4PgFpDsRiRBX1EAqMbr9NzkEHWJsRrEqPAVbhHu8nHx7R6cUC9INz3tGil3U3CIeJROgtqZKN6SBgnnBtdCPkgTdu1TPpXyQbI4OMDSDqV6eUKO1-Q6KAU1NWmzxm1Wf86wFs/s1600/IMG_3376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEaimrBlD4PgFpDsRiRBX1EAqMbr9NzkEHWJsRrEqPAVbhHu8nHx7R6cUC9INz3tGil3U3CIeJROgtqZKN6SBgnnBtdCPkgTdu1TPpXyQbI4OMDSDqV6eUKO1-Q6KAU1NWmzxm1Wf86wFs/s400/IMG_3376.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Form each into a baguette by rolling the dough, pressing outward with your hands and tapering the dough toward the ends until you have a long, thin loaf.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LQCmL60_Ht5tFQYre8GqJVhRWXj7175vlCnV3jFyXxsub2JSk8AmAMxx3FHmbNme7V60iCeVmIbwul7fB0GDvVYRKBAXz3I_sTQl0jz0SLsbKrQQBd0h8Ix_lerDNp7_TN5We_Jco-wF/s1600/IMG_3378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LQCmL60_Ht5tFQYre8GqJVhRWXj7175vlCnV3jFyXxsub2JSk8AmAMxx3FHmbNme7V60iCeVmIbwul7fB0GDvVYRKBAXz3I_sTQl0jz0SLsbKrQQBd0h8Ix_lerDNp7_TN5We_Jco-wF/s400/IMG_3378.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place loaf onto a greased baking sheet (or you can use your silpat).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB6imecaiyIglDgJFGSkSfy3qU1_zTvVkyjly6TVr2v5r3dTDuZZq1FQ4E6Wbq8_JRvjQ5wjKcgsS4RDgq-D9KVovCJnosKNcakR2koYoL_275dpuqa54go5XISdjcJWJ5jk9x0lcFHnP/s1600/IMG_3380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB6imecaiyIglDgJFGSkSfy3qU1_zTvVkyjly6TVr2v5r3dTDuZZq1FQ4E6Wbq8_JRvjQ5wjKcgsS4RDgq-D9KVovCJnosKNcakR2koYoL_275dpuqa54go5XISdjcJWJ5jk9x0lcFHnP/s400/IMG_3380.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Cover the loaves with a wet clean cloth.<br />
Let rise in a warm place until somewhat less than doubled.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WBD-8BvRKqV6W_dIDXgOF4ofNzywN4ssLncDdlgBm_fBshlPONreQfb009aaWoAwM2qdlkBoWkQidRLlKw07ZZVymavX74h57XiMoDRABjzaef3bOMT4AVbL__kGhFM6ZVg5Z2SMCBi3/s1600/IMG_3387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WBD-8BvRKqV6W_dIDXgOF4ofNzywN4ssLncDdlgBm_fBshlPONreQfb009aaWoAwM2qdlkBoWkQidRLlKw07ZZVymavX74h57XiMoDRABjzaef3bOMT4AVbL__kGhFM6ZVg5Z2SMCBi3/s400/IMG_3387.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Pre-heat the oven to 400F<br />
In the bottom of the oven, preheat a baking pan filled with 1 cup of hot water (it should steam)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97NXeAc8xTPjXM6fOlqFwg96tcRPxbpCMeLlRfg8lqvvLaHhrLuA79RwyMHgWaMW4UTU1SCmJb7f6PuYIo0Jjesrkf59S082EJGdRjh-LmsfdMWftEA5Koxi8SWPluk_Bfzd3lYTtWOz6/s1600/IMG_3389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97NXeAc8xTPjXM6fOlqFwg96tcRPxbpCMeLlRfg8lqvvLaHhrLuA79RwyMHgWaMW4UTU1SCmJb7f6PuYIo0Jjesrkf59S082EJGdRjh-LmsfdMWftEA5Koxi8SWPluk_Bfzd3lYTtWOz6/s400/IMG_3389.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Bake the bread on the oven's centre rack for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and bake about 30 minutes longer.<br />
Bake until the crust is golden brown and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPCP23ow1S0vyAfLfH1jDSLEzZFZYB-VtT_vDEs81xElyazIHbv1-_U5s7sRSDYrW7A8dmBUPsPKkhLvP9tVPNsBd5-ALeZrBJQzUMCIi4JTg-iJFMgwfoePrcrHaOaVFhGJ3JlPpU75m/s1600/IMG_3390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPCP23ow1S0vyAfLfH1jDSLEzZFZYB-VtT_vDEs81xElyazIHbv1-_U5s7sRSDYrW7A8dmBUPsPKkhLvP9tVPNsBd5-ALeZrBJQzUMCIi4JTg-iJFMgwfoePrcrHaOaVFhGJ3JlPpU75m/s400/IMG_3390.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Let cool completely on a rack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44NMPx0o-VD4Q2yUz444w4BDfmGLy8UzMhB4hl18bRpfeHk7Ph_Mk1rAgdhQ7ZqOwAXRlT4vhyNd9l3VENQE4cG6mtVC5AgsT3O3Z5phWpMORl7ILrrpUMhopiJyPqOp7RKxBznStydj1/s1600/IMG_3391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44NMPx0o-VD4Q2yUz444w4BDfmGLy8UzMhB4hl18bRpfeHk7Ph_Mk1rAgdhQ7ZqOwAXRlT4vhyNd9l3VENQE4cG6mtVC5AgsT3O3Z5phWpMORl7ILrrpUMhopiJyPqOp7RKxBznStydj1/s400/IMG_3391.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Gives 2 baguettesLyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-83713673591790941662011-06-28T21:22:00.000-04:002011-06-28T21:22:09.503-04:00Spinach and Artichoke Dip that Will Keep your Guests Asking for More!!!<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">So last Friday my husband and I attended a BBQ for a friend's going away party. I wanted to bring something special, that could easily be transported and that did not require too much fuss (let's face it, no one wants to have to assemble a dish for one hour once you get to a party!). </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span><b></b><br />
<b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I first I thought maybe I'll bring a salad, then I thought this party is a bunch of guys' place so there may or may not be utensils to eat said salad so scratch that. Then I thought how about some bite size appetizers, but then I started to wonder just how many people are gonna be at this thing? and since I had no idea I thought I better better bring something that can feed a crowd. So how about a dip? </span></div></div></div></b></div></b></div></b></div></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></div></div></div></b></div></b></div></b></div></b><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">When they think of a dip, people go for the traditional salsa or guacamole, but I decided to go with something a little more intricate a spinach and artichoke dip. Although we lived about half an hour for the party, I figured I could cook it at home at serve it there. All I had to do is wrap the dish in aluminum foil once it was cooked and voila we were on our way to the party. </span></div></div></div></b></div></b></div></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></div></div></div></b></div></b></div></b><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The dip was a success and it was enough to please the large crowd. Bonus, I didn't have to do anything special to it when we got there so I got to hang out with my friends and didn't have to worry about a thing! </span></div></div></div></b></div></b><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></div><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Hope you enjoy it too!</span></div></div></b></div></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></div>Baked Spinach and Artichoke dip</b><br />
<div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">(inspired from a recipe found on <a href="http://Sweetspot.ca/">Sweetspot.ca</a>)</span></b><br />
<div><br />
</div><div>One 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained</div><div>1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed</div><div>3/4 cup light sour cream</div><div>1 package (8 oz) light cream cheese</div><div>1/4 cup parmesan cheese</div><div>1 cup mozzarella cheese</div><div>1 garlic glove, finely chopped</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREXz9Ij44ZeEZzYFSdrLFlL7CvkUAgDBC85iKWLqdz1NuwAUoeqq90tgIjvskIVOYHqp4n3WfFK2udEFlc1zz5_9bPEVWtR4zqjVTopr3olpxC7EU1wBGf0AwTfc2SLZj8OZGpzy4FUnG/s1600/IMG_3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREXz9Ij44ZeEZzYFSdrLFlL7CvkUAgDBC85iKWLqdz1NuwAUoeqq90tgIjvskIVOYHqp4n3WfFK2udEFlc1zz5_9bPEVWtR4zqjVTopr3olpxC7EU1wBGf0AwTfc2SLZj8OZGpzy4FUnG/s400/IMG_3356.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Preheat oven to 375F.</div><div>Using your food processor, finely chop the artichoke hearts and spinach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcBbeyoxXth8VKvVfx4dxqxtMeYbVCZG2H5brMJK_DE1pfgqNxjcbB-HmaomKWc0rq68Ir4wJKxjWgYzZPPz_iMrIrlC8pqZzVp99QUXlo6nRoqx_Cd3YP6uEB4V23dA00okLC-aCFnJG/s1600/IMG_3357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcBbeyoxXth8VKvVfx4dxqxtMeYbVCZG2H5brMJK_DE1pfgqNxjcbB-HmaomKWc0rq68Ir4wJKxjWgYzZPPz_iMrIrlC8pqZzVp99QUXlo6nRoqx_Cd3YP6uEB4V23dA00okLC-aCFnJG/s400/IMG_3357.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCttNCqpWt_P1i2Qmf0zr-TMce8SgYqUhjFmBexR_6alPPx7_R6gW4z_InoW6JuKTn-S-fOsQxq5g6ZFU9_TBac4h2yZ17VekoATmdTOK_zTlFpHZ2X_-BbCR0edKeOx3wXnFcMd87lVtg/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCttNCqpWt_P1i2Qmf0zr-TMce8SgYqUhjFmBexR_6alPPx7_R6gW4z_InoW6JuKTn-S-fOsQxq5g6ZFU9_TBac4h2yZ17VekoATmdTOK_zTlFpHZ2X_-BbCR0edKeOx3wXnFcMd87lVtg/s400/IMG_3358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Add the sour cream and mix well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdiPRQ3HESjjcpSdwaAJUak3TNMmeN0LNjydFlmW8NNJ8QxdoOiLhNFMQPZPARMDVRjlcMpbcotAuYELT3Z-L9EhZW7km-En_LqhTxpS_PXJkbmFHBno-voXr7Sn0s2kH1oFLY3igWc7I/s1600/IMG_3359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzdiPRQ3HESjjcpSdwaAJUak3TNMmeN0LNjydFlmW8NNJ8QxdoOiLhNFMQPZPARMDVRjlcMpbcotAuYELT3Z-L9EhZW7km-En_LqhTxpS_PXJkbmFHBno-voXr7Sn0s2kH1oFLY3igWc7I/s400/IMG_3359.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQGmSqB1I-I1ZSHt_mO7g5RiKgcUjnXtrCrPLvQKtXBEbofACXtptMKG8Ml6HIJkfFCv3OhlqOHS42omCBSwSIGEhKeZbvUfc_JDlRcyXpkQo8yuaynkrf38_RRbIFg1asbop_T8zAOdu/s1600/IMG_3361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQGmSqB1I-I1ZSHt_mO7g5RiKgcUjnXtrCrPLvQKtXBEbofACXtptMKG8Ml6HIJkfFCv3OhlqOHS42omCBSwSIGEhKeZbvUfc_JDlRcyXpkQo8yuaynkrf38_RRbIFg1asbop_T8zAOdu/s400/IMG_3361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>In a bowl, mash together the cream cheese, the parmesan cheese, garlic and salt and pepper until well blended.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div>Add the cream cheese mixture to the artichoke and the spinach, stir well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yAUg997E7ZytmzaT6nps2k1lgxumZVJRWc3Up2IJ3vuGBxeLoEElwMeFMbwfMaauNHz7FONCl9azykIxiGEFdk-HrQ-OTqFEzPolrDPdE0zQYhEZIYc7xi8ijNrnqpKVO46AssMSJNXg/s1600/IMG_3366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yAUg997E7ZytmzaT6nps2k1lgxumZVJRWc3Up2IJ3vuGBxeLoEElwMeFMbwfMaauNHz7FONCl9azykIxiGEFdk-HrQ-OTqFEzPolrDPdE0zQYhEZIYc7xi8ijNrnqpKVO46AssMSJNXg/s400/IMG_3366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Place the dip in a baking dish (in this case I used a large souffle dish).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GbckrfRT-3VW21hvAeYzwJ7mGqS_qr-KmzWHmjshrxRqBqSz4LFKjkaMgSq0iEydCbQunjysDKRXt3DOOvHmO67V00bv9YTLBxbUiD7ZIPhuOP1r6h5dTXXYbbloCZWzJyZ-Kj9kA9h8/s1600/IMG_3367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GbckrfRT-3VW21hvAeYzwJ7mGqS_qr-KmzWHmjshrxRqBqSz4LFKjkaMgSq0iEydCbQunjysDKRXt3DOOvHmO67V00bv9YTLBxbUiD7ZIPhuOP1r6h5dTXXYbbloCZWzJyZ-Kj9kA9h8/s400/IMG_3367.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtwTACWFdun3Ra1g7k9aXA9fYv0dC7ffMzk0jPyj5cgd6AKGNxVY6SJSw2zR_7RrqINDiXRpE8ZCyTSFOYW0RTeE9OIhDufzly2aMR2rgiDvYopeZgplOOr_Jh1BNf-vhpsdOnHOB1pjx/s1600/IMG_3369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtwTACWFdun3Ra1g7k9aXA9fYv0dC7ffMzk0jPyj5cgd6AKGNxVY6SJSw2zR_7RrqINDiXRpE8ZCyTSFOYW0RTeE9OIhDufzly2aMR2rgiDvYopeZgplOOr_Jh1BNf-vhpsdOnHOB1pjx/s400/IMG_3369.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div>Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 25 minutes. </div><div>Serve wam with tortilla chips or baguette.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3d5ADHmmi6fAHzJxA-WpqxIfFocG1eTfhyphenhyphenAQuo8vJ3cldatfT13FNLLOHMKZ0HQCBF9_OhtWSZgTvvShRs7Pm8latYteUuLLJL9aNJLgGRLelPv5sLqDXDr6LZd0HxqV260i-0omc6Cn/s1600/IMG_3398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3d5ADHmmi6fAHzJxA-WpqxIfFocG1eTfhyphenhyphenAQuo8vJ3cldatfT13FNLLOHMKZ0HQCBF9_OhtWSZgTvvShRs7Pm8latYteUuLLJL9aNJLgGRLelPv5sLqDXDr6LZd0HxqV260i-0omc6Cn/s400/IMG_3398.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #535353; font-family: Arial; line-height: 24px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">Serves a large crowd</span></span></b></span></div></div></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-47807776894336688482011-06-26T19:41:00.000-04:002011-06-26T19:41:40.865-04:00Key Lime PieI have never been a big fan if citrus desserts (lemon meringue pie is one of my least favourite thing to eat...), but last year on my honeymoon I tried key lime pie and that completely changed my opinion of citrus based dessert.<br />
<br />
We were in Key West, Florida and since I like to try local delicacies, I just had to try Key Lime Pie (I also tried conch fritters, but that was not quite as good). We tried it at a local restaurant and also on our cruise ship. The one on the cruise was to die for and I just had to have the recipe! Luckily the recipe was in their cookbook which we were able to purchase onboard.<br />
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I must of made this recipe half a dozen times since purchasing the book and everyone whose tried it has loved it. It's a nice summery recipe and it could easily be done as individual pies (great idea for a potluck!). I promise that this one will be a crowd pleaser!<br />
<br />
<b>Tip of the week:</b><br />
<br />
If you only have graham crackers on hand and no graham cracker crumbs, here is a quick way to turn your crackers into crumbs. Place the crackers in a large ziploc bag and seal it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EMElQxW9BEiNoI13wbmZL40PRx0VpvEperAktrBuL9yoiddir8x8C5RDYJyKx5JobogJLJPCCfU6jMGvepkd9hEaCoueGtKIkyN45DXQw0TkznBpoKgmy8eIp-UJoVuazgLNNedub9sk/s1600/IMG_3320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7EMElQxW9BEiNoI13wbmZL40PRx0VpvEperAktrBuL9yoiddir8x8C5RDYJyKx5JobogJLJPCCfU6jMGvepkd9hEaCoueGtKIkyN45DXQw0TkznBpoKgmy8eIp-UJoVuazgLNNedub9sk/s400/IMG_3320.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Using a rolling pin, roll over the bag until the crackers are completely crushes. and voila! you've got some graham cracker crumbs!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsgMP-iKlGJqP_TRPpAtTCu4le5557ryUhSjoeySeMrc5DH4GzCyhBWazGvkZzpkVOwtdTGNbhAhcZOPC0UJbPKI7xFjvXcu24t_64LICrz3QZ2XUUUTkaIb4mYz-UNL1to4R8MWouHzr/s1600/IMG_3322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLsgMP-iKlGJqP_TRPpAtTCu4le5557ryUhSjoeySeMrc5DH4GzCyhBWazGvkZzpkVOwtdTGNbhAhcZOPC0UJbPKI7xFjvXcu24t_64LICrz3QZ2XUUUTkaIb4mYz-UNL1to4R8MWouHzr/s400/IMG_3322.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><b>Key Lime Pie </b><br />
(Savor The Royal Caribbean International Cookbook, Volume 2)<br />
<br />
<b>Pie Crust:</b><br />
<br />
Graham cracker crumbs<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup melted butter<br />
<br />
<b>Filling:</b><br />
<br />
1 cup sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)<br />
5 egg yolks<br />
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4-5 limes)<br />
<br />
<b>Garnish:</b><br />
<br />
3/4 cup whipping cream<br />
3 tablespoon confectionner sugar<br />
1 to 2 tablespoons lime zest<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkExE43Za1A4lmh_Y5STAd4Gpsz7k5D9njPpdOVFqmmnM2I7YSNod0yLtqhY_KfdzPAiX3BqqVm-3wjWQxokp3j6rckQlJBw-PssEnT6EboqDgdiduT1qL-ggHexcDwhcywsc7eNTB6YG/s1600/IMG_3319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGkExE43Za1A4lmh_Y5STAd4Gpsz7k5D9njPpdOVFqmmnM2I7YSNod0yLtqhY_KfdzPAiX3BqqVm-3wjWQxokp3j6rckQlJBw-PssEnT6EboqDgdiduT1qL-ggHexcDwhcywsc7eNTB6YG/s400/IMG_3319.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Preheat oven to 350F<br />
Mix graham crackers crumbs, sugar and melted butter inside your pie plate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vD1CTU4qltZta0lzc46GLrraiBoP8hM0nNHRn41QwsVoC7qeUFhu_4bbJohyphenhyphentBzy0GiTgRpkQBT2Ya3jGE4DOry8-q9i77CVKgukXg2RB1ekdCcH3frsERFa-bBTdKdPNSlJAF0AKrMa/s1600/IMG_3323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vD1CTU4qltZta0lzc46GLrraiBoP8hM0nNHRn41QwsVoC7qeUFhu_4bbJohyphenhyphentBzy0GiTgRpkQBT2Ya3jGE4DOry8-q9i77CVKgukXg2RB1ekdCcH3frsERFa-bBTdKdPNSlJAF0AKrMa/s400/IMG_3323.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Press the mixture in the pie plate and around the edges.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAOFzxkCjCCDT7xa6SYXeyHriW7WfAP8_xI-YQOkaVBKBmg9s5Hh26T1msT5vrLEmFY12BVDnrX6OMNokuvVKQEIW7fgFo0db6CKk3j2_50D_sBvo33mNbYs32IJFOHLTRH0xVQY4-Yis/s1600/IMG_3324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAOFzxkCjCCDT7xa6SYXeyHriW7WfAP8_xI-YQOkaVBKBmg9s5Hh26T1msT5vrLEmFY12BVDnrX6OMNokuvVKQEIW7fgFo0db6CKk3j2_50D_sBvo33mNbYs32IJFOHLTRH0xVQY4-Yis/s400/IMG_3324.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.<br />
Place condensed milk in a mixing bowl, and beat at low speed, adding egg yolks once at a time<br />
Add lime juice, and mix thoroughly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLj8ODPOK2ZK1jdVW69KdRxik_hPEXZSqpGoSNla_6YNvd0lD0ZxaEpY0QwQ3LRLnTg7yhrFN058iyucaKbroCdsy-ZIRykAVmnOivQrcBE0Nc-_98pxjwk7mJMiXeq9S6nXuWLWfRmGu/s1600/IMG_3327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLj8ODPOK2ZK1jdVW69KdRxik_hPEXZSqpGoSNla_6YNvd0lD0ZxaEpY0QwQ3LRLnTg7yhrFN058iyucaKbroCdsy-ZIRykAVmnOivQrcBE0Nc-_98pxjwk7mJMiXeq9S6nXuWLWfRmGu/s400/IMG_3327.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Place mixture in the graham cracker crust pie shell.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7GfVsdh5CnkfZAbTVuTqnqFFoYFz7s52AfLww2iopNWCKAt31acHk1uhDHUaNjCGXyTV-83L5zBpzX6Y-YkwlYFSvj8fIrKcEPS0HM0RXGYeEP1Ez6tOw1xmMhtb2DmaUXenP6Zb-4f_/s1600/IMG_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7GfVsdh5CnkfZAbTVuTqnqFFoYFz7s52AfLww2iopNWCKAt31acHk1uhDHUaNjCGXyTV-83L5zBpzX6Y-YkwlYFSvj8fIrKcEPS0HM0RXGYeEP1Ez6tOw1xmMhtb2DmaUXenP6Zb-4f_/s400/IMG_3328.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHJA0vFJQy8kDc-nmblYHqdQ30RlyY2zjv2mwbbzOE3jAA5-yoSudwbfzhNIIPmFPNH6CQ-dkhiGwpntEDlnLuBz1A3nWqDF34Epml8jvM0zzlw3gMzjNxZfsH6Hd6Da2ncpql0WlJW8T/s1600/IMG_3339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHJA0vFJQy8kDc-nmblYHqdQ30RlyY2zjv2mwbbzOE3jAA5-yoSudwbfzhNIIPmFPNH6CQ-dkhiGwpntEDlnLuBz1A3nWqDF34Epml8jvM0zzlw3gMzjNxZfsH6Hd6Da2ncpql0WlJW8T/s400/IMG_3339.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Let cool and refrigerate for 2 hours.<br />
<br />
In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream and the confectioner's sugar until soft peak form.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc0hu1rVJprVQHgCNqUgI4KaiQUzLu5wUgRh0v4-Hs_OF_PIq8Yi6546EsdKH4iAMsH_2FjWuUkXSQ0Q7_tV1CwbH3lrpt17egWY0JW1zMyfx3lIdAn8Ve-fE1DL9enweAqDYlsxlOy3w/s1600/IMG_3374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc0hu1rVJprVQHgCNqUgI4KaiQUzLu5wUgRh0v4-Hs_OF_PIq8Yi6546EsdKH4iAMsH_2FjWuUkXSQ0Q7_tV1CwbH3lrpt17egWY0JW1zMyfx3lIdAn8Ve-fE1DL9enweAqDYlsxlOy3w/s400/IMG_3374.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Top the pie with the whipped cream and the lime zest<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_z2ZRYxbCudRlaWrOJThNJ2ysdiiZv9KMb-de1RamgMWIIqDAKUKpVU3ncwtYwA-1BmaBQNBdche0Zqr4wN700MPy5liyqirBtIHAh4AyT2O2yI6DckYmQAhlk1q18kxLke2th8Ka0RSw/s1600/IMG_3375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_z2ZRYxbCudRlaWrOJThNJ2ysdiiZv9KMb-de1RamgMWIIqDAKUKpVU3ncwtYwA-1BmaBQNBdche0Zqr4wN700MPy5liyqirBtIHAh4AyT2O2yI6DckYmQAhlk1q18kxLke2th8Ka0RSw/s400/IMG_3375.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Served chilled.<br />
Serves 10Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-24151205746536398372011-06-24T14:48:00.000-04:002011-06-24T14:48:22.960-04:00Blueberries and cream cupcakes for St-Jean-Baptiste DaySo today is a holiday in Quebec. One of the only days of the year (aside from Christmas and New Year's) when the grocery stores are closed. Today is also the day that I decided to do a marathon cooking session. Now normally would not this be a problem (after all I did go grocery shopping last night), but today also seems to be the day that I'm running out of my staples.<br />
<br />
So I started my day around 7:15am as we were expecting company around 11:00 and then we'll be attending a barbecue later in the afternoon. I had a full plan of action on this rainy day (at last I was able to use the oven since it's rainy and cold today!)<br />
<br />
1) Key lime pie<br />
2) Spinach and artichoke dip<br />
3) Blueberries and crean cupcake<br />
<br />
Simple enough and pretty straight forward until I realized that we forgot to pick up baguette for our typical French lunch (pate, cheese and cured meat). So I got out my trusty Joy of Cooking cook book and got to making bread.<br />
<br />
In the end, everything worked out (you'll be able to see all the other recipes later this week, but let's just say that I didn't sit down (not even for a minute) until my husband's parents arrived!<br />
<br />
So today's featured recipe is the blueberries and cream cupcake. I chose this recipe as the cupcakes are white and blue, the colours of the Quebec flag which I thought was pretty fit given that this is "la fete Nationale!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOq5N9-XCHrFrY69Mz9LpIzI4kO0HRua58ncA8HBMbv7E7wu1Na-n5KvAInFxZtT9gJmQpwZyrF2VBYM46DN6PbB3wuLa89w52YUETz1uV9lSCnjAxzPlTAAAzjNskdITX7UGacdbopnq/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSOq5N9-XCHrFrY69Mz9LpIzI4kO0HRua58ncA8HBMbv7E7wu1Na-n5KvAInFxZtT9gJmQpwZyrF2VBYM46DN6PbB3wuLa89w52YUETz1uV9lSCnjAxzPlTAAAzjNskdITX7UGacdbopnq/s400/IMG_3384.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This is a pretty simple, no fuss recipe that I modified from Martha's Stewart Cupcakes book. Although it is labelled as a cupcake, my husband and I both felt that it tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake (but they were still delicious!)<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy!<br />
<br />
Blueberries and Cream Cupcakes<br />
(inspired by <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/">Martha Stewart</a>)<br />
<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
1 cup butter at room temperature<br />
1 3/4 cup sugar<br />
4 large eggs, at room temperature<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 cup milk<br />
2 cup fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish<br />
2 cups whipping cream<br />
1/4 cup confectionner's sugar<br />
1 pack of instant pudding<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMX87nJB1QFfbWEs6UzsaoQYUyNfi1Lo0CfhD93rn1Na7F8giX6aZdyLSarIcN4F94S4leJGnuAbXM6NO5cfBAMKI8l0XfVQw1iCxXJwXnIaVhpm1p7UPHnJNBAjZgG7dvkHXYRQPcq0x/s1600/IMG_3343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMX87nJB1QFfbWEs6UzsaoQYUyNfi1Lo0CfhD93rn1Na7F8giX6aZdyLSarIcN4F94S4leJGnuAbXM6NO5cfBAMKI8l0XfVQw1iCxXJwXnIaVhpm1p7UPHnJNBAjZgG7dvkHXYRQPcq0x/s400/IMG_3343.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.<br />
<br />
Using your mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2l7w8opzz4vlGu_GvjsaWG9u23SZ3Y4fzCBWI5tm12GpQ1ShfE8QJjsRhshXoPI-UHz7kVxB_IXKj8PlQxSVxWReA1traSJtV7Jaoy53thq3X9faitZ_a-gmsm52BBcAHmb-SgFsiIImk/s1600/IMG_3346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2l7w8opzz4vlGu_GvjsaWG9u23SZ3Y4fzCBWI5tm12GpQ1ShfE8QJjsRhshXoPI-UHz7kVxB_IXKj8PlQxSVxWReA1traSJtV7Jaoy53thq3X9faitZ_a-gmsm52BBcAHmb-SgFsiIImk/s400/IMG_3346.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Add the pack of instant vanilla pudding.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtBQD0_KPZ-dKyw2GLhGeVAUq6_mj07qoJwIMh9ssb1t6Y9_a_v2PCSD6a7tm1jkPMGB5Pa0EsI51YxS-7QAjlc1Kxef1V48pwohl5VGy1GJzrfrXDev1lol7RxYdm0ICkY_A9hALMiCu/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvtBQD0_KPZ-dKyw2GLhGeVAUq6_mj07qoJwIMh9ssb1t6Y9_a_v2PCSD6a7tm1jkPMGB5Pa0EsI51YxS-7QAjlc1Kxef1V48pwohl5VGy1GJzrfrXDev1lol7RxYdm0ICkY_A9hALMiCu/s400/IMG_3349.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Reduce speed to low. Add flower mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk and beating until combined after each.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2YKTNugp96Abnh5PCL1X7D0S3T54NbRrr8TTO37_DYZAG8mPp_tLOaGyYNEIKvd6zSrX1-TbmsLQCinSVuAQxpt8mvz0m6HPb3QxN-1Xx7VPhM9GrO3RWSkPP1R_kBZVm7JC-De7vYFF/s1600/IMG_3350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2YKTNugp96Abnh5PCL1X7D0S3T54NbRrr8TTO37_DYZAG8mPp_tLOaGyYNEIKvd6zSrX1-TbmsLQCinSVuAQxpt8mvz0m6HPb3QxN-1Xx7VPhM9GrO3RWSkPP1R_kBZVm7JC-De7vYFF/s400/IMG_3350.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Fold in blueberries by hand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxfkQqz13vEY_bR249avbNVnOx5EJilyI0PSpwoPSiLubOa-sXUbkpe8-xAtHitQKtr_9ThVqTf27TRFhWycNO4iBZCkyilf2vEZDBlu54Y03H3igexyabgrwEIgsS-aJJVw4A1LLAX1D/s1600/IMG_3352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxfkQqz13vEY_bR249avbNVnOx5EJilyI0PSpwoPSiLubOa-sXUbkpe8-xAtHitQKtr_9ThVqTf27TRFhWycNO4iBZCkyilf2vEZDBlu54Y03H3igexyabgrwEIgsS-aJJVw4A1LLAX1D/s400/IMG_3352.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-h2ancf__z_Ewgjckow6URFjO6W6rlWULLYrlSmfuCso-y9i91TYoTGVefPZVB16TdQ3TEkPl-KO1_3eyACzLXw7BLvYY47vYXL2H1QFQbiiilRtQoUO9Uy655LmC08A5ZrddcvL5B13w/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-h2ancf__z_Ewgjckow6URFjO6W6rlWULLYrlSmfuCso-y9i91TYoTGVefPZVB16TdQ3TEkPl-KO1_3eyACzLXw7BLvYY47vYXL2H1QFQbiiilRtQoUO9Uy655LmC08A5ZrddcvL5B13w/s400/IMG_3354.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 fill.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpec9rc42F-d3sjdNNJOfmVd35yVQnK4SDuYiNChmL5Jzgu7p6_NlmGp86wdUK3piwUsDuJ7I34pVVw1-XWp7PxWywyAohz-HfabE0r26WuzOZdPj4-z0_kqyBB_I3X9NkZyH2ymeicrj/s1600/IMG_3355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpec9rc42F-d3sjdNNJOfmVd35yVQnK4SDuYiNChmL5Jzgu7p6_NlmGp86wdUK3piwUsDuJ7I34pVVw1-XWp7PxWywyAohz-HfabE0r26WuzOZdPj4-z0_kqyBB_I3X9NkZyH2ymeicrj/s400/IMG_3355.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Bake until pale golden for about 25 minutes.<br />
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HOwZXXyCG1suf8KAI1AgpIZsrvHaAElV18aWJu3ntC9RYt_npR-GFJVKHt0uqG0FUigFtxLlyJYDhaVNdM9X511osr6lqcty87xlvLhNvsBSZnD1p2BBrga7LnUJuzEvcekpiSTEj1zW/s1600/IMG_3372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HOwZXXyCG1suf8KAI1AgpIZsrvHaAElV18aWJu3ntC9RYt_npR-GFJVKHt0uqG0FUigFtxLlyJYDhaVNdM9X511osr6lqcty87xlvLhNvsBSZnD1p2BBrga7LnUJuzEvcekpiSTEj1zW/s400/IMG_3372.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers (if they last that long, but that never happens at my house).<br />
<br />
To finish, dollop cupcakes with whipped cream, and garnish with blueberries<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrq0e8xULRTourp1sLHL__sobVdmuZ5SKdW7YYO90WlaV0ndSD-F1ciDZN1gK-7S0FnxEmEB0DmU2Qu5CX6Se55IyuFPphaEGC_DfP8KYqkVOzQjlgSZnZL9XA3nx3c2aeWs7f8Hn_R2iF/s1600/IMG_3392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrq0e8xULRTourp1sLHL__sobVdmuZ5SKdW7YYO90WlaV0ndSD-F1ciDZN1gK-7S0FnxEmEB0DmU2Qu5CX6Se55IyuFPphaEGC_DfP8KYqkVOzQjlgSZnZL9XA3nx3c2aeWs7f8Hn_R2iF/s400/IMG_3392.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Makes 24 cupcakesLyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-77981343807543892242011-06-22T17:54:00.000-04:002011-06-22T17:54:02.998-04:00Quick Refreshing AppetizerI know, I know, it's been almost a week since my last post, but summer is such a crazy time for me both at work and socially. As soon as the nice weather starts it seems like everyone wants to hang out (which is a fantastic thing of course!). With the nice weather also comes gardening and all the summer sports (in my case softball and pretending I can golf...). Have you also notice how everyone seems happy in the summer? Regardless how bad one's day has been, it's nothing that having a cold beer or frozen drink on a terrasse won't cure!<br />
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So my husband and I spent the last weekend enjoying the nice weather walking around our little town and attending different festivities. There was a car show going on (so many cars and so many people, it was insane!) and we saw some pretty cool cars, including one of my all time favorite: the DeLorean (what can I say, I love, love Back to the Future, bonus it was on the next day!). After walking around for a while we came home to enjoy some refreshing drinks (Strawberry daiquiri was my drink of the day!) and some appetizers.<br />
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Luckily I had a few key ingredients on hand. Fresh Mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and basil. That's all I needed to whip up some mini cheese kebabs! They're super quick to put together (I'd say including taking all the ingredients of the fridge and serving them, it took about 15 minutes) and they are a crowd pleaser. Over the years I've done several variation, but the one we enjoy the most is this one. Enjoy!<br />
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Mini mozzarella and tomato kebabs<br />
(inspired by a recipe from <a href="http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/home.aspx">Kraft Canada</a>)<br />
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1 ball of fresh mozzarella<br />
1 pint of cherry tomatoes<br />
1 bunch of basil<br />
1 sweet bell pepper<br />
1/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian vinaigrette<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">The pepper into 1 inch cubes and place on a toothpick</div><br />
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Cut the mozzarella in one inch cubes and place on the toothpick<br />
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Take the basil leaves and place them on the toothpick<br />
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Do the same with the cherry tomatoes<br />
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Once all your kebabs are ready, place on a plate and poor the dressing over the kebab. Let in rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!<br />
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<span id="goog_1315381872"></span><span id="goog_1315381873"></span>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-39786582187409528932011-06-16T21:39:00.000-04:002011-06-16T21:39:15.741-04:00Blueberry and caramelized nuts saladI love thursdays. Most people like fridays and saturdays better, but I'm a thursday girl. When I was in University, Thursday night was sorority meeting night followed by a night of partying at Gert's (our University student bar). Ah the good times we had (wish I could remember them all! Now Thursday night means 5 a 7 night, a time when you can blow off some steam and enjoy a drink with some good friends. In the summer, (since I work for the University) Thursdays mean weekend since we don't have to work summer fridays (unfortunately, that does not start until next week, but still)!<br />
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Typically on "bar night" we get home late and we're not that hungry (all that popcorn and chips eating and drinking tends to fill us up!) so we generally opt for a salad and fish. My husband has never been a huge fan of salad (he tends to see salad as a tasteless product that you eat to loose wait) so I have been on a mission to change his mind incorporating nuts, fruits, a cheese in our salads to make then still a healthy option but tasty at the same time.<br />
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Since blueberries are now in season (at least the American ones), I decided to make them the base for this week's salad. A few weeks ago, my mom bought me this neat blueberry vinegar so I also decided to incorporate that.<br />
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So here is it, my blueberry and candied pecan salad! Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!<br />
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<b><span id="goog_1901776080"></span>Blueberry and Candied Pecan salad<span id="goog_1901776081"></span></b><br />
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<b>Salad: </b><br />
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2/3 cup blueberry<br />
2 cups lettuce<br />
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<b>Candied Pecans:</b><br />
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1/2 cup pecans<br />
3 tablespoons brown sugar<br />
1 tablespoon water<br />
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<b>Dressing:</b><br />
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2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar<br />
2 tablespoons blueberry vinegar (can easily be replaced by raspberry vinegar)<br />
2 teaspoons maple syrup<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Finely cup your lettuce. Add your blueberries and set aside.<br />
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Warm up a small non-stick pan to medium heat, add the pecans and roast for 2-3 minutes.<br />
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Add the brown sugar and the water. Cook until the pecans look like this.<br />
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Add to the lettuce.<br />
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In a small mason jar, put all the ingredients for the dressing. Close the mason jar and shake.<br />
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Pour on the salad.<br />
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Enjoy! Serves 2-4Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-72236916629427069832011-06-14T17:25:00.000-04:002011-06-14T17:25:39.641-04:00Grilled pork chops with blueberry sauce<span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">I have a confession to make, I did not feel like cooking tonight (I guess it's a good thing that I made this recipe a few days ago!). It's not something that happens often to be honest, but every once in a while I just wish dinner would magically make itself. </span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Tonight since it is sunny outside (even if it's a little chilly), I feel like sitting outside and enjoy the sun while sipping a nice sangria (I have this great recipe I've been dying to try...)! I guess I'll have to settle for the next best thing which is playing softball and drinking beer with friends!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6EC3blnMdGyRCrc-SV1F1TJ9XpDaawVgy1QWAMANHZzaF9NpBi_SYPtZAAYAoXbweIuJMZFTS6VuViSiTU5Zn90wGSoKNVXvZWkTXZiIM2lZAHmix458CyIuNbgWASXOXtTvKnZ4V__H/s1600/IMG_3201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6EC3blnMdGyRCrc-SV1F1TJ9XpDaawVgy1QWAMANHZzaF9NpBi_SYPtZAAYAoXbweIuJMZFTS6VuViSiTU5Zn90wGSoKNVXvZWkTXZiIM2lZAHmix458CyIuNbgWASXOXtTvKnZ4V__H/s320/IMG_3201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyways, even if I did not cook tonight, the reason why I chose to post this recipe is because this is one of Rachel Ray's famous 30 minute meals. I know you hear it all the time "this is quick and simple" "this can be done in no time" and you end up slaving away in the kitchen for what seems like forever, but it this case it's true, it really takes no time at all to make and you'll get a great meal.</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: x-small;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ24uQ9hnAQiT9zPgPsMNrEMofqTA8oXQd6yVGLDK5xBqmhwx9nvgakMIJE_6k5cOE7kOLD8FXy7Ukk2Fqka0Sn01ou5FkQqoCV6np6eNDtD5Kbb5EIRjqUWFAHslbQiexjMKOcVyk3wft/s1600/IMG_3199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ24uQ9hnAQiT9zPgPsMNrEMofqTA8oXQd6yVGLDK5xBqmhwx9nvgakMIJE_6k5cOE7kOLD8FXy7Ukk2Fqka0Sn01ou5FkQqoCV6np6eNDtD5Kbb5EIRjqUWFAHslbQiexjMKOcVyk3wft/s320/IMG_3199.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This is also one of those recipes where fruits and meat are put together to create a unique tasting dish. The lemon zest in the couscous gives it a fresh taste and the blueberry and the thyme is always a wining combo. Hope you enjoy!</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Grilled pork chops with blueberry sauce</span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">(</span><a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/"><span style="font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: purple; font-size: small;">Everyday with Rachel Ray</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">5 tablespoons olive oil </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">1 small red onion, thinly sliced </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">1 pt. blueberries </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">2 tbsp. sugar </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">1 lemon, zested (use only half of the zest for the couscous) and juiced </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">3 sprigs thyme </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Salt and pepper </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">4 bone-in, 1/2-inch-thick pork chops (7 oz. each) </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">1 box (10 oz.) couscous (1½ cups) </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">2/3 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></span> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: x-small;"></span> </div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTUw0daexc-l46CRVvqqXKPFTvN5-KL77q4NAIh-8hY6_6BNX4GPDad0Hxu0qY5vI_mvZiIpELTWYmoEheG1Qq38LU8IfoktRNdlGCaqHMksojUAataMdL2TUSPXa2WPqxP2Ew5-cdBd1/s1600/IMG_3197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTUw0daexc-l46CRVvqqXKPFTvN5-KL77q4NAIh-8hY6_6BNX4GPDad0Hxu0qY5vI_mvZiIpELTWYmoEheG1Qq38LU8IfoktRNdlGCaqHMksojUAataMdL2TUSPXa2WPqxP2Ew5-cdBd1/s320/IMG_3197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Preheat a grill. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat; add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYfLCkeKEam2_W9Tx4Wtvi9esIXMJ_ae6-HrpFl2rJ_vSFVpxFz8Tw8RwZEioTEJMLrPfyIA8aINGCGNo1g2_aHU3iZiGTYtHbJ2MYJtH7i7LGcv4sOUypGzZbCyA2Wg6JGN_E-HI428x/s1600/IMG_3204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYfLCkeKEam2_W9Tx4Wtvi9esIXMJ_ae6-HrpFl2rJ_vSFVpxFz8Tw8RwZEioTEJMLrPfyIA8aINGCGNo1g2_aHU3iZiGTYtHbJ2MYJtH7i7LGcv4sOUypGzZbCyA2Wg6JGN_E-HI428x/s320/IMG_3204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stir in the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, thyme sprigs and 1/2 tsp. pepper. </span></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsK-Tm7VSrjvUADkKmrdypAr_vp5AUBvmiwvqhwAP3s71eoED_-F7pB5rXzBm2amnXGu9pv78GsaXHrk7eu4dULW3gw3Fb9U6XbfDPgtk8G26OagTREkJiWWTZ0xet_Mvp96ZjR91EJxwH/s1600/IMG_3205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsK-Tm7VSrjvUADkKmrdypAr_vp5AUBvmiwvqhwAP3s71eoED_-F7pB5rXzBm2amnXGu9pv78GsaXHrk7eu4dULW3gw3Fb9U6XbfDPgtk8G26OagTREkJiWWTZ0xet_Mvp96ZjR91EJxwH/s320/IMG_3205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Simmer until the blueberries have released their juices and the compote has thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and keep the sauce warm. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQkEcA31eQvUiHnrDkTmoLbmXD8le7x9fuBzQq40-tQX0bsZrfZTUZ0vogNyVGrtZsF2JDJzlOB3LUn5VmFXgSqtTtSR5YHEGx1eybEDiD7ECi0gIhsgCTi81shUVESyYuEBaD1qM_JbK/s1600/IMG_3210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQkEcA31eQvUiHnrDkTmoLbmXD8le7x9fuBzQq40-tQX0bsZrfZTUZ0vogNyVGrtZsF2JDJzlOB3LUn5VmFXgSqtTtSR5YHEGx1eybEDiD7ECi0gIhsgCTi81shUVESyYuEBaD1qM_JbK/s320/IMG_3210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Brush the pork chops with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes for medium; remove from the grill and let stand. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBegBoDAxqMyH12g5xl1sOhe0zWzut2yyx1hzXx6IYvO9m23RVeGm9WvY5NoV8-lUpUoCXuUwVDZg-4gw0a30NjoE38oz3yA8S-KLpwDfRChE8wQb99Gys0gKzuiYpSSb-QOo19ut-rWFh/s1600/IMG_3200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBegBoDAxqMyH12g5xl1sOhe0zWzut2yyx1hzXx6IYvO9m23RVeGm9WvY5NoV8-lUpUoCXuUwVDZg-4gw0a30NjoE38oz3yA8S-KLpwDfRChE8wQb99Gys0gKzuiYpSSb-QOo19ut-rWFh/s320/IMG_3200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifw4Iuw7OfxAU8KSmMtOrSR0lCf3qaNucYuWkQ9j6a8h6MZQ59MUGssSRWDazDxAHzkPTFuYRUEa5S3yQI6O46nUFGaCa8xz1JuijoLoaK-o_scJH2KVNgTZbAT8LgLe3sfXENQ6YmNI0E/s1600/IMG_3208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifw4Iuw7OfxAU8KSmMtOrSR0lCf3qaNucYuWkQ9j6a8h6MZQ59MUGssSRWDazDxAHzkPTFuYRUEa5S3yQI6O46nUFGaCa8xz1JuijoLoaK-o_scJH2KVNgTZbAT8LgLe3sfXENQ6YmNI0E/s320/IMG_3208.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Spoon the couscous onto plates. Add the chops and any juices and spoon the berry compote on top. </div></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LwA150_9jRLvDfGRMHUYfUGrTNalDSabPSrtFRNejFG6W8oBGTML6tv3b7UEQUP7pXmtYr4xRjuwFehjpvxusp5_NA3H4oP8lAay9nPlJR-cL1h6aTjhzSDPunsHaGkDqhtHIjWkhz7u/s1600/IMG_3213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LwA150_9jRLvDfGRMHUYfUGrTNalDSabPSrtFRNejFG6W8oBGTML6tv3b7UEQUP7pXmtYr4xRjuwFehjpvxusp5_NA3H4oP8lAay9nPlJR-cL1h6aTjhzSDPunsHaGkDqhtHIjWkhz7u/s320/IMG_3213.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Serves 4</div></span></div></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: x-small;"></span>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-14803809129074025822011-06-12T20:48:00.000-04:002011-06-12T20:48:56.448-04:00Canning on a Rainy day<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">What a grey day we had today! I truly felt bad for the poor people who attended the Formula 1 race in Montreal today! But since the weather was not wonderful, I took this opportunity to work on my canning. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve always been a big fan of making everything from scratch, which probably has a lot to do with the way I was raised. I remember that growing up, I did not quite understand why we did not buy yogurt and bread like everyone else… Making your own food can be economical (to a certain extent), but it can also be much more nutritious as you can control the quantities of sugar and fats that go into your product. Over the years, I’ve made a lot from scratch, but last summer I started canning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought myself all the necessities and I was eager to start. To be honest, my canning collection was quite small; there were some sweet pickles and sweet relish, a few chutneys, pesto, apple sauce and peaches. The peaches were my favorite and I decided that I would can some every year from now on. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This year, I’m also hoping to can fruit ketchup, tomatoes, peppers, pears and apricots. Since apricot season has just begun I bought myself a few baskets, got some sugar and voila! I was good to go. Unfortunately, apricots were not as easy as peaches to can. If you’ve never canned before, you might want to start with something a little easier like the rhubarb compote I posted a few weeks ago. I should also mention that canning is really a 2 people’s job. There are a lot of steps to follow and you have to be fairly precise, but it’s all worth your time in the end!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Canned Apricots in Syrup</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">(<a href="http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/home/1.php">Bernadin</a>)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpcXkW4wauVZDJ9QPx0QleCDlbMCvCo0OeSk8CHJ-8wfxVZFonDB-qgUfu8QSGqngmfzwJSPYVI3Dpt5mgu1bOAc8g7-GvLRt2pBzxgAE1IIKlkSNev7sd2zZ0ZHTHrgshqjaaZJXnNcz/s1600/IMG_3263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpcXkW4wauVZDJ9QPx0QleCDlbMCvCo0OeSk8CHJ-8wfxVZFonDB-qgUfu8QSGqngmfzwJSPYVI3Dpt5mgu1bOAc8g7-GvLRt2pBzxgAE1IIKlkSNev7sd2zZ0ZHTHrgshqjaaZJXnNcz/s400/IMG_3263.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><!--StartFragment--> </div><div class="MsoNormal">3 kg firm apricots<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1 teaspoon lemon juice<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">2 cups sugar <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Water (8 cups for the syrup, 16 cups for the anti-browning solution, plus ice water for cooling fruits)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Place the required 8 clean 500 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F). Set screw bands aside. Heat sealing discs in hot water, not boiling. Keep jars lids hot until ready to use.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Add sugar to 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil then set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Mobo_Ehw0zXjk2ShICRru5QtHySG22XFqSuQp1K2w6MMxn9gXc6CCLbZBO-OQFuhF44KZ5gdLCujEe6RxNt8KwX1z2ptt1IKRy1VPfX_Ry7e08Wu1fUxJPw0Yt-W1FsU4tG9DyELOfOY/s1600/IMG_3264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Mobo_Ehw0zXjk2ShICRru5QtHySG22XFqSuQp1K2w6MMxn9gXc6CCLbZBO-OQFuhF44KZ5gdLCujEe6RxNt8KwX1z2ptt1IKRy1VPfX_Ry7e08Wu1fUxJPw0Yt-W1FsU4tG9DyELOfOY/s400/IMG_3264.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Meanwhile, prepare your anti-browning solution by putting 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in 16 cups of cold water. Set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Wash and blanch apricots: dip into boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, just until skins loosen. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeeNz3SpudQulTLTt9lplwv4iNp9jES46SGi3VKeRyg0s2jV7AGcWZukHmaO_fLWRksKG5OMe7WihZB4cNAaaVSF-vz90BL0iEyN1lMitVxnXor2KxfqGk5DA9ti1If8YM45q1-VSiHV1/s1600/IMG_3269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGeeNz3SpudQulTLTt9lplwv4iNp9jES46SGi3VKeRyg0s2jV7AGcWZukHmaO_fLWRksKG5OMe7WihZB4cNAaaVSF-vz90BL0iEyN1lMitVxnXor2KxfqGk5DA9ti1If8YM45q1-VSiHV1/s400/IMG_3269.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmUA4VVUnJ8l_2-t50X2c5lCTukUa9qH3IQjl0e4R9IHRwWspDCCa5lmUZx7U8TgwUd9cBF29n5NqxCWWk2h7dCHUac8q3hfcG3dmU8FMiNaljdRfoYuADPjL5rK1RZCXle3spEQ2S5d_/s1600/IMG_3271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmUA4VVUnJ8l_2-t50X2c5lCTukUa9qH3IQjl0e4R9IHRwWspDCCa5lmUZx7U8TgwUd9cBF29n5NqxCWWk2h7dCHUac8q3hfcG3dmU8FMiNaljdRfoYuADPjL5rK1RZCXle3spEQ2S5d_/s400/IMG_3271.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Transfer quickly to ice water and slip off skins. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv_hPfTc6hgfBdow7UCZkS3sicmKSK0HGT_OLUyWpA74WP5aUXt5TOGSQUv1yeiBtlVwdD8vbAlp5G_fCGwpxGzfbcxvlqBV49_MEnSuTdKYdxwLIb1DH10M486elmgcrq700zd2g5RSd/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv_hPfTc6hgfBdow7UCZkS3sicmKSK0HGT_OLUyWpA74WP5aUXt5TOGSQUv1yeiBtlVwdD8vbAlp5G_fCGwpxGzfbcxvlqBV49_MEnSuTdKYdxwLIb1DH10M486elmgcrq700zd2g5RSd/s400/IMG_3266.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Cut in half; remove pits and slice and place in anti-browning solution.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When all your apricots have been sliced, peeled and put in the anti-browning solution, bring your syrup to a boil then add your apricots.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1oxCXWETwr6kL1ISAQJZsQe0dopVah014VTDTZ-TGJRFIj8Ys70b_ooGjPdbhquc0Lrcu5fenwLJ9ygJWPJTtOWIBLOXJa4m_S_md7z4wQCaEGtWcWlN_R_38Y9jyuEBPFXNSmQFpLzo/s1600/IMG_3273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1oxCXWETwr6kL1ISAQJZsQe0dopVah014VTDTZ-TGJRFIj8Ys70b_ooGjPdbhquc0Lrcu5fenwLJ9ygJWPJTtOWIBLOXJa4m_S_md7z4wQCaEGtWcWlN_R_38Y9jyuEBPFXNSmQFpLzo/s400/IMG_3273.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Pull your mason jars out of the canning pot one at the time,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Drain apricots and pack cavity side down, overlapping layers, into a hot jar to within 3/4 inch of top jar rim. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxpTvO9udPVqTAHauad_VL80tb2Z1ryEgLoDte28-lwvl3QLSMTGcwlzx7IPoSOeSs_ykvolmPxCIBtMaDNDFwMHAWsesTA3jz-Y5_polju9r7rd7NpjqlrK2eN7loHwlEpyjDJHEMTca/s1600/IMG_3275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxpTvO9udPVqTAHauad_VL80tb2Z1ryEgLoDte28-lwvl3QLSMTGcwlzx7IPoSOeSs_ykvolmPxCIBtMaDNDFwMHAWsesTA3jz-Y5_polju9r7rd7NpjqlrK2eN7loHwlEpyjDJHEMTca/s400/IMG_3275.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Add hot canning syrup to cover fruit to within 1/2 inch of top rim (headspace). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFp34KBbngb4-zU1okqgdKPH-IcMLSBgAGTGlOnMUYrXSLn5yqGx5tT_khPjoGAYA1T5bes7IWAmk-Yokj2B9o4tXE8f5-BMfgqVefJtF5azfDvowqwhFubILxSAL0jA0EmaRLt4ANqgc/s1600/IMG_3276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFp34KBbngb4-zU1okqgdKPH-IcMLSBgAGTGlOnMUYrXSLn5yqGx5tT_khPjoGAYA1T5bes7IWAmk-Yokj2B9o4tXE8f5-BMfgqVefJtF5azfDvowqwhFubILxSAL0jA0EmaRLt4ANqgc/s400/IMG_3276.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more apricots and syrup. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining apricots and syrup.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Place all your jars in the canning pot, boil for 20 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">*When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">After cooling check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K5KwsuryYz1OXAAd6XQoj0uWov7mT1M6ZZOw-r0_10ernvtCBo7P0BvWnJY5blEYqhzi74xJrwZnu72B5y9vNqQI1UVWuR2aF5gpG5WkyeESczMONSyRWva_0GDNQQNEnJaSS-ZQ3KNC/s1600/IMG_3277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5K5KwsuryYz1OXAAd6XQoj0uWov7mT1M6ZZOw-r0_10ernvtCBo7P0BvWnJY5blEYqhzi74xJrwZnu72B5y9vNqQI1UVWuR2aF5gpG5WkyeESczMONSyRWva_0GDNQQNEnJaSS-ZQ3KNC/s400/IMG_3277.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><!--EndFragment--> <br />
<!--EndFragment-->Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-54927454616512240952011-06-10T21:00:00.000-04:002011-06-10T21:00:18.758-04:00Friday night pizzaThis weekend is not an ordinary weekend in Montreal. There is not only the <a href="http://www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca/formula-1.html">Grand Prix</a>, but also the <a href="http://festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca/en/festivals/mondial_de_la_biere_montreal_2011/">Beer Fest </a>and the <a href="http://www.francofolies.com/default-fr.aspx">Francofolies</a> (and if you live where I live it’s also the day when Blue Mountain State starts filming and taking over campus). In short, that means that there are people everywhere. Although my husband and I did partake in some of the activities earlier this week (ah Beer fest) we decided to stay away from the craziness of downtown tonight and have our own fancy evening (after all, we can always join in the festivities tomorrow).<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Wine and cheese are always abundant at our place so that was the easy part, but coming up with an appetizer that would double up as an appetizer was not as easy. Since I haven’t grocery shopped for the upcoming week, our fridge was pretty bare, but I did manage to find some asparagus, a couple of green onions and pita bread and voila, we were having asparagus pizza. This recipe is pretty easy and quick to put together and does not require a whole lot of ingredients, but it tastes great and it looks pretty awesome (and like you actually put a whole lot of effort to put it together!)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So if you’re looking for a quick appetizer, this is definitely a winner! Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Quick Asparagus Pizzas</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">(inspired by a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen </a>recipe)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">2 pita bread<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">8 asparagus, finely sliced lengthwise<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">¾ cup pizza mix cheese or mozzarella cheese<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">2 green onions, sliced<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1 teaspoon chili powder<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">1 teaspoon hot pepper flake<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">3 garlic cloves finely chopped<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAWDk2xcp1R1-BZoCRaL1xNWXfmY7UxROn8y1aoDnJZI7B7vLjcGr6E24em4yzCOr0lziVIAPu_lM_AmyEAUxh-ijnVXX6QbNK__vzlW7nKQdl7ntTmRPQl6xW8JkPs4yCvaGZALg6k77/s1600/IMG_3231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAWDk2xcp1R1-BZoCRaL1xNWXfmY7UxROn8y1aoDnJZI7B7vLjcGr6E24em4yzCOr0lziVIAPu_lM_AmyEAUxh-ijnVXX6QbNK__vzlW7nKQdl7ntTmRPQl6xW8JkPs4yCvaGZALg6k77/s400/IMG_3231.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span id="goog_1493766109"></span><span id="goog_1493766110"></span></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Pre-heat the oven at 475F (if you’re using a pizza stone, put it in the oven right away)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Place the cheese on the pita bread.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRLXMvihUcsS_8hhEbFZlLbZ-92hEf91ThisL04zY9QZouqoSyfgET530t3B7exQNGhOc4G2xd3A2YgeSTWmLeueW6IEg4M6QX0zUXm1tESHHSgXvNuY1F0RT8l6Fs6ZaIo6nOC7dED1o/s1600/IMG_3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqRLXMvihUcsS_8hhEbFZlLbZ-92hEf91ThisL04zY9QZouqoSyfgET530t3B7exQNGhOc4G2xd3A2YgeSTWmLeueW6IEg4M6QX0zUXm1tESHHSgXvNuY1F0RT8l6Fs6ZaIo6nOC7dED1o/s400/IMG_3238.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Add the green onions and the garlic.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-Kgl_VOIEZ0kYLZ4-bWQUb9Q8LFlr4cuwIgULDQnQlItseOXNsQTEheR_awmlV52Y_7Wdjzv94ZUcun4WqIoiPAzNJWShi7KatayF3G-q57afbnjjTE57yxOMQetJR9buYNzNtNGY9sk/s1600/IMG_3239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-Kgl_VOIEZ0kYLZ4-bWQUb9Q8LFlr4cuwIgULDQnQlItseOXNsQTEheR_awmlV52Y_7Wdjzv94ZUcun4WqIoiPAzNJWShi7KatayF3G-q57afbnjjTE57yxOMQetJR9buYNzNtNGY9sk/s400/IMG_3239.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Using a peeler, finely slice the asparagus lengthwise (cut them in half first, it will be easier to do) then place them on the pita bread.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfhKjoOEsqKdguGR9qvDT1ek2aW9WClwkH5dt19gb4R7YSoVprXV5VOKKxaxAa_OGbVnRPIv8yphyphenhyphenX07-Uc5TDV4F2ZWJPIx6sFZgNzbGn5Xv6YCHpgzrlAy_VopJ5HrqjHlMBlfwvtZg/s1600/IMG_3236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfhKjoOEsqKdguGR9qvDT1ek2aW9WClwkH5dt19gb4R7YSoVprXV5VOKKxaxAa_OGbVnRPIv8yphyphenhyphenX07-Uc5TDV4F2ZWJPIx6sFZgNzbGn5Xv6YCHpgzrlAy_VopJ5HrqjHlMBlfwvtZg/s400/IMG_3236.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEAcACXkwEdr5RamLW4BN0tLvtH7ECs6ewYSy05E8fQ6F5JxSLIlNE43Zi7wAKUaeQ05fX2MH0p9SH_Mvo054RYljY96I8X0RTdHNDSbI_n3sOO2VQtXPPS1e-cCUL-SAM2NH1I1thAgy/s1600/IMG_3240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEAcACXkwEdr5RamLW4BN0tLvtH7ECs6ewYSy05E8fQ6F5JxSLIlNE43Zi7wAKUaeQ05fX2MH0p9SH_Mvo054RYljY96I8X0RTdHNDSbI_n3sOO2VQtXPPS1e-cCUL-SAM2NH1I1thAgy/s400/IMG_3240.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sprinkle the Chili powder, the pepper flakes and the Parmesan cheese<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-4UFHvq4_VZpUkd_Q0lVIzJwS1ubpoUe4c-vPjF-ZvRiLb-g4MSAzysoAfd2VmIRYobHSRfdyisG46L36OJWWEWw5WvO7MMIvNe5y8lb2W34j-tdtGkPbm7EICXbuORP5COPvA6rSz4K/s1600/IMG_3241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-4UFHvq4_VZpUkd_Q0lVIzJwS1ubpoUe4c-vPjF-ZvRiLb-g4MSAzysoAfd2VmIRYobHSRfdyisG46L36OJWWEWw5WvO7MMIvNe5y8lb2W34j-tdtGkPbm7EICXbuORP5COPvA6rSz4K/s400/IMG_3241.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Place the pizzas in the oven (if you're using a pizza stone, place directly on the stone, if not you can use a cookie sheet) between 13-16 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM-tA7nc69M42CzTcH9Yz7Olz6LEE2OTVnjvJ8QzCuNh6k-S8Tilqd65hnTnprsiRhP1tWN7bCGlv9GkRauDqlLBQlEZslVxZ4iYX3-AyrXjOQLTEqB4kYfdDzj86cMHzqEWpKLC7Y8Oj/s1600/IMG_3245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiM-tA7nc69M42CzTcH9Yz7Olz6LEE2OTVnjvJ8QzCuNh6k-S8Tilqd65hnTnprsiRhP1tWN7bCGlv9GkRauDqlLBQlEZslVxZ4iYX3-AyrXjOQLTEqB4kYfdDzj86cMHzqEWpKLC7Y8Oj/s400/IMG_3245.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you are serving them as appetizers, using a sharp knife, cut the pizzas in little triangle.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3feJN4uclhQ9FLxq3nbO-uVtij37ULUuUV28zkSdrDQUyKhL6k6fJXeg1lQBa3fwC9qGKlqP1P3shrnlurCKb8LuW01ibfxrKu0IHyA2Ul5lengSfhaTaLPqLCvndCCWlS72uSiUg2-x/s1600/IMG_3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3feJN4uclhQ9FLxq3nbO-uVtij37ULUuUV28zkSdrDQUyKhL6k6fJXeg1lQBa3fwC9qGKlqP1P3shrnlurCKb8LuW01ibfxrKu0IHyA2Ul5lengSfhaTaLPqLCvndCCWlS72uSiUg2-x/s400/IMG_3247.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Enjoy with a nice bottle of wine and good company!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Serves 2 for dinner or 4 as appetizers<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-84463804831360863872011-06-08T17:01:00.000-04:002011-06-08T17:01:57.183-04:00Summery side dishes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Growing up, my family taught me that a proper meal was not "complete" if it did not come with vegetables and either rice, potatoes or pasta. Although I still tend to follow that rule, in the summer I just can't do it. It is partly due to the fact that there are so many fresh options out there and also because I feel it is just too darn hot to cook! Instead, I'll tend to serve a grilled vegetable and a salad.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Given that June is the month for asparagus, last week I decided to barbecue them. Now I know that I read about the technique shown below somewhere, but I can't for the life of me remember where (I guess that's what happens when you just look at too many blogs and magazines!) if you've seen it somewhere let me know, I'd love to give someone the credit for this!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I also decided to prepare a tomato, watermelon and feta salad which was extremely refreshing and tasty (I'm definitely going to make that one again!). The sweetnest of the watermelon, combine with the creamy texture and the salty taste of the feta, the crunchiness of the cherry tomatoes and the acidity of the vinegar made it a great combo. It might not seem like a whole lot of vinegar for the dressing, but with the juices of the tomatoes and of the watermelon it is plenty!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Enjoy the recipes and the warm weather (finally!)!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tomato, Watermelon and Feta Salad</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(inspired by <a href="http://www.lcbo.com/fooddrink/index.shtml">Food and Drink magazine</a>)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 cups cubed watermelon<br />
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">½ - 2/3 cup (depending on how much you enjoy feta!) crumbled feta cheese<br />
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil<br />
3 tbsp red wine vinegar<br />
Salt and freshly ground black pepper</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl5EVBsyXUCUzvB5zBfUJwPyfeQxhtdfQ_5b4NpMplKggEdgYqh-ftfVpjaE7MWWQTh5CWcJlWoSsF1nKMCgExqCH6ZzCjTCq0Q7H_qWhmIVT9PPbyZo_7Tfa2JAjZD5J_2ubdjR7vGeu/s1600/IMG_3166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl5EVBsyXUCUzvB5zBfUJwPyfeQxhtdfQ_5b4NpMplKggEdgYqh-ftfVpjaE7MWWQTh5CWcJlWoSsF1nKMCgExqCH6ZzCjTCq0Q7H_qWhmIVT9PPbyZo_7Tfa2JAjZD5J_2ubdjR7vGeu/s400/IMG_3166.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Combine watermelon, tomatoes and feta in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine. Chill for up to 4 hours.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOuU2TV29Om-IA6uAp4r-oWUZhHjwpdG6oafXOwuBKCszndveE2z4M6KqY6FDvd5ziYq7pc80gxRno_F2YkU1dBemZ7FjMYcr4YwHiahzzbECHaLqHZkTACwLl_AXSh1Imu7KNWaEoxTH/s1600/IMG_3167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjOuU2TV29Om-IA6uAp4r-oWUZhHjwpdG6oafXOwuBKCszndveE2z4M6KqY6FDvd5ziYq7pc80gxRno_F2YkU1dBemZ7FjMYcr4YwHiahzzbECHaLqHZkTACwLl_AXSh1Imu7KNWaEoxTH/s400/IMG_3167.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiufmVSJxBIPqFreRFxXraWH3CwHsDipsS3SGfr38OAAEl_HHMeGyNvQyxEvJM9OUz8D-5iFcN4KYqclzQYWAJQpbVKch-e-MW9quVhvHB2I_3MsKmmtGmjMu7Z0FTsCd0GpLWDGIRVA78/s1600/IMG_3174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiufmVSJxBIPqFreRFxXraWH3CwHsDipsS3SGfr38OAAEl_HHMeGyNvQyxEvJM9OUz8D-5iFcN4KYqclzQYWAJQpbVKch-e-MW9quVhvHB2I_3MsKmmtGmjMu7Z0FTsCd0GpLWDGIRVA78/s400/IMG_3174.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Just before serving, transfer to a serving bowl, draining off excess juice. Sprinkle with basil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Serves 4</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cq0pj1uzee1cl0fHsvvaDDhajJ6q5xeobjN8JxVtrDQ2Id_AkASTI19sVOj7__X4mWVWT4iM-hUqMZou1VZ66euSq1rkcCMtSYcdnCNLnD-xUR-wips5rHRJdbceEBO4rl2Sf5XhB7XA/s1600/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cq0pj1uzee1cl0fHsvvaDDhajJ6q5xeobjN8JxVtrDQ2Id_AkASTI19sVOj7__X4mWVWT4iM-hUqMZou1VZ66euSq1rkcCMtSYcdnCNLnD-xUR-wips5rHRJdbceEBO4rl2Sf5XhB7XA/s400/IMG_3188.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grilled asparagus with Parmesan</b></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8 – 10 asparagus</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">¼ cup parmesan cheese</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tablespoon olive oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Salt and pepper to taste</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Garlic pepper to taste</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHc_1Ium6IWHLjRCNyqLDdjgcfzgW7Fs0TY1ICUYB4EkBWfvXNEqGPrq55luckOdPVCwx-EVTJ4sufnAeWeP4moSmbO8o0tiHz3_ZZk2DEXggjVLQXfMy2nhIBaoplUg7tEjL4lJb7pHC/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOHc_1Ium6IWHLjRCNyqLDdjgcfzgW7Fs0TY1ICUYB4EkBWfvXNEqGPrq55luckOdPVCwx-EVTJ4sufnAeWeP4moSmbO8o0tiHz3_ZZk2DEXggjVLQXfMy2nhIBaoplUg7tEjL4lJb7pHC/s400/IMG_3180.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Pre-heat the barbecue to medium heat.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Poke 2 holes through your asparagus (one near the top, the other near the bottom) using a wooden kebab stick.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjX7QZW3g533qcGyhGkXuU9VOQSD75NbcdKi6nkaT8Qj4ZLmEfK9RSYTdDDIm1d947cdIPeTnjg5MSoyjq_mp3fgIho65tWUDRbWkEs3cUBt5QOpRGeNzTHuRkQa_RqD8gl2CQApk5RO0n/s1600/IMG_3182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjX7QZW3g533qcGyhGkXuU9VOQSD75NbcdKi6nkaT8Qj4ZLmEfK9RSYTdDDIm1d947cdIPeTnjg5MSoyjq_mp3fgIho65tWUDRbWkEs3cUBt5QOpRGeNzTHuRkQa_RqD8gl2CQApk5RO0n/s400/IMG_3182.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Once all your asparagus are together, lightly brush them with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on them.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEI02z1lQD5Rd91brgn5jQny7knkl83fAV5wyugZes1qjuvNXQypvxNvYS-waqK3uFwxvVNaHxqPgGChu7vR-11-it0Bdh3XiILMPL6m1kIoBOWN_05PfihGPRfq2GDJ9X6IevSTt7VKJO/s1600/IMG_3183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEI02z1lQD5Rd91brgn5jQny7knkl83fAV5wyugZes1qjuvNXQypvxNvYS-waqK3uFwxvVNaHxqPgGChu7vR-11-it0Bdh3XiILMPL6m1kIoBOWN_05PfihGPRfq2GDJ9X6IevSTt7VKJO/s400/IMG_3183.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Place the “kebab” on the barbecue and cook at medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until they look like this:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8YeqzbMbAXUdIZrBi-ClDNEEWVj66Zw04nEW443OHwde8l5WpmiTNoERyD44Z_5toEhqoxNHRe4bQl6vlPSy5O1Hk27K_1dYZti4xmdwmaB8hJSkx2wB5tnHp833SvGWDdkYm-gA5rRl/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8YeqzbMbAXUdIZrBi-ClDNEEWVj66Zw04nEW443OHwde8l5WpmiTNoERyD44Z_5toEhqoxNHRe4bQl6vlPSy5O1Hk27K_1dYZti4xmdwmaB8hJSkx2wB5tnHp833SvGWDdkYm-gA5rRl/s400/IMG_3190.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Once the asparagus are ready, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Serves 2 </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChONvDUXLtDUXvbBLH5lJHDxOH6oLKMYm2ARg1pzjFGSskAMCbXc_oEZ2sUTHiT2Eb1MFYZQ04RZ3pExTfrsXUQxUOXZnsjk9HZ0hghisGM0cykPeX5gosbJTXIOIX_I7-hy0PipPtOCM/s1600/IMG_3191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChONvDUXLtDUXvbBLH5lJHDxOH6oLKMYm2ARg1pzjFGSskAMCbXc_oEZ2sUTHiT2Eb1MFYZQ04RZ3pExTfrsXUQxUOXZnsjk9HZ0hghisGM0cykPeX5gosbJTXIOIX_I7-hy0PipPtOCM/s400/IMG_3191.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2sZaPhK00O2_NpXUVaXl_1eYlyp-mAxILhNSygyA7rWpTb2Wo7sYK3iRPV9zavMbEPgQgoeg1Gy20mZSe-BuaWdJym6eoxNPdIsHiKFABOZMM-xSl-fkFSzqg71CopyWgTp080u9NYDt/s1600/IMG_3194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL2sZaPhK00O2_NpXUVaXl_1eYlyp-mAxILhNSygyA7rWpTb2Wo7sYK3iRPV9zavMbEPgQgoeg1Gy20mZSe-BuaWdJym6eoxNPdIsHiKFABOZMM-xSl-fkFSzqg71CopyWgTp080u9NYDt/s400/IMG_3194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I served these two side dishes with a nice steak. It was a perfect match! </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Bon appétit!</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lyzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09628676822728479765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256845271461560505.post-73805907217187776362011-06-06T18:27:00.000-04:002011-06-06T18:27:44.963-04:00Diner Party Part 5: Hazelnut Pavlova tart with Rhubarb strawberry sauceThis year I created a list of must try recipes, some challenging, others that were just things that I like to order when I eat out, but that I have never tried to make before. One of the items on my list was to make a Pavlova. I've been wanting to make that since I tried it for the first time at our wedding rehearsal dinner last summer. So when I saw this recipe I thought this was the perfect time to try.<br />
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The original recipe did not call for strawberries, but I decided that they would be a nice addition so I just added them. One of the reasons why I was also attracted to this recipe was because it used a vanilla bean. If you have never used a vanilla bean, you'll notice that it adds a complexity to the already rich flavour of the sugary strawberry and rhubarb.<br />
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Here is a quick how to cut a vanilla bean:<br />
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1) Using a sharp pairing knife, cut the vanilla bean in half<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjVudnmIqvzYODo-ozJFlRIiCpuzMH4K0EyI7dutVg_L9zNhllLDa_yTVOyNi1wUk_7E8k0ctLFox7fkiHd1AgP1SLjKftRkEtMeYbYs8CWj2BlLEpeMP6hwdGS7-CfwBrK4ht_8-A_ff/s1600/IMG_3085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjVudnmIqvzYODo-ozJFlRIiCpuzMH4K0EyI7dutVg_L9zNhllLDa_yTVOyNi1wUk_7E8k0ctLFox7fkiHd1AgP1SLjKftRkEtMeYbYs8CWj2BlLEpeMP6hwdGS7-CfwBrK4ht_8-A_ff/s400/IMG_3085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2) Using the back side of your knife, scrape the seeds of the bean<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqm3yK_LvipQlKrEERRJ3KrFpkn9kER07QLu62lTo8s5UOVgJHEN-6Bpc3o8wwzGgQIikx7gkiof6HN0QejZlZqRavy5xt8BPcMKk7AIXMXUFN34tUP5slqViYHaTqrSRXg9ByJbGTsIrH/s1600/IMG_3087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqm3yK_LvipQlKrEERRJ3KrFpkn9kER07QLu62lTo8s5UOVgJHEN-6Bpc3o8wwzGgQIikx7gkiof6HN0QejZlZqRavy5xt8BPcMKk7AIXMXUFN34tUP5slqViYHaTqrSRXg9ByJbGTsIrH/s400/IMG_3087.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
3) The empty vanilla bean can be used in your recipe to give extra flavour or you can place it in a small mason jar full of sugar for 2 weeks to create vanilla flavoured sugar<br />
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<b>Hazelnut Pavlova tart with Rhubarb strawberry sauce</b><br />
(adapted from <a href="http://www.lcbo.com/fooddrink/index.shtml">Food and drinks</a>)<br />
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<b>Hazelnut Pavlova</b><br />
<br />
½ cup ground hazelnut<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch<br />
4 large egg whites at room temperature<br />
½ teaspoon cream of tartar<br />
1½ teaspoon white vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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<b>Vanilla Rhubarb and Strawberries</b><br />
<br />
3 cups rhubarb, chopped (can be fresh or frozen, if frozen defrost first and remove excess juice)<br />
2 cups strawberries, diced (can be fresh or frozen, if frozen defrost first and remove excess juice)<br />
1 vanilla bean<br />
1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
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<b>Chantilly Cream</b><br />
<br />
1 cup whipping cream<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line both the bottom and sides with parchment paper<br />
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If using whole hazelnut, using a food processor ground them.<br />
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Stir the ground hazelnuts with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch and set aside<br />
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Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy, then slowly pour in the remaining 2/3 cup of the sugar while beating and continue to whip the whites until they hold a stiff peak when the beaters are lifted (the whites will be thick and glossy).<br />
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Fold the hazelnut mixture into the whipped whites, the fold in the vinegar and vanilla.<br />
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Spoon the meringue into the prepared pan, and use your spatula to spread it into a tart shape, spreading the meringue fully up the sides of the pan and an inch in thickness (it will shift around a little when it bakes but ultimately holds its shape). <br />
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Bake for 90 to 120 minutes, until the meringue just starts to turn light brown and feels firm to the touch. Cool the meringue for 15 minutes, then gently pop the latch and carefully peel away the parchment paper. If the paper does not peel away easily, return the meringue to the oven (without the springform ring) for 10-15 minutes just to dry a little more.<br />
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Prepare the strawberries and the rhubarb by stirring the fruits with the sugar and the scarped seeds from the vanilla bean in a saucepot (I always drop the bean itself in the pot to give the mixture extra vanilla flavour, just don’t forget to remove it before serving!), and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until the fruits are tender, about 15 minutes.<br />
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In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and then pour this in the fruit mixture. Return the mixture to a simmer, stirring gently until thickened. Then remove from the heat and chill until ready to assemble.<br />
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In a medium size bowl, whip the cream until it holds a soft peak, then stir in the sugar and vanilla and chill until ready to assemble.<br />
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The pavlova should be assembled immediately before serving (otherwise it will get soggy). Carefully place the meringue onto a platter, then dollop the Chantilly cream in the centre and spread gently. Spoon the rhubarb and strawberry mixture over the cream.<br />
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Slice and serve as you would a cake or a tart. Serves 8.<br />
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