Duh-Licious

We have a winner... well.. winners!

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:45:00 +0000

Remember the Bender cupcakes? ... and that contest that went along with them? Well, here are the winners. Thank you to everyone who entered. xox

(winners were selected by random using a random.org list randomizer)

Homemade Sliders and Svedka Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:39:00 +0000

I've been feeling a little melancholic over the past couple of weeks. Do you ever feel like time is going by wayyyy to fast? I have way too much work to do, and time isn't on my side-- It really sucks playing catch-up. My to-do list is getting longer, and nothing that is on it is getting done (and since this is my blog, I'll allow myself to vent). Not only is my personal time being stretched thin, but I feel like I'm letting my readers down by not posting on a regular basis... bloggers guilt as I call it.

A couple of weeks ago, I got invited to a Svedka Vodka launch party. A little party in Parkdale, at Parts and Labour. The food was fantastic, and the custom "R-U-Bot?" Svedka cocktails paired quite nicely-- though, after a few vodka martinis, everything starts to pair nice

I brought along my partner in crime, Cat. One thing is for sure, if you see us together, the night will be everything but normal. We made good friends with the bartender-- which, is also known as the golden rule of any night out. You can be sure that if you are on good terms with the person making your drinks, you'll have a good night.

On the whole, Svedka vodka is worth the buy. It compares to a premium vodka, and it doesn't hurt your wallet... and yes, thats my nice way of saying its cheap. Although the vodka was great, it took a backseat to the fantastic food that was served by P&L. Without shame, Cat and I parked ourselves right near the kitchen entrance. We made sure that the server came to us first. On the menu were bite size roast beef dinners, lime and jalapeno popcorn, watermellon gaspacho, and sliders. OH THE SLIDERS... I can't get their mini sliders out my head. They were cooked to a medium, and they were juicy and FANTASTIC.

Okay.. onto todays recipe. Yep, you guessed it, sliders. Kept it simple, and used basic seasonings. If you use quality beef cuts, you can cook your burgers to medium.

Homemade Sliders

Ingredients:

1lb/500 g of ground sirloin

1 half of an onion, diced

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp Italian bread crumbs

1/2 tbsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 tbsp salt

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

- and-

parchment paper

Directions:

- wash your hands in between each step -

1. In a large bowl, gently combine all the ingredients together. Use your hands, you can't be afraid to get 'em dirty.

2. Cut 4" parchment squares. This helps us press our burgers, and make sure they don't stick to one another.

3. Using your hands, roll out 2" meat-balls from the burger mixture made earlier.

4. Using a plate, press the meat-ball between two pieces of parchment paper to flatten the meatball evenly.

5. If using a skillet, turn the heat to medium under the skillet and add a tiny amount of oil. When the skillet is hot, add the burgers, pushing them flat with a spatula. Cook for about 3 minutes each side for medium rare, longer for well done and less for rare. If BBQ-ing, pre-heat your BBQ before hand, and cook burgers for about 1.5 minutes on each side

6. Serve, and enjoy.

Berry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:17:00 +0000

I always buy a ton of fruit when I go grocery shopping. I always have this grand idea that one day I'll start eating a lot healthier than I currently do. Without fail, by the the end of the week, the fruit starts to look sub-par, and once again, I start feeling a little guilty. Muffins are a great way to sneak in the fruit you just didn't get around to eating. Here is what I made with my left over raspberries, blueberries, and bananas.

Berry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup raspberries, rinsed and drained
2 small ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400'F. Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk, egg, and oil. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Add bananas

2. Fold raspberries, blueberries and walnuts into the batter.

3. Line muffin pan with paper liners, and fill cups 2/3 of the way. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the muffins. Allow to cool, and enjoy.

Bender (the robot) Cupcake Toppers + Contest

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:46:00 +0000

Is anyone else excited that Futurama is back? I AM-- hence the effort I put into making these Futurama theme cupcakes.

For these toppers I used Wilton Edible Writers on hard fondant disks. The cool thing about edible writers is that you can use them to doodle, and they are safe to eat. Personally, I'm not a big fan of fondant, but they make for a perfect canvas. Instead of using fondant to fully cover your cupcakes, you can make disks to top your cupcakes.

Fondant Disks

-Roll out fondant to 1/4" thick, and cut out desired shape using cookie cutter. Allow to dry on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for 4-5 hours.

How to Draw Bender:

Tutorial for Bender (and other Futurama characters) here

I'm going to make it a little easier for you to try this at home... I'm giving away 5 packs of Wilton Edible Writers to 5 lucky readers.

Details:

- Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you would doodle if you had them-- thats it! (don't forget to leave contact details in case you win)

- Deadline to enter is Monday, July 19 at 5:00 p.m. ET

- FIVE winners will be chosen at random, and announced on Monday night.

(p.s) Wilton isn't sponsoring this post, I just think their product is pretty cool.

Parmesan cups make for simple canapes

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:36:00 +0000

Parmesan bowls can be used as a vessel for a variety of dips or small salads, and served as appetizers for your guests. No word of a lie, this will probably be the easiest recipe I will ever post. There is one ingredient, four simple steps, and it's virtually impossible to screw up (...this coming from a person who tends to ruin a lot of dishes). I filled these tiny bowls with a simple crab salad, and in the past, I've used them for bite-size caesar salads.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese per bowl (I tried using the finely grated parmesan, and it just didn't work. Splurge a little, and opt for the non--powdered alternative as pictured below)

Supplies:

- Parchment paper

- Cookie sheet

- Offset spatula

- Shot glasses (for the shape of your bowl)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350'F

2. For each bowl, spread out a tablespoon of parmesan on your parchment-lined cookie sheet. Make sure you space out the parmesan 2" apart incase they spread out (which they tend to do)

3. Bake for 5 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for 20 seconds.

4. Using your offset spatula, carefully lift the parmesan disk off the cookie sheet, and drape it over the bottom of the shot glass.

Some of my parmesan disks automatically took the shape of the glass, and for some, I needed to place another shot glass on top to help form the bowl. Allow to fully cool, and remove from the shot glass. Thats it. Easy enough, right?

You can make these up to 5 days ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container, and leave them in the fridge until you are ready to use them.

Macaron lesson from mom

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:16:00 +0000

Out of the 8 macaron batches that I've made over the last few months, only two turned out. With fear of failing, every time I heard, or even saw the word macaron, I would quiver. How the eff could this french cookie be so difficult to master? The ingredients are so simple, the process is seemingly undemanding, yet, I only have a 25% success rate.

The "perfect" french macaron boasts an egg-like shell, a soft, meringue-like texture, and has FEET. The meringue texture is of utmost importance-- a few seconds too long in the beating process, and you can kiss your feet goodbye.

I had to call in some additional help... when everything fails in the kitchen, I call my mom. Unlike me, my mom has a zero-percent failure rate, with her macarons turning out perfect every time *shakes fist in envy*. Desperate to learn her secret, I spend an afternoon learning from the master.

The macaron making process, as observed, comes in three parts: soft peaks, folding, and baking (I'll explain more in detail in the recipe).

I've deduced, by watching my mom, that there are two crucial steps in the macaron making process: first, you want to beat the egg whites on no more than a medium speed, stopping the mixer once you achieve a 'shaving cream' consistency; second, you can't be an aggressive 'folder'.

While I can't promise you a perfect macaron, the following recipe outlines my experience and notes as given to me by my mom. Any issues, please take them up with her :)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup confectioners' sugar

- 3/4 cup almond flour (basically ground up almonds)

- 2 large egg whites

- 1/4 cup fine sugar

- pinch of cream of tartar

Dark Chocolate Buttercream Filling:

- 3.5 oz dark, quality chocolate

- 2 sticks of butter

- 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

- 1 tbsp milk

Directions:

1. This is the part where I usually convince myself that I can't fail with these simple ingredients. Take a deep breath and relax... they are just cookies. Don't over think, whip, and fold. Be one with the meringue.

2. In a food processor, pulse confectioners' sugar and almond flour until combined. Sift

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites on medium-low speed. When the egg whites start to turn foamy (think cappuccino froth), add the fine sugar and cream of tartar. Continue to whisk eggs on medium-low speed until the egg whites have a consistency of shaving cream. Be patient, don't use the high setting-- you'll risk over beating the eggs, and then its game over before we even get started. If you are going to add food colouring, you'll want to add it to your egg whites at this point.

4. Fold the flour mixture into the egg whites. My mom uses the whisk attachment from the mixer to 'fold' the flour mixture. In about 10 turns, she was done. Tartlette recommends testing out the batter before piping: You can test a daub on a plate, and if a small beak remains, turn the batter a couple times more. If the batter forms a round cap but doesn’t run, it is just right. My mom said that the perfect batter will ooze right out of your piping bag before you are ready. When piped, the macarons hold a peak for about a second or two, and then they gradually find their round shape and flatten off.

5. Transfer your batter to a piping bag, fitted with a plain round tip. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe 1"- 2" round circles. Let your cookies rest for 30-45 minutes. This step, my mom said was crucial-- she swears by the crust that is formed over the macarons during the rest period (In humid conditions, you might need to adjust this time).

6. Pre-heat oven to 375'F. Bake on sheet of cookies at a time. Place cookies in the oven, and reduce temperature to 325'F immediately. Let the cookies bake for about 10-15 minutes. Each oven is different, so you might need to adjust the oven temperature and duration accordingly. The tops of the macaron shouldn't brown, but they should have developed feet and a defined shell on top. Remove cookies from the oven, allow to cool on sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cookie sheet.

Once cooled, use right away, or transfer to an airtight container for freezing.

After each batch, increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, heat for 2 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees.

Chocolate butter cream:

1. Melt chocolate on a double boiler. Remove from heat, and allow to cool, stirring often.

2. Whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes, adding the milk half way through.

3. When the chocolate reaches near room-temperature, add it a tablespoon at a time to the whipped butter. Your butter might begin to melt at this point, but don't worry, because you can always pop it back in the fridge to harden.

4. Add all of the confectioners' sugar, and whip buttercream on high for 3 minutes, or until combined. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon of chocolate buttercream. Serve immediately.

For the burger:

- Top macarons with sesame seeds or poppy seeds prior to baking to get a burger bun

- To make the burger garnishes, I used food-color to dye marzipan, and I shaped it to resemble lettuce, bacon, and cheese. Use your creativity to play around.

- I made the fries out of sugar cookies-- rolled out the dough, and sliced it into small strips to resemble fries.

- Use raspberry jam and lemon marmalade for ketchup and mustard substitutes-- yum:)

Food for a Cause

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 31 May 2010 07:20:00 +0000

I've been following Second Harvest for sometime now, but it wasn't until earlier this month that I found out about Toronto Taste. As a food lover and blogger, I sometimes overlook how fortunate I am to have access to food. Hunger is a reality for many people across, and Toronto Taste raises funds to provide meals for those in need.

Mark June 13th in your calendars, and buy your ticket for Toronto Taste today. The event sounds promising, and you'll get a chance to taste some great food from Toronto's best chefs (and its hosted by Bob Blumer!).

Find out more here: http://www.torontotaste.ca

Grilling Up Goodness Pt. 2

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Sat, 29 May 2010 20:29:00 +0000

I was inspired by my outing to Bombay Sapphire's Summer kick-off party, and I decided to fire up the grill. While I am not a stranger to the grill, I am no where near an expert. I hope that this will be one of many posts that outlines my journey to mastering barbie techniques. I got some key pointers from chef Robert Rainford, and I put them into practice.

The goal this time was to learn how to set up two different temperatures on the grill: the right side of the barbecue was to be the cooler side (so the dial was set on low-medium), while the left side was HOT (the dial was set to medium-high).

This allowed me to start my steaks on the hot side, and after a few minutes , slide them over to the 'cooler' side, for them to finish cooking, but not burn. Why didn't I think of this before? It makes perfect sense.

Garlic and thyme infused oil:

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tsp thyme, finely chipped (fresh is preferred, but dried does the trick)

2 tsp mayonnaise

1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor, and use as a rub on baguette slices, and mushroom caps before grilling. You'll end up with flavorful croutons, and divine mushrooms, but this tastes amazing on pretty much anything.

Steak Dry-rub ingredients:

2 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons crushed black pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon crushed coriander

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

While most rubs use salt, I cook my steaks without salt, and season them just prior to eating. I find that adding salt early on makes the steaks just a little more chewy, and adds firmness to the meat.

I prefer my steak to be on the rare side, allowing the steak to have a fully red, and a slightly warm center. Below you will find temperature readings, and a description of steak done-ness:

(credit: foodtv.ca)

Raw - Uncooked.

Seared, Blue rare or very rare - Cooked very quickly; the outside is seared, but the inside is usually cool and barely cooked.

Rare - (52°C [125°F] core temperature) The outside is gray-brown, and the middle of the steak is red and slightly warm.

Medium rare - (55°C [130°F] core temperature) The steak will have a fully red, warm center.

Medium - (60°C [140°F] core temperature) The middle of the steak is hot and red with pink surrounding the center. The outside is gray-brown.

Medium well done - (65°C [150°F] core temperature) The meat is light pink surrounding the center.

Well done - (71°C [160°F] and above core temperature) The meat is gray-brown throughout and slightly charred.

Overcook - (much more than 71°C [160°F] core temperature) The meat is dark throughout and slightly bitter.

Grilling up goodness.

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Tue, 18 May 2010 04:45:00 +0000

Typical Monday…just hanging out with chef Robert Rainford, Merlin Griffiths, and some of Torontos c-weberties… no big deal. Okay, I lied--definitely not a typical Monday. In fact, far from: the usual would consist of lounging around in my pajamas, waiting for my Monday night TV line up (sad?).

This post was meant to happen a while a go, but life happens, and I couldn’t get around to posting until tonight. I feel like I have to justify being absent from posting, because I start to feel a little guilty—now that that’s off my chest, back to my story:

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to learn some great grilling techniques from chef Robert Rainford (License to Grill), paired with fantastic cocktails courtesy of Merlin Griffiths of Bombay Sapphire. This is the second time I got invited to take part in their summer kick-off party, and the second time I was blown away (literally, it was extremely windy) by the spectacular venue, amazing food, all enjoyed in great company.

Great and simple canapes: fried mushroom tops filled with fresh crab salad. The texture was a perfect combination of crispy and smooth-- it made my taste buds jump.
Chef Robert Rainford demonstrating some grilling techniques, including how to create a smoker out of a barbeque, and how to distribute temperature while you are grilling.
Notice the Bombay Sapphire? At first I was a little bit skeptical to combine gin and meat, but he turned me into a believer. Used in moderation, it can add nice tones and flavor to veal and beef.
I think I owe an apology to Anita-- I was a little ga ga over geeki girl's presence. I was bordering the annoying line, but I can't help it, I'm a fan girl!

White Chocolate, Caramel and Macadamia Cupcakes and Sugar Spirals

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:04:00 +0000

I love White Chocolate Macadamia cookies--they are perhaps one of my favorites. It seemed like a good idea to translate this flavor into a cupcake. While the white chocolate macadamia base tasted wonderful on its own, I thought that the caramel butter cream added a little bit extra. If you happened to be at Cupcake Camp Toronto, you might have gotten a chance to try them. Regardless, here is the recipe so you can try them at home! Enjoy.

White Chocolate, Caramel and Macadamia Cupcakes [ 48 mini cupcakes or 20 large cupcakes]

Ingredients:

1 cups cake flour, not self-rising
3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup white chocolate (cut into small pieces)

3/4 cup macadamia nuts (cut into small pieces)

Caramel Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whole milk (or cream for a little bit of extra goodness)

1 tablespoon water

Caramel Sugar Twist (click for instructions)

Directions:

Caramel Butter Cream

1. In a heavy sauce pan, bring granulated sugar and water to a boil. Bring the

mixture to a boil, and allow to cook until it turns into an amber/caramel color

(approximately 300'F), stirring often.

2. Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to cool (approximately 200'F).

When the mixture is at a thicker viscosity, add the milk, and stir constantly. Your

mixture will begin to harden, as the milk is at a colder temperature.

3. Return the caramel back to the heat, and on MEDIUM heat, allow the caramel

mixture to dissolve and incorporate. Remove from heat, and transfer to a

heat-proof bowl. Cover, and set aside to cool.

4. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until smooth. Slowly

add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating well, and scraping the sides after each

addition. Add tablespoon of milk, and raise mixer speed to high. Beat for 20-30

seconds. When the caramel/milk mixture is cool enough, add it to the butter cream,

and beat on medium-high speed for an additional 20-30 seconds, until well

combined and fluffy. If you're not using the buttercream immediately, transfer to

an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 10 days. Before using, bring to

room temperature, and beat on low speed until fluffy.

White Chocolate Macadamia Cupcake Base

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, white chocolate, and macadamia nuts and set aside (dry ingredients). In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, and vanilla (wet ingredients).

2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until well combined and smooth. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes, 17 to 20 minutes for large cupcakes.

4. Transfer cooked cupcakes to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, frost with icing, and garnish with caramel swirl.

Sugar Work: Caramel Spiral

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:46:00 +0000

Caramel Sugar Spirals

Ingredients

1/4 cup golden syrup

1/4 cup water

2 cups sugar

+ a cylindrical metal tool (I used the back of my whisk)

+ 1 tbsp butter, or oil

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients into a heavy weight, deep pot. It's important that you have

a relatively large pot as the sugar cooks, it starts to bubble, and you don't want

to risk having it boil over.

2. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and the water to a boil, stirring until the sugar

dissolves. Cook over medium heat until the mixture turns into amber color, and

registers 300'F (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer.

3. Pull the pot off the stove, and dip the tines of a fork into the caramel. You

will need to allow it to cool to about 200'F before you can start spinning the

caramel around your cylindrical metal tool.

If the caramel is too hot it will move and drop too quickly and be VERY hard to work with. The caramel is ready to work with when a spoonful of the caramel is lifted then dropped back into the pan, and it pours very slowly.

4. You'll want to grease your metal tool, so that the sugar will release a lot easier. When the caramel is ready take a spoonful from the pot and start the spiral by winding the sugar strand around the bottom third of the metal tool, moving away from the edge you are holding it on. Working quickly and smoothly continue to wind the sugar strand along the steel.

Allow the sugar spiral to cool for for 20-30 seconds before you attempt to remove it. Repeat the process for more spirals.

This step might take a little practice, but after a few tries, you'll start to get a feel for how to wind the sugar around the rod.

5. Return any unused, or broken spirals back to the pot. When the caramel cools it will begin to harden and will eventually harden-- you'll know because at this point, it becomes impossible to work with. You can re-melt the caramel, by returning the pot to your heat source, and on LOW heat, allow the caramel to melt. You don't want to re-heat the caramel on medium-high heat, because you risk burning the sugar, and you'll get a bitter taste, and a dark color sugar-- so.. just be patient with it:)

6. CLEAN UP: so at this point, you probably have a sticky, hard clump of caramel on your utensil (well, I know I did). Just add a cup or two of water to your caramel pot, and bring to a rolling boil. The hot water will melt the sugar.

Cupcake Camp TO (round 2)

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 03 May 2010 04:59:00 +0000

Hot weather and sugar coma aside, the second annual CupcakeCampTO was spectacular. Once again, cupcake makers, bakers, lovers and eaters were brought together at 52McCaul to devour over 2000 cupcakes. Kudos to Monica and Michelle, who yet again courageously took on the challenging task of coordinating C3TO.

You'll have to excuse the lack of commentary, but feasting on cupcakes all afternoon has left me in a vegetative state.

Next Post: the recipe and directions for my White Chocolate, Caramel and Macadamia Cupcakes, which were presented at C3TO. (stay tuned:)

A $10 donation to the Daily Bread Food bank got you one of these stamps-- the golden ticket for tasting cupcakes. Seize the cupcake you say?.. without fail, I did.

Cupcake lovers were dressed to the nines-- well, at least to the cupcake equivalent of couture. Christie, the proud owner of these cupcake rain boots, told me she had to have these beauties specially delivered from across the border. As she explained, they were only available at an American retailer, so she had to be especially congenial to her cousin in order to have them delivered to her.

Here goes round one. The gauntlet was down-- every man and woman for themselves. Hey, at least there wasn't any trampling-on this year.

Ah, here are the wonderful judges, Vijaya Selvaraju, Suresh Doss, and Duarte DaSilva. At first, they looked intrigued and excited, but after a few (dozen) cupcakes, the story wrote a little different.

Yep, Duarte perfectly sums up how [I think] everyone felt-- all smiles, but a little bit in pain.

The lovely Monica and Michelle-- Great job ladies!

Ooey-gooey Nutella and Strawberry Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:12:00 +0000

I was about 5 when I first fell in love with Nutella. Growing up in post-communist Romania, imported foods, such as this were considered delicacies. I’m quite confident that my first reaction this chocolate treat was utter shock. It probably went a little something like this (translated from Romanian of course), “Wait… WHAT?!? A chocolate sandwich? You mean I can eat chocolate…as a meal? … and this is OKAY?”

When my family moved to Canada, I went through a period where I would eat Nutella straight from the jar—no bread, just spoonfuls of chocolaty goodness. I probably should mention that I highly regret doing this, as it ~~may have been~~ was [definitely] responsible for my weight gain in my teen years (I now advocate moderation).

I needed a little bit of comfort today; studying for my final exams has been horrible. A combination of exhaustion and lacking drive makes it extremely difficult to concentrate.

Needless to say, taking 5 minutes to enjoy this warm, strawberry Nutella sandwich was what I needed. I promise that Nutella isn’t sponsoring this post… but if they happen to read this, and have a few extra jars lying around, I’ll take them;)

Ooey-gooey Nutella and Strawberry Sandwich (glass of milk is mandatory)

Ingredients

- 2 slices of bread (I prefer organic spelt)

- 2 tlbs Nutella (or other hazelnut spread)

- 3-6 strawberries, washed

Directions

1. Toast bread to your liking (I like mine crispy and dark-- but not burnt)

2. Slice your strawberries while the bread is toasting. You can take a few extra minutes to make them into hearts, but this is completely unnecessary.

3. Spread Nutella on your bread while it is warm, and top with sliced strawberries.

A simple and satisfying treat for when you’re running short on time and mental capacity. Enjoy.

CONTEST: Food Stationary

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:38:00 +0000

I couldn't resist... how adorable are these little erasers? I was at the bookstore picking up some last minute study guides, and came across these.

To win one of the three eraser packs, just leave a comment with contact details. Easy enough right? Three winners will be chosen at random. You have until Monday, April 19th before midnight-- oh, and its open to everyone (worldwide).

I'm still in the middle of exams, so back to studying for me.

--contest closed--

Congrats to Nadine, Em, and cookies and cups-- check your e-mails for details:)

16 Days...

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:42:00 +0000

As much as I love this little blog, I have to take some time off from posting to concentrate on completing my degree -- woohoo 16 more days.

I have so many projects that have been put on the back burner, but I promise you, they will be worth the wait.

... and now.. back to studying.

See you guys soon (and keep your fingers crossed for me)

xox

Sweet Talk: Interview with Sugar Tiers

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 00:14:00 +0000

I had the privilege of interviewing some of the industry's most talented cake decorators. Rosalind Chan, and Evalin Chong opened Sugar Tiers-- their first Canadian baking and cake-decorating center.

Both these ladies have fascinating stories, entrenched with worldly experience, shown in their beautiful masterpieces.

Rosalind is a renowned cake-decorating instructor, who has more credentials than I can name. Her business partner, Evalin, is equally decorated-- a match made in cake heaven.

Sugar Tiers sells a full range of pastries, cupcakes, and traditional French desserts, as well as offers training courses in cake decorating.

They have an in house bakery, cater customized wedding and celebration cakes, and an on-site, full retail centre for cake decorating supplies.

I can guarantee that you will be wowed. Here is how the interview went…

Madalina: You both share a passion for cake making. What sparked your interest?

Rosalind: From when I was young, I have always been involved in the baking. I always had an interest, and I used to help with the seasonal baking for the family. My mother started had an interest in cake making, and made cakes for the family and relatives. [She] introduced me to the Wilton line, and from then on I started to get into the field of cake decorating; I studied in England for eleven years. From there, it developed further. When I migrated [to Canada], my interest furthered as I met more celebrity artists and it evolved into more of a career. I started to be more aggressive, and started to pursue the baking part. I later became an instructor, inducted into the hall of fame, and became the Wilton Method International Instructor of the Year.

Evalin: For me, it was my babysitter. She was very good at Malaysian baking. When I was young, I would stand beside her, and watched her bake. I was her little helper. I came to Canada in 1995, and I earned a diploma in Food and Beverage management. I ended up working for Rogers Communications for a few years, so it was completely unrelated. In those few years, I still took cake-decorating classes and I learned French pastries, and cake design, and pursued Arts and Baking at George Brown.

At the time, I really wanted to go into cake decorating. I saw Rosalind on TV, and I thought that it would be great to learn from her. That is how I met Rosalind…she was my teacher.

M: Rosalind, you have three cake schools overseas, what persuaded you to establish a cake school in Markham?

R: I had to leave a mark here. It couldn’t just be in my native country. I also live here now—my family and my friends are here. I said to myself, “I have to do this… I have to develop something here.” I told my husband that you don’t die happy unless you achieve everything you want in life.

M: So this is THE dream?

R: My dream was pursued in many ways, especially with my schools overseas. This was about making my mark here. I wanted to develop something more powerful than before, moving away from being known as ‘just’ an instructor. This is a showcase of my work.

M: What is the time frame? … how long has this journey taken?

R: Do I have to disclose this?!? I’m joking. From the first time I started? Over twenty years.

M: Wow! Twenty years? It’s pretty unbelievable that you’re so passionate about making cakes after so many years.

R: I know! It came naturally. There was no time between working full time in an office in the daytime, and teaching cake decorating in the evenings. I was traveling more than my boss! So I said, “you know what? It has to stop”. I branched out, and opened the first of three schools in Malaysia. I noticed there was a niche in the market, and since the first school, everything took off.

M: How did you decide to open a business together?

E: While I was taking her classes, she asked me to go with her to a couple of exhibitions. I went with her every year, and then we thought we should do something together. We both loved baking and cake decorating, so we were thinking about it at the time.

M: Aside from selling cakes, you also offer a wide range of classes in edible arts. Do you have any advice for people who are interested in cake making?

R: First, I always tell my students the same thing: If you are going into the business to make the big bucks, this is not the career. This is a career that you need to love…you need the passion. The hours are long, it is tedious, and at times it is very frustrating.

You need to love what you are doing. If you don’t love what you are doing, after a while, this business will get to you. Second, you need to be creative—you can make the best elements, like sugar flowers, but if you lack creativity, the big picture just won’t look good.

E: You have to have patience… there are no shortcuts. You need to know the long way, and once you know the long way, you can figure out the easy way. Baking is different than cooking; you can seldom improvise. You need to be precise.

M: Sometimes, when I try a recipe, it doesn’t always quite work out. Does this ever happen to you?

R: MANY TIMES—trust me!

E: Of Course…I can’t say no.

M: Good! I’m not the only one.

R: Sometimes recipes from different countries don’t translate well. Flour densities and ingredients are different. If I try a recipe that works in England for example, it might not work here. Humidity and sea level play a big role; all these actually hinder baking. My mom has the best recipes that work in Malaysia, she comes to try them here, and even after 100 times, they still fail.

E: Sometimes you might want to change the recipe around a little bit, and it doesn’t work. Sometimes, you might have a pleasant surprise… it might just work. If it doesn’t work, you try to figure out what went wrong, and change it next time. Doesn’t matter if you are a professional, sometimes a recipe fails.

M: Your cakes are so delicate… have you ever had a mishap?

R: (again) Many times. That is why when I deliver cakes I always bring my toolbox—my emergency kit. It’s inevitable: there are bumps, you could trip over…many things can go wrong. There was one time when I actually set up a cake at a banquet hall, and the DJ, while setting up his equipment, swung a wire across, and took out the top tier of my cake.

M: OH NO!!

R: I nearly died.

M: That is what the emergency kit is for right? To help you bounce back from mishaps.

R: Exactly. You have to improvise—and always bring extra sugar flowers with you.

E: For wedding cakes, I’ve never had a mishap. Knock on wood. Sometimes, you end up with cracks in the cake, or other imperfections. We try to patch these mistakes, and beautify them.

M: You are around desserts all day… do you ever indulge?

R: We seldom eat what we bake. When you cook something for a long time, you tend to keep away from eating it. We always taste it, but that’s it! We have to taste everything we sell.

M: If you weren’t a cake artist, what would you be?

R: I think I would be an interior designer. Every business venture so far, I have been the primary decorator. When someone asks, “Rosalind, who is your interior designer?” I say, “You’re looking at her!” I think I have a knack for it—it goes hand in hand with being creative.

E: I would still want to be a cake artist, even if I wasn’t one. I would still really want to do this. I really love doing this…it wasn’t always easy, but I would still choose to do this.

If you are in the area, make a point to stop by their little shop. For more information on their store, bakery, and classes, here are the details:

Sugar Tiers

735 Markland Street, Unit 4

Markham, Ontario, L6C 0G6

905.888.9880

www.sugartiers.ca

I told the ladies that they would be seeing me in the future—I need to learn how to make those flowers. Who knows… maybe this time I won’t fail cake-decorating classes. Wait… did I tell you guys that story? The one where I flunked? No? …maybe next time.

Chocolate Marilyn Monroe- Warhol Inspired

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:43:00 +0000

I love to do two things when I am procrastinating: watch movies, and bake. Knowing I am an art buff, my roommate recommended I watch Factory Girl. Factory Girl is a biopic of Edie Sedgwick, whose fame came from being famous – strange concept right? Her story is rather tragic, but brings to light some of Warhol’s work. Arguably, one of Warhol’s most famous works is Marilyn Diptych, and unless you live in a vacuum, I’m confident you recognize it … I hope I don’t have to bite my tongue on that statement.

I channeled my inner Andy Warhol, and I took one of the world’s most famous icons, and chocolatified her—and in the process, I apparently also invented a new adjective.

I call this one CANDY Warhol. I love the softened look that the melted chocolate gave the pictures, it wasn't intentional, but I think it works. I also have to figure out how to get cleaner edges, back to the drawing board I guess; ah yes, delicious, delicious chocolate drawing board..mmmMmm.

Chocolate 'painting' is rather simple, but requires some knowledge on chocolate tempering, a steady hand, and patience.

Ingredients and Supplies:

- White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate; *if you want to have a colored design, see note below

- Your design printed-- make to use a photo editing program to reverse the image... this is especially important if you are tracing text, if not, you'll have the mirrored image.

- Piping bags, or parchment triangles

- Acetate sheets (also known as transparencies), or parchment paper. I prefer to use acetate sheets, because I find it gives the chocolate a glossy finish

- Tape

**Note that if you want to tint white chocolate, NEVER use water-based colors, such as food coloring. Water is chocolate's enemy, and you'll have a big mess on your hands. Instead, use food coloring powders, colored candy melts, or oil-based edible dyes.

Directions:

1. Using a photo-editing software, print off the mirror-image of your picture. There are a few free, online programs as well

2. Securely tape your image to a hard, smooth surface. Place acetate sheet over image, and tape in place.

Melt your chocolate, and using a piping bag or parchment triangle starting with the dark colors first to outline your image, and adding detail as you go along. You want to work backwards, so any 'filling', or background colors should be done last (think layering).

Allow this too cool, and continue building on your painting with lighter colors. Make sure you fully allow your 'painting' to set, before you flip it over to peel back the acetate.

Edible art, my new favorite.

There is a wonderful tutorial here for chocolate painting, and a great site for culinary inspiration

WIN IT- Everyday Food Cook Book; Martha Stewart Living

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:23:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to review a copy of

Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I have a couple of requirements for ALL cookbooks: first, they need to be innovative, and teach me things I wouldn't of thought of doing on my own. I love it when I pick up a cook book and find recipes or ingredients that I didn't think would go together. Although this cook book has some innovative recipes, for the most part, I wasn't overly WOWed-- especially for a Martha Stewart production.

Second, a cook book should have recipes that are relatively easy to prepare for the novice chef. Lets face it, most of us don't have the fancy tools, time or even the skill to make pretentious meals. If I want to cook dinner, it better be quick, simple, and of course, delicious. This book has 250 recipes that are relatively simple-- they have the 'duh' aspect, but as I found in the recipe I tried, lacked the 'licious'. I was underwhelmed by the lack of flavor; as a former vegetarian, I would be disappointed if this was my only option for dinner.The

Farfalle with Arugula and White Beans was the only recipe that I tried in the book (so far), so its not necessarily a fair representation of the other recipes.

Third, and of utmost importance, is that a cook book should have pictures. I'm not just talking about one or two scattered in between recipes, but decked-- oh, and they have to be relevant to the recipe, not just decorative. What I did LOVE about this book is the pictures that accompanied every single recipe. Each recipe had a full-page picture (kudos to food photographer)-- I think this should be a minimum requirement for cookbooks. I've been told that most cook books omit photographs for monetary reasons, but I think that if pictures are not in the budget, they should reconsider publishing a cookbook in the first place.

Another high-point for the book is the end section where it elaborates on techniques and definitions-- I always loved this about Martha Stewart Living publications. The final reason why I liked this book is that the recipes are affordable; what I mean by this, is that the meal I prepared was inexpensive. With previous cookbooks that I reviewed, the recipes left me a little bit in the red--this was not the case for this recipe at a total cost of 8 dollars for about 4 to 6 servings. I also did a rough cost-analysis of other recipes, and for the most part they are affordable for the average family.

This book does have some notable weakness, but combats these lacking strengths with it's usefulness, practicality, and aesthetic.

My final verdict: needs more bacon-- (both literally, and figuratively)

*I'm giving away a copy of the book... to enter, just leave a comment answering the following question:

What do you look for in a cook book? ... in other words, what's your number one requirement. Mine is definitely pictures... and they need to be appetizing, or else I probably won't try the dish- no matter how delish it is.

Contest open to US and Canadian residents only. Successful entrants must leave a post answering the question, with contact details. Winner will be chosen at random.

Congrats to Carie, you'll get to test Martha's book out for yourself! Seems like almost everyone is in agreeance about the photos-- here I was, thinking that I was crazy for NEEDING pictures.

Farfalle with Arugula and White Beans (duh-licious modifications listed in orange)

From Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart Living Magazine

prep time: 10 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

Quickly wilted arugula, canned beans, and toasted walnuts add heft to this vegetarian main course. Try spinach in place of arugula and pine nuts instead of walnuts.

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

12 oz farfalle

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I added 6-- I need to up the flavour)

1 lb. baby arugala ( I used 1 lb. fresh spinach)

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I substituted navy beans)

2 cup cremini mushrooms, cleaned, sliced

1/2 cup sliced bacon (in retrospect, this was the highlight-- however, bacon no longer makes it a vegetarian dish)

2 tbsp olive oil (I found the 'sauce' too dry, almost unpalatable without the E.V.O.O)

1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until

al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain

pasta.

(While the pasta was boiling, I cooked my bacon in a pan at medium heat. I added the cremini mushrooms to the pan when the bacon was 3/4 cooked. This was then added to the pan with the remaining ingredients)

2. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the garlic to the pot; cook over medium heat,

stirring, until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add arugula; toss just until wilted.

3. Add beans, pasta, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter; season with salt and

pepper. Heat, tossing, until butter is melted and beans and pasta are warmed

through, about 1 minute. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a thin sauce

to coat pasta.

(I added the olive oil after the ingredients were all combined, salt and pepper to taste)

4. To serve, divide among shallow bowls, and garnish with walnuts.

I think the bacon and mushrooms 'made' the dish... mmMm bacon

Tire Sur La Neige - Maple Taffy

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:54:00 +0000

You know you live in Canada when you can make authentic maple taffy on snow in March! Maple taffy, or tire sur la neigh (as my french friends prefer) is traditionally made from pure maple syrup, that is heated to 240'F, and poured on crushed ice or snow. This brings back memories from school trips we had to Quebec in the winter-- the whole class would run up to street vendors and wait in line to pour their own tire sur la neige.

Maple Taffy on Snow; Tire sur la neige (modified Canadian Living recipe)

Ingredients and Supplies:

- (large) sauce pan

- candy thermometer - baking sheet (I used a baking dish, works just as well)

- parchment paper - 12 popsicle sticks

- 2 cups pure maple syrup

- CLEAN, untouched snow. You can use crushed ice. (I scooped up my snow, and left it in the freezer over night, make sure that its super cold)

Directions:

1. In your small pot, boil the maple syrup to 'Hard Ball' stage on your candy thermometer (245-250˚F). It's VERY HOT! Don't let kids do this on their own, because they could hurt themselves (and grown-ups, be careful too!).

2. After the syrup has boiled to 'hard ball' stage (245˚F),transfer the syrup into a Pyrex measuring cup for pouring.

3. Pour the maple syrup in a line on your snow. Wait 30 seconds, and roll your maple syrup taffy around a popsicle stick.

This whole process happens very fast. Make sure you have everything organized before hand. Once your maple syrup passes 200'F, you really need to keep an eye on it, because within seconds, it reaches 245'F.

Here is a great link for the science of sugar/candy making. If your syrup is too soft and liquidy (melts the snow, and nothing happens), its because it didn't reach the right temperature. If its hard, like a lollipop, it surpassed the optimal temperature.

I gussied mine up a little, but this step is completely unnecessary.

My back yard in March, can you believe it? Can't wait to spring forward.

Make sure you have a large enough pot, because the sugar will boil over if not. I prefer my taffy to be a little more thick, so I boiled my to exactly 250'F. If you want soft taffy, boil to 240'F; for hard candy, boil to 260'F

The snow is yellow from the maple syrup... that would be awkward, right?

Personal Dilemma: The Stigma of Dining Alone

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 04:09:00 +0000

I’ve always had this penetrating fear of dining alone. The thought of spending 90 minutes at a table for two, by myself, was absolutely nerve wracking. Because of this, I’ve missed out on some pretty unique dining experiences.

I’m not advocating that you should eat in isolatation— in fact, I almost always argue the opposite. Breaking bread in company is the way food should be enjoyed, but if there is no companion, why does it often equate to not dining at all?

This time around, I tried something a little different. The mission was two fold: I wanted to challenge myself to step outside of my comfort zone, and also to answer the quintessential question of ‘what I want to be when I grow up’. Note that the term ‘grown-up’ is used loosely, mostly because I can’t act my age, just my shoe size.

Noce on Queen St. was the restaurant of choice. Looking back, probably the best choice I could have made. I had a two-course meal, starting with the carpaccio di manzo antipasto. It was a tantalizing combination of perfectly marinated, melt-in-your-mouth beef, horseradish cream, and shaved parm. The veal scaloppini al marsala with mixed mushrooms that followed, was equally divine-- my mouth is salivating as I recap.

I learned two important things from this experience: first, great food should never be passed on just because you can’t enjoy it with someone. Once you move past your apprehensions, it can be quite an enjoyable experience. Secondly, it reminded me of why I am drawn to the culinary world: simple, unpretentious, feel-good food. By realizing this second bit, I decided that I will accept my offer to culinary school—no hesitations.

I’m going against most expectations, but I’m following my dream, and I encourage everyone to do the same.

NOCE

www.nocerestaurant.com

875 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON M6J 1G5

(416) 504-3463

Bailey's Chocolate Pudding -- No Kids Allowed

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:44:00 +0000

At first glance, this looks like a cup of dark chocolate hot cocoa, but take a closer look and you'll find the ultimate after-dinner-dessert. Finally, a treat for the adults only-- a simple, yet sinful take on a classic.

I added Baileys Irish Cream, and used semi-sweet chocolate instead of milk-chocolate, and feel free to splurge on the more expensive chocolate. The garnish is up to you.

Bailey's Dark Chocolate Pudding Cups -- NO Kids Allowed

Ingredients:

(makes 6 - half cup servings)

6 oz. - semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. used for topping; splurge for the higher quality chocolate)

2 oz. - Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor

1/3 - cup golden syrup

2 1/2 - cups warm milk

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp - corn starch

2 - egg yolks, whisked

1 - tsp pure vanilla extract

1 - tbsp butter

garnish (optional) - substitute marshmallows, chocolate chips, whip-cream, walnuts, ice cream, etc.

Directions:

1. Cut semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. This makes for a quicker melt time.

2. Combine 5 oz. of the semi-sweet chocolate with golden syrup in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts.

3. While the chocolate is melting, whisk 1/2 cup of the milk with cornstarch until smooth; gradually whisk in remaining milk, and add to the chocolate mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 10 minutes-- thats how long it took for mine to thicken).

4. Remove the pudding from heat. Whisk 1 tbsp of the hot pudding mixture to the egg yolk, vanilla, and Bailey's liquor. This helps the eggs adjust to the temperature of the pudding; if you add the eggs right away, you risk ending up with scrambled eggs.

Stir the remaining egg-Baileys-vanilla mixture into the hot pudding. Place back on heat, and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes or until thick and glossy (be sure to stir constantly to keep the pudding from burning).
5. Remove the pudding from stove and stir in butter; divide among 6 heatproof cups or bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups for up to 2 days.

Garnish, and serve. Voila-- oh, and I won't tell if you go back for seconds;)

Bailey's Chocolate Pudding [serves 6]

Ingredients:

6 oz. - semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. used for topping; splurge for the higher quality chocolate)

2 oz. - Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor

1/3 - cup golden syrup

2 1/2 - cups warm milk

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp - corn starch

2 - egg yolks, whisked

1 - tsp pure vanilla extract

1 - tbsp butter

garnish

Directions:

1. Cut semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces. This makes for a quicker melt time.

2. Combine 5 oz. of the semi-sweet chocolate with golden syrup in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate melts.

5. Stir the remaining egg-Bailey's-vanilla mixture into the hot pudding. Place back on heat, and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes or until thick and glossy (be sure to stir constantly to keep the pudding from burning).

6. Remove the pudding from stove and stir in butter; divide among 6 heatproof cups or bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups for up to 2 days.

Cooking with Leftovers- Heart Shaped Pasta and Cannelloni

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:41:00 +0000

Every once in a while, I do a pantry and fridge overhaul... you know the kind... where you clear out everything from the back of your fridge. I always find very random ingredients that I buy to try, and never really use. This time around I found a box of cannelloni shells that I was never really inspired to make... but it was about time.

To find out how to make heart shaped pasta (the easy way)... scroll down further

Ingredients:

Cheaters Bolognese Sauce (I took a few short cuts, and deviated from what would be known as a 'traditional' sauce)

- 2 Roma Tomatoes, diced (thats all I had :)

- 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or olive, your choice)

- 1/3 cup of vegetable stock

- 1 tbsp tomato paste (I sometimes substitute ketchup, it adds a little bit of sweetness)

- 1 Large White Onion, diced

- 1 Red Pepper, de-veined and diced

- 500 g lean ground beef

- 2 fresh basil leaves

- 2 tbsp fresh parsley

- 1 tsp oregano

- 3 cloves of garlic, whole

- salt and pepper to taste

- chili flakes to taste (optional)

Cannelloni Shells

- 1 package of quick bake cannelloni shells (also known as manicotti shells)

* My deep dish only fits 12 shells, you may need more or less depending on the size of your dish

Spinach and Cream Cheese Filling

- 1 - 250 g package of cream cheese

- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/2 cup goes into the filling, 1/2 cup used to sprinkle on top before baking)

- 2 tbsp parmesan (if you don't have it, its okay to omit it)

- 1/4 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped

- 1 egg

- 2 tbsp dry Italian bread crumbs

- dash of salt and pepper

Heart Shaped Pasta

- 5-10 Cannelloni Shells

- Heart shaped cookie cutters - or pretty much any shape cookie cutter

Directions:

- In a deep skillet or pot, heat oil over medium heat.

- Add onions and peppers, you'll want to cook this for about 2-3 minutes, until the onions turn transparent. Add tomatoes, and cook for an addition 2-3 minutes.

- Add chicken stock, tomato paste, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper. Increase your heat to medium high, or until your sauce begins to bubble. Reduce heat to a medium-low and cover. Allow the ingredients to cook at temperature for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- I used this handy little attachment that came with my blender. You can use any grinder, food processor, or blender. The purpose is to grind the ingredients so they create a smoother, more palatable sauce.

- Allow your sauce to cool almost completely before using the grinder. From a past kitchen mishap, I learned my lesson that the sauce goes flying out of the machine.... it wasn't pretty.

- I only ran my sauce through the grinder once, if you prefer a 'smoother' sauce, feel free to run it through again. Return your sauce to a pot, and allow to simmer until ready to use-- this brings out more flavor.

- The ground beef is completely optional. You can even substitute ground pork or turkey, its up to you.

- I browned my beef before I added it to the sauce. I added a tsp of oil and used the same deep skillet as I made the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

- Once the beef browned, I drained any excess fat, and added it to my tomato sauce base. I returned the sauce to a simmer.
For the filling:

- Pre-heat your oven to 375'C before you start making the filling for your cannelloni.

- You can also make the filling the night before, and store it in the fridge to use later on. This saves time and doesn't make the process seem as lengthy

- Whip the cream cheese on a medium-high setting until light and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients for the filling as listed above, and blend for 2-3 minutes, or until combined. *Note, only use 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, the rest is to top your dish.

- I cooked the shells for about 3 minutes in salted-boiling water. I did this to soften the shells in order to reduce the cooking time in the oven. I removed them from the water, allowed them to drain and proceeded to pipe the filling into them.

- I used a plastic zip-lock bag, with the end trimmed off to stuff my cannelloni shells-- this works wonders.

- I sprayed some cooking oil on the bottom of my cooking dish. I then added a thin layer of my home-made pasta sauce. I neatly organized my cannelloni shells to fit the pan, but make sure you don't cram them together.

- On top, I added more sauce... than sprinkled it with the left over mozzarella cheese.

- Cover with foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes (if you blanched your shells prior), or according to the heat setting on your cannelloni shell box.

- Remove the foil in the last 5 minutes of cooking, and allow the cheese to turn a golden brown.

- Allow the cannelloni to cool for 5 minutes before serving-- as you might notice, the cheese bubbles at the top... an indicator that its WAY to hot to serve:)

Heart Shaped Pasta: The Cheater's Version

- Bring water and a tbsp of salt to a boil in a large pot. Add cannelloni shells, and allow to boil until they start to flatten out, as below. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly before the next step.

- Using a pairing knife, cut along the length of the cannelloni shell, so you have one large square.

- Using a cookie cutter, cut out your desired shape. THATS all there is to it... it's cheating, but hey, it works for me. (At least until I learn how to make my own pasta from scratch)

- Serve over sauce.. any way you want to... this is YOUR dish.

Happy Valentine's Day-- even if your single ;)

xoxo

Contest Winner

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:12:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest! Congrats to Sylvia, you will soon be the proud new owner of a shiny Hello Cupcake ring:) Sylvia has a pretty amazing site, and she specializes in custom cakes (and cupcakes too).

The Mona Lisa Sandwich [Book Review: Two Dishes]

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:37:00 +0000

I am in love with the idea of this cookbook, mostly because it is something I see my mom and I doing. Linda and Devin are a mother-daughter team who are the masterminds behind Two Dishes. The cookbook centers around the unique experience these women both have had, both locally, and around the world—from this they each have their own take.

Linda is co-founder of ACE bakery enterprise, and Devin is owner of Delica Kitchen in Toronto. Although both mother and daughter come from similar walks of life, the book emphasizes their differences. Linda’s recipes are bold, full of flavor, and uses delicate ingredients. In contrast, Devin focuses her attention on affordable meals, which, still carry flavor. Paring prosciutto and fig on ricotta crostini (page 97) is simply ingenious. Showing two different takes on an occasion—brilliant!

Again though, most of the recipes in this book are way out of my budget. Even student budget aside, most of the recipes featured are out of most peoples budgets. For example, Linda’s Scallops with Leek and Morel Ragout on page 137 calls for 20 to 24 large fresh morel mushrooms. Although I am convinced this is a divine combination, morel mushrooms are neither easy to find, nor are they affordable (1 oz. package of dried morels, $30…ouch!). Devin combats her mother’s recipe by offering an opportunity to create a wonderful dish while on a budget with her take on Grilled Shrimp with Charred Radicchio, Fingerlings and Aioli (page 138)—still too costly for me though.

I am always on board for quality foods, especially sophisticated ingredients, but I tend to leave that up to the professionals. I can’t afford to try a recipe that borders on being more expensive than my cell phone bill!

This book does deserve recognition for its wonderful pictures. Majority of the recipes have full page photographs (photographer, Dough Bradshaw and food stylist, Claire Stubbs) that are absolutely an inspiration.

I’ve come to realize that some books are more of a novelty than practical. Perhaps it is because the authors spend so much time coming up with recipes that are unusual, which inevitably end up navigating them far from being workable. Unfortunately, this, for me, is one of those books. I flip a page, and I get the culinary excitement, but not the urge to try the recipes. Why is that?

I settled on trying the Mona Lisa sandwich, one of Devin’s recipes—an instant favourite.

Mona Lisa Sandwich (by Devin); taken from "Two Dishes," by Linda Haynes and Devin Connell (p.104)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 to 8oz/175 to 250 g each)

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg white

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp pesto

5 oz (150g) mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/8 inch thick

4 soft floured Portugese rolls, cut in half

2 large tomatoes, sliced

12 whole fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400'F.

2. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise and lightly pound to flatten slightly. -- I found that by cutting the chicken breast lengthwise, and flattening it (which by the way, I covered in plastic wrap and pounded with my cast iron skillet; so easy, and fun) the portions were to large, so I cut them in half again (enough for almost 8 sandwiches)

3. In a shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, lightly whisk the egg white. -- I used Italian breadcrumbs, I think they added a little depth to the breaded chicken.

4. Dip each chicken piece into the egg white and then into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto all sides. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. -- This would taste a lot better pan-fried with a bit of oil and the bread crumbs would create a nicer crust. In the oven, the coating didn't crisp up as much as I would have preferred.

5. While the chicken is in the oven, combine the mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl. --YUM!

6. Turn the chicken and top with the cheese. Put the rolls in the oven to toast and return the chicken to the oven to cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted. -- My deli accidently gave me swiss cheese instead of mozza, but it still tasted divine. I could even see provolone or peppered havarti as suitable substitutes. My local bakery doesn't carry Portugese rolls, so I opted for ciabatta bread-- still great.

7. Spread the mayonnaise on the bottom half of each roll. top with the chicken, tomato, basil and the top half of the roll. Serve warm. -- I like the idea of a warm sandwich, but I think it would taste better if pressed underneath a panini maker. Toasting the ciabatta ahead of time just made the pesto-mayo melt. I think the basil, at least for the amount suggested in the recipe overpowers the other flavors. Instead, I would use a pesto with basil added, and omit the fresh basil leaves.

Recipe taken from “Two Dishes” by Linda Haynes and Devin Connell (McClelland and Stewart: 2009 p.104)

Credit:

Haynes, Linda, and Devin Connell. Two Dishes: Mother and Daughter, Two Cooks, Two Lifestyles, Two Takes. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart, 2009. Print.ISBN: 78-0-7710-3816-7 (0-7710-3816-X)

Seems opportune for a GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (mădălina) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:39:00 +0000

From time to time, I receive products from companies... and as much as I would love to keep this stuff... I'd rather give them away to you guys, my Awesome readers (capital A)! Tungsten Wedding Rings sent me this ring, and engraved it to say "Hello, Cupcake"...just a cheeky saying, not like the book (which too, is cool)

The value of the ring is approximately $115.00, and it is made of Tungsten-- a strong, scratch- resistant, almost indestructible metal...yes, I did my research.

Rules are fairly simple: Just leave a comment... with contact details (ie: e-mail, or website, etc.)

This time around, the giveaway is open to international residents as well (yay!). The deadline is Sunday, January 31st at midnight. Good Luck